Starting from September 22, Rev. Mathew K. Punnoose, general secretary of the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM), led a delegation of 13 colleagues to visit Shanghai CC&TSPM and the national seminary in Nanjing.
According to Shanghai CC&TSPM, the visit began with a short video introducing the latest developments of Christianity in Shanghai. Rev. Xu Yulan, chairperson of Shanghai TSPM, recalled past exchanges between churches in Shanghai and Malaysia, while also outlining recent progress on major initiatives within the Shanghai Christian community, including commemorations of the 75th anniversary of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement and the 70th anniversary of the Shanghai TSPM. She further emphasized the harmonious and cooperative relations among Shanghai's five major religious groups.
In his remarks, Rev. Punnoose noted the many similarities between the growth of churches in Malaysia and in Shanghai. He expressed hope that the visit would foster deeper mutual understanding and contribute to the development of churches in both nations.
Following the discussions, the Malaysian delegation toured the "Exhibition Hall of the Sinicization of Christianity in Shanghai," where they learned about local efforts and practices in advancing the sinicization of Christianity.
On September 25, at the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary (NJUTS), Rev. Wu Wei, president of the China Christian Council (CCC) and the seminary, highlighted the institution's achievements in systematically promoting the sinicization of Christianity. He stressed that the seminary has long regarded this as a core theme in its teaching and research, supporting the healthy development of the Chinese church through initiatives such as establishing research centers and hosting academic seminars.
Zhao Jingwen, director of the Research and Editorial Office, presented the seminary's recent progress in theological research and academic publishing, while Rev. Su Xile introduced the seminary's distinctive curriculum design and teaching model.
Rev. Punnoose shared the history of the BSM and the current situation of churches in Malaysia. Members of the delegation described the features and challenges of theological education in their country, commending NJUTS for its contributions to studying the sinicization of Christianity. They noted the seminary's experience as a valuable reference and voiced hope for broader cooperation in academic research, talent cultivation, and other fields.
After the meeting, the visitors toured the seminary's history exhibition and auditorium.
