Addressing the Needham Question From a Theological Perspective: Toward a Chinese Theology of Holistic Wisdom

Feng, Jacob

doi:10.1111/zygo.12787

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 25 publications

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“…McGrath's thoughts are conducive to the dialogue between theologians and the Chinese scientific community in their yearning for innovation. Elsewhere, I have brought Watchman Nee and Michael Welker into conversation and suggested that “although [many scientists] are unaware of the presence of the human spirit, their intuition, as a function of their spirit, which serves as the agent of the active information, is guided and inspired by the Spirit, resulting in scientific insights” (Feng, 2022, p. 312). Therefore, McGrath's reasoning holds the promise of linking scientific intuition and innovation to the human longing for God.…”

Section: Mcgrath's Scientific Theology and Its Rich Potential To Enga...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Alister E. McGrath and China: Toward a Chinese theology and science on transhumanism for the third millennium

Feng

2023

Dialog

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In the past three decades, Alister E. McGrath's popularity has been constantly on the rise in China. More than 20 of his books have been translated into Chinese. To the Chinese intellectual mind, the most fascinating among McGrath's works are his writings on theology and science. This is not surprising due to China's ambitions to achieve scientific and technological dominance by boosting creativity. However, such a daunting task faces insurmountable difficulties due to a prevailing lack of innovation, which might contribute to the rising interest in McGrath's work on science and theology. Due to the dominant political ideology in China, theology is by and large put aside, if not marginalized. This essay suggests that the wide‐scale reception of McGrath's works by Chinese academia and churches not only opens a door for the public square to change their attitude toward Christian theology, but also challenges Chinese theology to contextualize McGrath's scientific theology on Chinese soil and to engage Chinese worldview with its pragmatic epistemology. This paper seeks to adapt McGrath's scientific theology on the topic of transhumanism, which has received increasing scholarly attention from the perspective of traditional Chinese philosophies and religions, such as Confucianism and Daoism. Unfortunately, Chinese theology has largely failed to grasp the opportunity to offer any significant constructive proposal to this interdisciplinary discussion. This paper argues that a Chinese theology of science built on a sympathetic and critical engagement with McGrath's scientific theology has a rich potential to dialogue with modern sciences and traditional Chinese philosophies and religions on transhumanism. Such constructive theology not only serves as a conversation partner, but also provides a theological critique to the prevalent scientism and humanism in China.

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Section: Mcgrath's Scientific Theology and Its Rich Potential To Enga...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Alister E. McGrath and China: Toward a Chinese theology and science on transhumanism for the third millennium

Feng

2023

Dialog

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Holistic Wisdom from Abrahamic Faiths’ Earliest Encounters with Ancient China: Towards a Constructive Chinese Natural Theology

Feng

2023

Religions

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Philosophies in the East and West have favored wisdom in their search for truths. The Chinese civilization has sought holistic wisdom in its long history of absorbing the Abrahamic faiths since the seventh century. This paper aims to investigate how the Abrahamic faiths have interacted with ancient Chinese culture. In particular, this paper will examine the earliest written records in Chinese of the Luminous Religion (or Jingjiao), the earliest Jews in Kaifeng, and the earliest Muslims in China. By analyzing their theology of creation with reference to the Holy Spirit and qi (wind/breath/pneuma), this paper attempts a constructive Chinese natural theology based on a sympathetic and critical assessment of Alister McGrath’s natural theology but makes up for his spirit deficit. This paper argues that the holistic wisdom achieved in the early integration process of the Abrahamic faiths with the Chinese culture is closely intertwined with the Spirit and qi, which provides a fruitful ground to construct a Chinese natural theology. The contribution of this paper lies in its original research into the earliest written records of the three Abrahamic faiths in China from the perspective of the doctrine of creation and its relationship with the Spirit and qi.

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Addressing the Needham Question From a Theological Perspective: Toward a Chinese Theology of Holistic Wisdom

Cited by 2 publications

References 25 publications

Alister E. McGrath and China: Toward a Chinese theology and science on transhumanism for the third millennium

Alister E. McGrath and China: Toward a Chinese theology and science on transhumanism for the third millennium

Holistic Wisdom from Abrahamic Faiths’ Earliest Encounters with Ancient China: Towards a Constructive Chinese Natural Theology

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