Zhang Yijing

Zhang Yijing

An advocate of the Judgement Approach in the Indigenization Movement. Zhang Yijing proposed to use Christianity as a measuring stick to judge the Chinese culture. His love towards Christianity did not affect his interest in Chinese culture. He hoped that Christianity would help to improve on the shortcoming of the Chinese culture.

Zhang believed that Christ is in charge of the history of the world, thus the importance of Chinese history and culture cannot be overlooked as implied by Wang Mingdao. Zhang understood the depravity of the fallen man, which blinds him from God's truth. The resulted culture is also affected by the sin of man. Zhang realized that although one can find God's hand in the midst of Chinese culture, these are only of General Revelation, unable to save our souls. Only from the Special Revelation, can one receive salvation and the gift of eternal life.

Unlike Wang, who saw the world outside Christianity as God's enemy, Zhang sought to convert the unconverted. Zhang urged Confucius followers to consider Christianity, but not abandoning their tradition. Zhang acknowledged there are similarities between Christianity and the teachings of the ancient Chinese scholars, but unlike Wu, he denied that they are identical. Like Wang, Zhang stressed the sovereignty of God who is graceful to us on one hand and judgmental on the other. However, unlike Wang, he believed that God's grace is a prerequisite for rebuilding the country, from both the personal level and that of the society. Wang on the other hand, seldom talked about rebuilding this world of darkness.

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