Dr. Yonghua Ge's new book, Anti-Intellectualism in the Chinese Church, will be published by the Chinese Christian Literature Council (Taiwan) soon.
According to the Chinese Christian Studies, the book explores the persistent anti-intellectual tendency within the Chinese church. It not only defines the historical roots and core characteristics of this phenomenon but also proposes constructive suggestions.
"Anti-intellectualism" can be described as a deeply rooted issue and almost an "original sin" in the Chinese church. Dr. Ge's work is likely the first monograph dedicated to the topic. The book begins by defining "anti-intellectualism" in the context of the Chinese church, outlining its key features. It then traces its historical root by analyzing the anti-intellectual tendencies in the thinking of three influential 20th-century Chinese church leaders: Watchman Nee, Wang Mingdao, and John Sung. Following, the book delves into the theological foundations of anti-intellectualism. It explores its doctrinal roots from the perspectives of the Doctrine of God, Christology, creationism, and anthropology. Dr. Ge concludes by offering practical suggestions for the Chinese church.
Though inevitably referring to the history of the Chinese church, the book is more about theological thought within the church. In other words, it is a theological reflection addressing a critical issue in the Chinese church. Therefore, it can be regarded as an effort to construct a contextualized Chinese theology.
Dr. Yonghua Ge holds a PhD in philosophy (Christian theology and philosophy of religion) from the University of Cambridge. He is the founding director of the Mandarin Theology Program and serves as associate professor of theology at ACTS Seminaries of Trinity Western University. He also teaches at Regent College as a sessional lecturer and supervises doctoral students at Singapore Bible College and Columbia International University. His previous works include The Many and the One: Augustine and Aquinas on the Participation of Creation and Ten Lectures on the Essentials of the Bible: An Introduction to Biblical Thought for Chinese Intellectuals in the 21st Century.
Originally published by the Christian Times
- Edited and translated by Poppy Chan
