3 October

We are delighted to welcome Jacob Chengwei Feng, Fellow of the Oxford Interfaith Forum and Coordinator of the International Interfaith Reading Group on Science and Religion in Interfaith Contexts, to lead a session of the Philosophy in Interfaith Contexts.

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Here are the details of this fascinating session.

Topic: Holistic Wisdom from a Chinese Perspective

Abstract: Philosophies in the East and West have favored wisdom in their search for truths. In particular, the Chinese civilization has been striving for holistic wisdom in its long history of absorbing various ingredients from the Abrahamic faiths since as early as the seventh century. The paper seeks to investigate how the earliest forms of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have interacted with Chinese metaphysics. In particular, the paper will examine the earliest written records in Chinese (including inscriptions) of the Luminous Religion (or Jingjiao), the earliest Jews in Kaifeng, and the earliest Chinese Muslims. By analyzing their theology of creation with reference to the Holy Spirit, or Qi (breath), the paper attempts at a constructive Chinese natural theology, which is based on a sympathetic and critical assessment of Professor Alister McGrath’s natural theology but makes up for his spirit deficit. The paper argues that the holistic wisdom achieved in the early integration process of the Abrahamic faiths with the Chinese worldview is centered on the spirit, or Qi (wind/breath), which provides a fruitful ground to construct a contemporary Chinese natural theology. The contribution of this paper lies in its original research into the earliest manuscripts of the three Abrahamic faiths in China from the perspective of the doctrine of creation and its relationship with the Spirit. The newly constructed Chinese natural theology opens a door into a fruitful interfaith dialogue and science-theology conversation.

Speaker: Jacob Chengwei Feng, Fellow of the Oxford Interfaith Forum and Coordinator of the International Interfaith Reading Group on Science and Religion in Interfaith Contexts

Chair: Professor Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Professor of Systematic Theology at the Fuller Theological Seminary, CA, USA

Concluding Statements: Professor Diane Obenchain, Emerita Senior Professor of Religion and Former Director of the China Initiative at the Fuller Theological Seminary, CA. USA

Date: 3 October, 2022

Time: 18:00-19:00 BST | 10:00-11:00 PT | 13:00-14:00 ET

Venue: Online

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If you missed this session, a recording is available below: