超然信仰的社會實效性－王明道社會觀念的再詮釋

The Social Implications of a Transcendental Faith - A Re-interpretation of Wang Ming-Tao's Social Teaching

梁壽華(Leung Sau Wah)

《道風：漢語神學學刊》 9期 (1998/07) Pp. 169-200+303-304

並列摘要

To most Chinese evangelical churches, Wang Ming-tao (王明道) is a respectful and heroic figure. And he is also a prominent figure in the writings of Chinese Church history. Most of the traditional Chinese churches adopt Wang's social teachings, bearing an inclination to conservatism and social separatism. Besides, he has been depicted as a typical dichotomist of saintly and secular worldview. This paper seeks to scrutinize and reinterpret his works, which reflect his understanding of social implications of Christianity. As a Christian, Wang Ming-tao in his early years committed himself to reform the wretched society of his time, just as the contemporary intellectuals and idealists did. But his attitude changed in the midst of the critical social and political turbulence and his personal religious experience. His commitment shifted from the mundane world to the ultramundane Kingdom of God. However, as he learnt from the history of the West, such a transcendental faith always has ＂unintended social consequences＂. This nature of the transcendental faith is also inherent in his teachings. Though they seem to be conservative and socially separatist, we cannot overlook their progressive and critical nature at the social level. To him, such nature of the transcendental faith can actualize only if the faith is regarded as transcendental against the human society.