Rev. Wu Wei, president of the China Christian Council, welcomed the delegation from the Korean Methodist Church (KMC) on February 19, with friendly exchanges on the sinicization of Christianity and the development of theological thought.
Wu reviewed the development of Christianity in China, elucidating the significance of the three self-principles (self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation), said CCC&TSPM. He expressed that the Chinese church has made efforts to change the perception of Christianity as a "foreign religion" in the minds of the people. The ongoing sinicization of Christianity aims to express faith in a way that is authentic to the Chinese people, contribute the positive strength of Christians to the country's development, and bear witness to the Lord in various situations. At the same time, the Chinese church is committed to nurturing high-quality talents and strengthening its own construction.
Bishop Chul Lee stated that China and Korea are close neighbors, and the churches in China and Korea have had many years of friendly exchanges. Many people care about and love the Chinese church, hoping to have a better understanding of it.
Acknowledging the achievements of the Korean church in the localization of Christianity, the visiting delegation expressed a keen interest in promoting Christianity in the Chinese context. They intend to engage in joint discussions with the church in China on this topic.
The group was the first international delegation that Shanghai CC&TSPM had received following the lunar New Year, according to Shanghai CC&TSPM, and Rev. Yu Guangzhi, president of the Shanghai Christian Council, received them the following day.
Yu introduced the rough situation of the Shanghai church, including international services, social services, and the practice and achievements of the sinicization of Christianity in Shanghai. Lee expressed that the Shanghai church has many aspects worth learning from, hoping for more opportunities for mutual visits in the future. In the afternoon, the delegation visited the Community Church in Xuhui District.
The next day, the delegation visited Nanjing Union Theological Seminary in Jiangsu, where Rev. Chen Yilu, the executive vice president, shared the recent developments in faculty construction, research and publications at the school, introducing the efforts made in nurturing high-level talents regarding the sinicization of Christianity.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
