the younger generation in china 的英语作文

the younger generation in china 的英语作文

Today I'd like to share a survey that I did in last December at Beijing during the CASS conference. This is a research project I assist Prof. Lai Pan Chiu to conduct a survey of the younger generation of scholars of Christian Studies in Mainland China.
As we know, Christian Studies in Mainland China has resumed since the 1980's in Chinese academia. During that time, there was a wave of introducing western thought in Chinese academia. The significance of this movement is regarded by some Chinese scholars as another Enlightenment since the May 4th movement, 1919. Christian Studies in mainland China has its own peculiarity since the very beginning, because of the special religious policy and political environment in China. For example, most scholars of Christian Studies proclaim themselves to be intellectuals rather than Christians, and they usually do not adherent to any Christian church. Furthermore, these scholars mainly come from different humanistic disciplines in universities, instead of from churches or seminaries. Except the particularity of the scholars themselves, the approaches and specifics of their research are also different from the tradition of western Christian Studies. Over the last nearly thirty years, more and more scholars have devoted themselves into Christian Studies in mainland China and the younger generation of scholars distinguished themselves by showing some new characteristics. They would be differentiated by professional training, research interests and approaches, or even religious beliefs. These new characteristics show the reason for this survey which have been strictly confidential and anonymous.
The questions of the survey are as follows:
The reason of doing Christian Studies? - Purely because of academic interests, purely because of religious reasons or both?
According to the result, five of the 15 interviewees engage in Christian Studies with purely academic interests; and 7 of the 15 interviewees think the motivation of their Christian Studies is both because of academic interests and religious reasons. Among this group scholars, some of them think they could make a distinct boundary between academic interests and personal beliefs. Hence, they could guarantee their research and teaching activities which would strictly measure up with academic and educational standard. Others among this group scholar think that it is not easy to make Christian belief thoroughly separated from their research. To them, the study of Christianity would strengthen their religious certitude. It is Christian studies that combine their academic activities with their lives. Only two of the 15 interviewees said that the motivation of their Christian Studies begin with the way of "faith seeking understanding".
How do you evaluate the achievements and limitations of the "senior" scholars of Christian Studies in mainland China?
It is the consensus of the interviewees that the "senior" scholars of Christian Studies in mainland China have made great achievements in Chinese academia. They take on the responsibility of introducing Christian knowledge to the whole of Chinese academia, letting Chinese intellectuals and ordinary people understand Christianity in an appropriate way. They have made a diversified contribution to Chinese academia by translating, teaching and writing about Christianity. But what they contribute most to Chinese academia is that they brought a knowledge of Christianity to Chinese humanities that had been a blank before. Some interviewees also express their admiration for the senior scholars of Christian Studies in mainland China, giving them great respect, because of the special political environment where they were and the ideological burden which they took on. Furthermore, their early initiatives laid the foundation of Christian Studies in Chinese academia and made a great impact on the younger generation of Christian Studies.
Besides the highly praised contribution of the senior scholars of Christian Studies in mainland China, the interviewees also give their critical reflections on the work which senior scholars have done. Their reflections are mainly as follows:
Firstly, from the philosophical perspective, the work of the senior scholars is not critical enough to cope with the intellectual standards, because they mainly concentrate on translation and introductory work. The constructive work on the theory of Sino-Christian theology is still under expectation.
Secondly, few senior scholars of Christian Studies in mainland China come from theological or Christian Studies. Most of them come from other humanistic programs, like history, philosophy, literature, or even linguistic studies. Though it is a historical phenomena because there was no subject related to Christian studies in Chinese universities from 1949 to 1980's, scholars who received specialized training for the construction of Sino-Christian Theology is thus still under demands.
Thirdly, since the senior scholars mostly took on the translation and introduction work, they did not explore the various aspects of Christianity in detail. This is the consensus among the interviewees and at the same time, the interviewees think it the responsibility of the younger scholars to further promote Christian Studies in different approaches and to go deeply into Christian Studies itself.
Do you have any religious affiliation? Do you worship at a Christian church - never, occasionally or regularly?
Six of the 15 interviewees say that they have Christian faith. Two of them go to church regularly. One of them goes to church occasionally. The remaining three would prefer the personal way of worship, alone or with their family.
Interestingly, most interviewees who do not have Christian faith are not exclusive of church activities and some of them often attend church activities. Besides regarding church activities as a real way of acquainting themselves with Christianity, some interviewees consider church is a nice and peaceful place for contemplation and the pursuit of self-transcendence. But to this extent, I think, the Buddhist temples play the same function with Christian Churches to them.
How do you perceive the significance or meaning of your academic studies of Christianity - to the academia, Christianity, Chinese culture and society?
No matter how different the research interests and personal beliefs were, the significance of Christian Studies in mainland China receives the recognition of all the interviewees. They agree that Christian Studies in mainland China has had a far-reaching impact on Chinese academia, Chinese culture and society. And they also agree that Christian Studies in mainland China will continue to play an important role in the future. It is the consensus of the interviewees that the resumption and development of Christian Studies in mainland China has contributed greatly to the integrity of the humanistic ecosystem of Chinese academia, the construction of human sciences in China and the cultural communications between east and west.
About the non-confessional Christian theology undertaken by the mainland China scholars, interviewees mainly have two kinds of viewpoints about it. One group of interviewees thinks this kind of academic Christian theology, which is studied by scholars with no Christian faith, and in a different way from ecclesiastical theology, has a significant meaning. This is because it is considered as a bridge between believers and non-believers, and could also be the medium of different religions, and the medium of the government and Christianity. Other interviewees show the critical reflections on this kind of Christian theology. In their point of view, the non-confessional theology in mainland China is not comprehensive enough because sometimes this kind of theology ignores the faith community for political convenience. In the future, the theology in mainland China should face the faith community in a more gentle and positive way.
Concerning the meaning of Christian Studies to Chinese society, some interviewees think the meaning of Christian Studies in mainland China has already gone beyond academia itself. Because it affords an opportunity for Chinese people to understand western cultures and religions in a deep and diversified dimension. In turn, the recognition received by Christian Studies also helps Chinese people to perceive the realities of China in a sensible and pluralistic perspective. Christian culture also has a complementary function for Chinese traditional culture and would bring out the best in each other in the future.
In the expectation of development of Christian Studies in the future, most of the interviewees come to the general agreement that Christian Studies in mainland China should be undertaken by scholars who come from theological or religious studies. The study of Christianity in China should go into more detail and be more inclusive to the western theological tradition. Furthermore, the interviewees also think that Christian Studies in mainland China bring fresh ideas to the issues on social welfare, social transformation and morality. It would promote the plurality of Chinese culture and society on the whole.