Heaven and Humans Are One

The Witness of the Chinese Catholic Ministry in a Global Context

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• Publisher: Peter Lang Inc., International Academic Publishers
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781453913482
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religious Institutions & Organizations

When religious and political leaders debate the question of establishing diplomatic relations between the Vatican and China, they frequently misunderstand that religious relation inevitably intertwines with politics. For instance, the Vatican has to terminate any diplomatic relation with Taiwan if reconciliation is to be considered between the Vatican and the Chinese Catholic Church (CCC). Religious relation, nevertheless, exceeds this conditional requirement. This book opens a window to globalization of the CCC, though for its survival, it still has to shelter under the umbrella of the Beijing government. There is in fact a bridge to connect the Vatican and the CCC in a religious way, i.e., communion and inclusiveness. The ministry of the Chinese Catholic Spiritual Center, thus, is to create possible channels for mutual understanding between the two. The author raises a crucial question whether the Vatican would separate the political management from religious leadership in order that new hope for reconciling the Vatican to the CCC through religious communion can be prospected.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• List of Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Chapter One: A Tooth for a Tooth (以牙還牙): The Separation of China and the Vatican–a Historical Analysis
• Chapter Two: The River Does Not Cross over Well Water (河水不犯井水): Tensions among Three Empires
• Chapter Three: Heaven and Humans Are One (天人合一): A Vision of Inclusive Oneness of China and the Vatican
• Chapter Four: Let the Hundred Flowers Bloom (百花齊放): Reconciling Ministry of The Chinese Catholic Spiritual Center (CCSC)
• Epilogue
• Bibliography