作为东方宗教的基督教－中国教会的早期证据

Christianity as a Religion of the East: Early Evidence for the Church in China

丹尼尔．威廉姆斯(Daniel H. Williams) ； 王雪迎

《基督教文化學刊》 20期 (2008/12) Pp. 234-253

並列摘要

Contrary to popular belief, the origins of Christianity are not western. It certainly spread to the west, but it also moved from the Middle East further to the east in the form of a Syriac-speaking Christianity which evolved completely outside the Roman Empire. Evidence for the existence of Syriac Christian communities, often known as the ＂Nestorians,＂ is found in China by the sixth century, although it is likely Christians had arrived a century earlier. There are important implications to these findings. Most obviously is the fact that Christianity possesses an ancient tradition within China which is as old as Buddhism. Another implication is that these ancient Christian communities were thoroughly Chinese, although their liturgical language remained Syriac. Finally, as a part of China's heritage, Christianity needs to be studied in light of China's historical and present culture.

並列關鍵字

church in the east ； early Christianity in China ； foreign religion ； Nestorians