Wu Leichuan Research Articles

The "Jesus-Mozi Dialogue" In The Revival of Mohism In The Republic Of China——Take Zhang Yijing, Wang Zhixin And Wu Leichuan As Examples

"Jesus-Mozi Dialogue" is an underflow in the revival of Mohism in the Republic of China. Since modern times, the intellectual circles have mostly taken Christianity as the "rational model" of Mohism. When it comes to the best reference for Christianity in traditional Chinese culture, Mohism is always used as an example, which has been discussed in the field of Mohism research. However, in the past, people still paid little attention to the church's view of the "Jesus-Mozi Dialogue" between Mohist School and Chinese Christians, which is a pity. This article attempts to discuss the various viewpoints of Zhang Yijing, Wang Zhixin, and Wu Leichuan on Mohism and "Mohist religion" as examples, and looks forward to giving a clear definition of the literature and the division of school attribution to the results of the "Jesus-Mozi Dialogue".

기독교와 동양전통 사이: 오뢰천, 조자신 사상 중 인간 본성론과 사회실천성 연구

본 연구는 중국의 기독사상가 오뢰천, 조자신의 기독사상에 대해 서구근대적사유와 동양전통사 유간 교섭과 혼종이라는 문제의식을 중심으로 접근한 연구이다. 오뢰천(吳雷川)과 조자신(赵紫宸)의 현실인식이 어떻게 기독교와 맞닿아 철학적 문제의식으로 뿌리내렸는지 그들의 “인간본성론”과 “사회적 실천성”을 중심으로 분석하였다. 중국근현대 사상에서 독특한 위치를 차지하고 있는 오뢰천과 조자신사상연구는 상호문화철학적 관점을 도입하여 진행하였는데, 오뢰천은 중용의 천명론을 통해 자신의 인간본성론을 전개하였고, 조자신은 기독교의 신인(神⼈)관계, 예수 강림, 부활 사건과 효(孝)라는 중국 전통개념을 유비하면서 분석하였다. 그들의 인간 본성론에 대한 탐구는 사회에서 인간은 어떤 방식으로 삶을 개척해야 하는가라는 사회실천론과 연결된다. 인간본성론을 사회실천론으로 연결하는 사유형태는 중국전통철학의 전개에서 자주 발견되는 사유방식이었다. 이를 통해 20세기 중후반 중국사상계에서는 서구 기독교사상의 전파 역시 중국전통문화 가치를 공고화시키는 결과를 낳게 되었다는 점이 드러난다.

Chinese Christian communism in the early twentieth century

ABSTRACTThis article deals with a unique period in Chinese Christianity in the early twentieth century. During this period a number of Christian theologians engaged actively with communism and Marxist theory. We focus on the work of Wu Leichuan (1870–1944), Wu Yaozong (1893–1979) and Zhu Weizhi (1905–1999), who creatively sought engagements between Christianity and historical materialism and thereby articulated a unique Chinese development, albeit engaged with international currents of thought. The article analyses their varying methods of doing so, their reconstructions of the figure of Jesus and early Christianity, and the efforts to see both the links and differences between Christianity and communism.

Jesus the ‘teacher-saviour’ or ‘saviour-teacher’: Reading the Gospel of Matthew in Chinese contexts

While every interpretation is culturally particular and context-specific, the critical assessment of the hermeneutical principles and social consequences of real examples from different cultures may facilitate fresh readings of the scripture with more creative imagination, theological integrity and ethical responsibility. This essay investigates three influential interpretations of Matthew’s Gospel by well-known Christian leaders in China: Hong Xiuquan, Wu Leichuan and Watchman Nee. Different theological orientations notwithstanding, they all highlight Jesus’ role as ‘saviour and teacher’ and favour the Sermon on the Mount. The strategies that they use to appropriate Matthew’s Gospel and to make Jesus relevant show what it takes to ensure a sound hermeneutical process. They also bring to the table of Matthean scholarship insight into the roles that Jesus plays in the Gospel narrative and in various socio-cultural settings. Finally, they provide interesting cases for a brief refl ection on cross-cultural readings and post-colonial criticism that have fascinated recent biblical scholars.