A Preliminary Study on the Integration between Confucianism and Christianity: A Clarification and Intermediation between Sin and Goodness in Human Nature

Anwu Lin

Abstract

Generally, the idea of “the goodness of human nature” refers to the philosophical genealogy of the views of human nature of Confucius and Mencius in Confucianism while the idea of “original sin” is Christian conception of human nature. The relationships between Heaven and human, between thing and I, and between self and other that are reflected in the idea of goodness of human nature” are not discontinuous relationships but continuous relationships. The relationships between Heaven and human, between thing and I, and between self and other that are reflected in the idea of “original sin” are not continuous relationships but continuous relationships. The idea of “continuity of being” is based on a totality formed by the correlation of Qi (qi de gantong). The emphasis of the correlation of Qi is on the interaction between subjects, rather than on the “objectification of subject.” The idea of “discontinuity of being” is based on an opposition and division between subject and object made by the verbal judgement (yanshuo de lunding). It is a framework of the opposition of subject and object that is established through the objectification of subject. Through the verbal judgment, the status of “original sin” was changed from that the idea that “there is originally nothing at all” to the idea that “there seems to be something there” and then to the idea that “there is really something there.” Since that “there is really something there,” there must be a redemption to deal with it. Through the correlation of Qi, the ontological basis of the goodness of human nature was transferred from Heaven to human and then to human mind-heart. As its ontological basis was human mind-heart, the human nature could be understood in light of human mind-heart and the goodness of human nature could be understood accordingly. Resolving the idea that “there is really something there” of “original sin,” learning the idea that “there seems to be something there” and further understanding the idea that “there was originally nothing there.” It is because the idea that “there was originally nothing there” that the verbal judgment could be resolved and the possibility for Christianity to communicate with other religions could be opened. Facing up to the idea that the ontological basis of human nature is human mind-heart with the idea of the goodness of human nature, learning that it depends on the idea that “the ontological basis of human nature is human,” and further knowing that it ultimately hinges on the idea that the ontological basis of human nature is Heaven. Contrasting the subjective dynamics and transcendent totality, moving beyond the formlessness of the correlation of Qi and equipping it with the verbal judgment, there would be a possibility for Confucianism to compare and communication with Christianity. If the idea of original sin of Christianity would return to its origin, and the idea of the goodness of human nature of Confucianism would reach completion, it will be possible to integrate the two.

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A Preliminary Study on the Integration between Confucianism and Christianity: A Clarification and Intermediation between Sin and Goodness in Human Nature

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A Preliminary Study on the Integration between Confucianism and Christianity: A Clarification and Intermediation between Sin and Goodness in Human Nature

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