At 1:30 p.m. on September 6, Fitch Memorial Church (Hongde Church) in Shanghai hosted the opening lecture of its Christian faith lecture series. Rev. Yu Jiang delivered a message titled "God's Works from Natural Revelation," exploring God's works from four perspectives: reason, life, morality, and philosophy.
Rev. Yu opened the lecture by leading attendees in a review of the Apostles' Creed, underscoring its role as the foundation of the Christian faith. He stressed that any teaching inconsistent with the truth conveyed by the Creed risks straying from orthodoxy and may even fall into heresy or cultic distortion.
"All things in heaven and on earth were created by God, and human life comes from Him," Rev. Yu said. He then posed the question of how people can come to know this God. He has provided humanity with two "books": the Bible, which reveals His will and salvation, and nature, through which He makes His existence and works known, Rev. Yu added.
From this perspective of natural revelation, Rev. Yu went on to testify to God's actions through four specific dimensions.
Humans possess a unique capacity for rational thought, a gift whose origin Pastor Yu traced to God. He emphasized that the principles of reason and science—from the laws of flight to the governing rules of nature—were established by God at creation. Humans merely "discover" rather than "invent" these laws. Science, he explained, is essentially the exploration of the rational structures God has placed in the world. Thus, humans should approach God's revelation with reason while embracing the truths discernible to the soul through faith. To dismiss faith based solely on empirical observation or scientific methodology, he noted, would be shortsighted. All principles ultimately trace back to the "Tao"—the wisdom and thought of God.
The whole universe is full of the vitality of life: the movement of the sun and moon, the changing seasons, the sprouting of seeds, and the growth of all living things all point to a single source. Pastor Yu illustrated this by noting that even if technology could replicate seeds in composition and appearance, they could never take root and grow independently. Humanity cannot create life; it always originates from God. Humans' inability to control life and death underscores God's sovereignty over life. As beings created in God's image, endowed with life itself, humans are called to gratitude, reverence, and worship, just as children naturally honor their parents.
Across cultures and eras, humans possess an innate moral sense, a conscience that discerns right from wrong. Pastor Yu referenced Mencius's "Four Beginnings"—compassion, shame and disgust, modesty and humility, and a sense of justice—to illustrate the universality and inherent nature of moral law. Acting rightly brings inner joy, while wrongdoing causes unrest, reflecting God as the ultimate source of morality and calling humanity to return to the supremely good Creator.
Finally, humans share a universal pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty—ideals that cannot be fully explained by upbringing alone. Pastor Yu noted that the human perception of beauty often aligns, indicating innate ideals that preexist material reality. These shared longings for truth, goodness, and beauty, he concluded, originate from God, who implants in the human heart an instinctive yearning for the divine characteristics.
The lecture concluded with a Q&A session, during which Pastor Yu addressed questions on evolution and related topics, engaging in thoughtful dialogue with the audience.
Built in 1928 in memory of Rev. George F. Fitch, a prominent American Presbyterian missionary, Hongde Church, also known as Fitch Memorial Church, is notable for its unique Chinese classical architectural style, reflecting the indigenization of Christianity in China during the 1920s. Designed by architect Yang Xiliu, it blends traditional Chinese elements such as Dougong brackets with Western basilica features and can accommodate about 1,000 people. Having endured war, social upheaval, and the suspension of services during the Cultural Revolution, the church was restored and reopened in 1992. As of 2019, as a TSPM church, it continues to serve thousands of worshippers each week.
Originally published by the Gospel Times
- Edited and translated by Poppy Chan
