A comprehensive training course held in Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, brought together nearly 100 educators from theological seminaries across China.
This endeavor, held under the auspices of CCC&TSPM, unfolded from August 8th to 10th, as reported by CCC&TSPM.
On the 8th of August, Reverend Wu Wei, president of China Christian Council (CCC), emphasized that the intricate and pivotal challenge inherent in Sinicizing Christianity resided in the process of assimilating theological thought. The endeavor to sinicize Christianity extended beyond contemplation solely within the theological sphere of clerical constituents; it ought to extend its influence to encompass the broader Christian community, thereby imparting guidance through diverse modes of faith interpretation.
Prior to the commencement ceremony, Professor Cui Jinghuan, director of the New Testament Research Department at Heilongjiang Theological Seminary, delivered a sermon under the title "Peace Be With You," employing the verses from John 20:19–23.
During the afternoon session, Rev. Kan Baoping, residential vice chairman of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), conveyed that the "Introduction to the New Testament" was finalized at the end of 2022 after 12 years of effort. This scholarly work encompassed an exposition of the historical and cultural context of the New Testament, the establishment of its canonical structure, and an introductory discourse on the Gospel texts. Representatives from the authoring team, namely Yu Yin, Xue Jing, and Qiu Dan, shared personal insights and perspectives garnered from their participation in the creative and editorial processes.
Subsequently, on August 9th, Liu Wei, associate professor at Nanjing Union Theological Seminary (NUTS), delivered a specialized lecture titled "New Testament Studies and the Sinicization of Christianity." Liu expounded on the conceptual framework, objectives, principal research avenues, and exploratory trajectories within New Testament scholarship, concurrently acquainting the audience with the Sinicized academic traditions of NUTS within the domains of Biblical instruction and research.
Dr. Huang Tianhua from Guangdong Union Theological Seminary offered a specialized lecture with the theme "Old Testament Studies and the Sinicization of Christianity." Huang delineated the prevailing state of Old Testament studies in China from five distinct vantage points: ecclesiastical, seminary, scholarly, translational, and academic perspectives. He dissected the merits and challenges inherent in Old Testament scholarship while advocating for the alignment of Old Testament studies with the overarching goal of sinicizing Christianity.
Subsequently, Professor Zhang Yue from NUTS and Dr. Zhang Xinyu from the Theological Research Department at Fujian Theological Seminary imparted specialized lectures encompassing the latest advancements within the spheres of contemporary New Testament and Old Testament studies.
Reverend Wu reaffirmed CCC&TSPM's steadfast commitment to fostering the development of theological seminaries while concurrently orchestrating specialized training endeavors in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, the organization remains resolute in its pursuit of elevating educator qualifications and furthering the assessment of professional titles within the pedagogical realm.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
