From September 8 to 10, 2025, the second exchange meeting of the First "Coastal Christian Forum: United in Harmony," jointly organized by the municipal CC&TSPMs of Yancheng, Lianyungang, and Nantong, was convened at Lusi Church in Qidong, Nantong, Jiangsu Province.
Centered on the theme "The Word Becomes Flesh Here," the forum examined the development of Christology from the perspective of the sinicization of Christianity, with the aim of fostering exchange and cooperation among Christian communities in coastal Jiangsu, according to Nantong TSPM.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Rev. Zhang Zhixiang, president of Nantong CC. Nearly 100 participants attended, including leaders and scholars from the Jiangsu Provincial Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission, municipal religious affairs bureaus, the CC&TSPMs, theological seminaries, and contributing authors in coastal cities, as well as pastoral staff from Qidong.
At the conference, Dr. Liu Ruomin, professor at Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, delivered a keynote lecture titled "Thinking about China in Christ, Witnessing Christ in China—Bishop K. H. Ting's Christological Research." He systematically expounded on Ting's central ideas within the Chinese social and cultural context, emphasizing "dual loyalty" (to both Christ and China) as the ethical foundation, advocating for the church's active participation in national development and public morality, and encouraging the advancement of contextualization and public theology. Dr. Liu underscored the relevance of these insights for the contemporary Chinese church in advancing the practice of Sinicization.
The forum also featured a paper exchange session, where 15 scholars presented research on the theme "The Word Becomes Flesh Here—Constructing a Christology with Chinese Characteristics."
In addition, participants joined a peace prayer service marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Through choir performances, recitations, and artistic presentations, the service reflected on history and expressed faith. Pastors from Yancheng, Lianyungang, and Nantong led intercessions for world peace, human well-being, and national stability.
According to the "Outline of the Five-Year Work Plan for Advancing the Sinicization of Christianity (2023–2027)" issued by CCC&TSPM, one of the major tasks for 2025 is to explore and construct a Christology with Chinese characteristics from a sinicized perspective. Taking the 110th anniversary of Bishop K. H. Ting's birth as an opportunity, and drawing from traditional Chinese culture, the forum included seminars and a collection of papers that examined contemporary understandings of themes such as "the Incarnation," "the Universal Christ," and "the Selfless Christ." The research outcomes have been translated into pulpit resources to further theological study and church practice.