The Centre for Sino-Christian Studies (CSCS) was established in July 2001 to support advanced research in Christian Studies in the Chinese context, and to augment academic exchanges with Chinese scholars from mainland China. Since the 1990s the importance of Sino-Christian Studies has been widely recognized by leading academic institutions. Many similar research institutes have been established in mainland China and Taiwan. This trend clearly reflects the recognition within academia of the contemporary significance of the study of Christian thought, which is integral to European and other cultures influenced by Christian religions, and is considered to be integral to the renewal and modernization of Chinese culture. Being the only local tertiary institution with a strong Christian heritage and commitment, our university is well positioned to support this research centre in Sino-Christian studies. Consequently, our Centre continues to advance Christian scholarship and sustain the vitality of the University’s heritage of Christian higher education within our distinctive Chinese cultural setting.
The Centre seeks to explore the meaning and significance of Christianity in modern and contemporary Chinese cultures and to promote inter-disciplinary dialogues between Christian Studies and other academic disciplines as well as inter-religious dialogue within the current post-secular Chinese setting. It endeavours, as far as possible, to integrate theological, historical, cultural and socio-political perspectives into its research projects, so as to provide a broad multi-disciplinary approach to Christian Studies. It also aims to establish and coordinate regional and international networks of Christian Studies within the “Cultural China” initiative. The Centre is a pioneer in the fields of “Christianity and Public Values”, “Science and Religion Dialogue” and “Christianity, Sinology and Missionary-Scholars” in the region. For more than dozen years, we provided special opportunities in Summer Schools for Chinese graduate students and young PhDs to interact with internationally known Christian scholars on various themes. The Centre has held international conferences related to our major research projects, including in 2013, a conference on Søren Kierkegaard and Chinese Culture; in 2015, we have organized conferences dealing with James Legge’s Life and Works in Hong Kong, Paul Tillich’s Ultimate Concern in Confucian and Buddhist Contexts, and The Spirituality of Teresa of Avila in Chinese Christian settings; in 2016, an international conference on Civil Society and Christian Religion in Greater China; in 2017, we have organized conferences dealing with Changing Religious Landscape in Contemporary East Asia and Celebrating 500 Years of the Reformation; in 2018, Sino-Western Cultural Exchange and the Development of Christianity in China: A Conference in Celebration of the Bicentenary of Ying Wa College; and in 2019, the 5th Annual Conference of Logos International Forum: Christian Faith & Contemporary Society.
Recent Major Research Projects
- Intelligent Design in the Origin of Life and the Universe
- Modern Education in China and Its Impacts
- Sino-Western Cultural Exchange and the Development of Christianity in China
- The Reformation’s Culturally Transformative Influences and Impacts: European and Asia Cultural Perspectives
- Civil Society and Christian Religion in Greater China
- Justice and Charity in a Secular Age: Philosophical, Ethical and Theological Perspectives
- Christian Family-Marriage Values and Secular Age Multidisciplinary Explorations
- International Conference in Commemoration of the Fifth Centenary of the Birth of St. Teresa of Avila: “In Union with God: St. Teresa of Avila and the Contemporary World”
- Ultimate Concern: Paul Tillich, Confucianism and Buddhism Conference
- Chinese Christianity and its Spiritual Disciplines
- Religious Dialogue between Christianity and other Chinese Religious Traditions
- Modern and Contemporary Sinologists’ Classical Translations and Chinese Works
- Religion, Moral Development and Liberal Society
Research Publications
- Paul Tillich and Asian Religions (2017)
- Science and Religion Dialogue in China (2008)
- Religious Values and the Public Forum: Public Religion, an East-West Dialogue (2008)
- Bridging Science and Religion (2002, revised editions 2003, 2007)
- Christian Values and the Humanistic Spirit: History, Dialogue and Prospect (2006)
- The University and Christian Studies (2003)
- Relations between Religion and Morality (2003)
- Christian Thoughts and the 21st Century (2001)
- Christianity and Modern East-West Cultures (2000)