论刘小枫对「汉语基督神学」的理解

On Liu Xiaofeng's Conception of Sino-Christian Theology

Leonard Hung-shing CHEUNG

More than ten years ago, Liu Xiaofeng unveiled his conception of Sino-Christian theology. From then on the discussion about it has never stopped. I will participate in it from the perspective of analytic philosophy with the following two purposes.

In the first place, I endeavor to explicate Liu's very idea of Sino-Christian theology by using the method of definition. It is found that Liu, using the method of class and difference, firstly defines “theology” as “rational discourses on the ultimate reality”; secondly “Christian theology” as “rational discourses on the meanings of the Christ event which is the word of God”; finally “Sino-Christian theology” as “rational discourses, in consideration of Chinese worldview, on the meanings of the Christ event which is the word of God”.

In the second place, I point out that since the discourses of Sino-Christian theology are bound to Chinese worldview and Christian worldview, the possibilities of incomparability (ie both worldviews are incomparable), compatibility (ie both worldviews are compatible) and incompatibility (ie both worldviews are incompatible) should be entertained. According to Liu, we should embrace incompatibility. I strive to prove that Liu is correct because comparability is impossible and compatibility is unsuccessful. I also point out that since incompatibility is the only rational choice for Sino- Christian theologians, we should abandon indigenous theology or the likes, which adopt compatibility approach, and put our efforts on proving that Christian worldview is more reasonable than Chinese worldview.