From October 25 to 26, the 2025 Annual Conference on Christian Studies and the Symposium on "Christianity and Mutual Learning among Civilizations" took place in Guangzhou.
According to the Chinese Religious Academic Network, the event was hosted by the Center for Christian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Department of Christian Studies at the Institute of World Religions, CASS, and was organized by the Institute for the Sinicization of Religion at Jinan University. More than 70 experts and scholars from universities and research institutions across China attended the conference.
At the opening ceremony, Professor Xia Quan of Jinan University remarked that the symposium reflects the latest developments in religious studies in China. He noted that academic research is increasingly centered on the Sinicization of religion, with diverse perspectives fostering deeper and more substantive inquiry. Researcher Zhuo Xinping, former director and senior fellow of the Institute of World Religions at CASS and honorary president of the Chinese Society of Religious Studies, gave a brief review of the history of Christian studies in China. He highlighted that the symposium covered topics ranging from classical texts and contemporary issues to philosophical theories and research on religious culture and art.
During the keynote session, Professor Tang Kaijian of Jinan University delivered a presentation titled "An Exploration of the Unique Overseas Copy of Bianxue in Fang Hao's Private Collection." He examined the book's author, versions, and sources and discussed its historical significance in the study of Sino-Western cultural exchange during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Professor Fu Youde, director of the Center for Judaic and Inter-Religious Studies at Shandong University, presented "Christian Tea Culture and Reverence Theology: A New Exploration of the Sinicization of Christianity," highlighting recent achievements of the Shandong CC&TSPM in theological construction and cultural exchange.
In his presentation "Medhurst's Views on Chinese Culture," Professor Wu Yixiong from the Department of History at Sun Yat-sen University systematically reviewed the key ideas and discourses of 19th-century British missionary Walter Henry Medhurst regarding Chinese culture and history.
Professor Kang Zhijie of the School of History and Culture at Hubei University presented "A Study of Chinese Catholic 'Tea-Picking Songs': From the Perspective of Religious Sinicization," introducing the artistic forms of the folk "Tea-Picking Songs" popular in Shanxi, eastern Fujian, and Sichuan, as well as the collective memory and religious life they reflect.
Titled "Augustine's Philosophy on Lying and Its Influence," Zhou Weichi, a researcher at the Department of Christian Studies at the Institute of World Religions, CASS, analyzed Augustine's understanding of lying and discussed the profound influence of his "absolute prohibition of lying" within Western Christian ethics and civilization.
The symposium featured two parallel sessions in which scholars explored the theme of "Christianity and Mutual Learning among Civilizations" from multiple perspectives, including "Studies on the Sinicization of Christianity," "Theological Thought and Mutual Learning among Civilizations," "Biblical Studies," "Studies on Medieval Church Fathers," "Catholic Studies," and "Eastern Orthodox Studies." A youth forum was also held to encourage dialogue and academic exchange among young participants.
