雖或可為，卻不易為：敬答鄭順佳教授

Possible yet Difficult: A Response to Professor Kevin Cheng

Andres S. TANG

This short paper is a response to Dr. Kevin S. Cheng’s “Further Reflection on Comparison”. The author follows Dr. Cheng’s paper point by point so as to clarify and discuss the issues of comparison in depth. (1) The Confuciusization of Christianity is a crucial issue that has to be noted. (2) It is necessary for us to clarify at which level the similarity and difference are situated. (3) All conclusions are provisional depending on further research, including the author’s response to Cheng’s Book on the comparison of Karl Barth and Tang Junyi. (4) It is possible that the similarity or difference at the root will influence the similarity or difference on the surface. (5) Concerning the author’s “A Tien-tai Buddhistic Interpretation of Karl Barth’s Christology”, the difference between Buddha’s nature and Christ’s being is not quantitative but qualitative. (6) The study of similarity should be complemented by that of difference for a complete picture. (7) The author does not intend to propose a general methodology of comparison through the response to Dr. Cheng’s case study. (8) It is true that all researches are situational and contextual, but text readings are sufficient for us to find out the similarity and difference.