The Protestant Church in China is growing very fast. However, the role of the Church in society is still fragile and marginal. The Church needs a strong ethical and structural development. This study analyses the theological, ethical and ecclesiological heritage of the Reformation and it shows how this can build the foundation for the future of the Church in China. Four models serve as orientation: the Reformers Luther and Calvin and the theologians Bonhoeffer and Barth in the 20th century, with their vision of Christian faith and a humane society. The critical analysis of the missionary heritage since the 19th century shows its contribution for the acceptance of the tradition of the Reformation for the growing Church in China. The author combines this theological and ethical perspective with the inculturation in the strong ethical tradition of the Chinese culture. He proposes the encounter between the spirituality of the Western culture and that of the traditional culture of China through the relationship with Confucianism. The book also offers elements for the dialogue around modern values such as human rights and civil society. In this dialogue, Chinese Protestantism can play more and more an important role.

Autorentext

The Author: Aiming Wang (1963) is Dean and Vice President of the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary in China and Vice Director of the Committee of Theological Education of the China Christian Council. He was Assistant Professor for Western Literature at the Nanjing Normal University. In 2008, he received his doctoral degree in Systematic Theology/Ethics at the University of Basel, Switzerland and his doctor honoris causa from the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

Inhalt

Contents: The meaning of the Reformation for the future of the Church in China Theory of Max Weber s Ideal Types as methodological basis for an ecclesial ethics in China The Ideal Type I is about the theological principles of Martin Luther, the Ideal Type II about the institutional church of John Calvin, the Ideal Type III about the teachings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Karl Barth, and the Ideal Type IV is about the ethical model of Confucianism.