China's national seminary held a lecture on challenges and opportunities for the sinicization of Christianity on October 30, emphasizing Christianity must adapt to the mission of the era and the country’s strategic goals.
According to Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, the lecture "Religious Faith in a Great Era: Challenges and Opportunities for the Sinicization of Christianity Today" was delivered by Professor Xu Yihua, a board member of the seminary and director of the Academic Committee at Fudan University's School of International Relations and Public Affairs.
During the lecture, Xu provided an in-depth analysis of the contemporary challenges and historic opportunities facing Christianity in China during the lecture. He emphasized that in the context of China's "once-in-a-century transformation," Christianity must demonstrate adaptability, keep pace with the times, resonate with the mission of the era, and align with national development strategies.
Xu emphasized that the sinicization of Christianity should focus on political identification, cultural integration, social adaptation, and healthy religious inheritance, enabling Christianity to integrate closely with contemporary China's development.
Analyzing from the perspectives of national security and international influence, he highlighted the need for the Christian community in China to enhance its international discourse power and influence actively against the backdrop of "once-in-a-century transformation" and "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," which required engaging in global religious dialogues, breaking the perception that "Christianity belongs to the West," and systematically advancing the sinicization of Christianity.
