Reconsideration Theology of Reconciliation (1): Reconciliation Theology as Situational Theology

It is said that "wherever there is oppression, there is resistance," but the truth is that there are injured people, and they are often not the objects of praise. The history of Hong Kong will be written in the song and dance of the 1980s, but the harm caused by the turmoil of that year is not known, and can only be seen in some popular literature or movies. In 1987, Yang Mugu published the book Fuhe Theology and Church Renewal (hereinafter referred to as Fu), which was written both for the injured people and for the church. [1] This article attempts to analyze and evaluate the theology of Fu in the context of situational theology, and at the end of the article discusses possible new developments in the situation in Hong Kong today.

1. What is Situational Theology

Contextualizing theology first and foremost. It's not just that "all theology has context," but that theology emerges from context. According to Pears, this approach originated with some frontline theologians whose experiences had left them dissatisfied with the universal claims of traditional theology, which were at odds with their culture. [2] Yang Mugu also holds a similar view in his book, arguing that theology should not only inherit traditions but also be “localized” and connect with the daily life of believers. [3]

The next step is to focus on theologizing the situation to generate change so that it doesn't go away. Pears argues that a corollary of the localization of theology is the ability to respond to situational issues, such as speaking up for those affected by injustice systems. Theological discourse is ultimately able to respond to the situation and propose corresponding changes. [4] Yang Mugu added the requirement of practicability to the corresponding situation, whether the theology in question can be accepted by the situation. [5] Therefore, the church needs to become the subject of theology in order to accept criticism and avoid deviation. [6]

From the above, it can be seen that Yang's theological approach in Fu can be classified as situational theology, both born out of situation and working to change situation. The following is an analysis of the circumstances in which Fu was written.

2. The Situation Facing Reconciliation Theology

In the 1980s, the events that were more influential to the Hong Kong church were "The Faith of Hong Kong Christians in Current Social and Political Changes" (hereinafter referred to as the "Book of Faith") and "Xin Wei Si". [7]

The "Book of Faith" was produced in the early 1980s, when China and the United Kingdom began to negotiate the future of Hong Kong, and they were very worried about the church that was repeatedly persecuted under the CCP's rule. Even though the CCP and the UK signed a joint statement and formulated the Basic Law, the general voice in Hong Kong still did not trust the CCP to keep its promises. Some Christian scholars have responded and drafted "Books of Faith" in response to the call of the times, including historical theology, church and society, and church reform. [8] For Hong Kong, the "Book of Faith" emphasizes the church's role in social participation and identity establishment; for China, it presents a complex of both commitment and fear, which indirectly reflects the institutional confidence of Hong Kong people; In terms of relationships, it appears to be vague, contradicting the strengthening of social participation. [9] Some commentators believe that the "Book of Faith" works to promote the joint response of various factions of the Chinese church on the same issue, but it has not been able to produce a lasting cooperation mechanism and an organization that participates in society. The church remains divided and difficult to push for change. [10]

When the Basic Law was drafted, under the pseudonym "Xin Wei Si", he published an article in Ming Pao at the end of 1986, accusing Hong Kong Catholics and Protestants of being politicized, becoming "the unity of the state and religion" and even linking the church's social participation with "imperialist foreign forces' invasion" hook. [11] The "Watch Society", which was mainly composed of Christian intellectuals on the church's side, refuted the political and religious views of "Xin Wei Si" in the newspapers. The "Xin Weisi" incident has attracted widespread attention from Christians, because he seems to be a Chinese representative shouting to the Hong Kong church with a "mysterious voice", making Christians' fear more concrete than before. Xing Fuzeng believes that this move is an attempt by China to impose its own understanding of the relationship between state and church on Hong Kong. Whether it succeeds or not, it also expresses its dissatisfaction to the Hong Kong church with its participation in society. [12]

And Yang Mugu analyzed in the book "Recovery" that the people of both China and Hong Kong were hurt in these historical events, and no one paid attention to them. For Hong Kong people, the harm comes from their own experience. Many contemporary Hong Kong people's parents, and even themselves, are people who fled to Hong Kong after the establishment of the CCP's government, and they have extreme distrust of the CCP. The fact that the CCP wants to reclaim Hong Kong's sovereignty, coupled with the lack of representation of the voices of the Chinese and Hong Kong people in the Sino-British negotiation, arouses their hidden fears. The able-bodied immigrated, and the rest were helpless, dissatisfied and hurt. For Beijing, the harm comes from the cold attitude of Hong Kong people. It was not only because of the withdrawal of Hong Kong people, but also because of the materialism in Hong Kong, which looked down on the domestic wasteland at that time. This awareness makes all promises of securing the lives of Hong Kongers also servile to them, a contempt for their legitimacy and national consciousness. Yang believes that even if the surface wounds of the two are covered up, the resentment in their hearts leaves little room for the two to coexist. Therefore, Yang believes that there is a need for another way out between China and Hong Kong. [13]

Just as the book "Fu" was also written for those "unwilling to go and unable to go",[14] the author deeply understands the fears of Hong Kong people, and that both China and Hong Kong are hurt. And the theology in the book "Fu" came out of this situation.

3. The traditional theological roots of reconciliation theology

Yang Mugu's theology of reconciliation is based on traditional theology, not only to learn from old papers, but also to find materials that can be contextualized and used in response to contemporary situations. The following highlights Yang's selection of materials:

In terms of systematic theology, Yang Mugu chooses the theology of reconciliation from ancient times to the present, with Irenaeus' "Theory of Unity" and Maximus the Confessor's "Universal Reconciliation Theory" as the core. For Irenaeus, the work of Christ is "unity." Sin is separation from Irenaeus, because man's sin causes man and the world to suffer from God. Through the incarnation, Christ brought sinners to himself and provided a new foundation for humanity, ultimately enabling man to be reconciled to God. This includes "reconstruction": the restoration of the relationship between man and God through Christ's obedience and overcoming of temptation and suffering; "reconciliation": it was Christ who became man and fought against sin and resolved man's surrender to sin; "redoing" ”: Christ repeated where Adam failed for salvation to triumph. As a result, God's demands for righteousness are fulfilled in the work of Christ. [15] Later, Maximus of the Eastern Church deepened Irenaeus' point of view and proposed that because of Christ's redemption, man can get out of sin and "go into God", and achieve true freedom through the union between man and God. Yang believes that the "theory of unity" can be the basis for the implementation of the theory of redemption on the ground. One can embrace liberty while ensuring the unity of the church, and at the same time oppose the church's withdrawal from sociopolitical positions. [16]

In terms of biblical theology, Yang Mugu chose the lamentation tradition. Lamentations arise from the collapse of order and the original worldview and beliefs cannot be explained and carried. Yang believes that the emergence of lamentations is the courage to live and find a way out. Lamentations value the reality of lived experience, neither glorifying nor denying life by faith (or vice versa), but maintaining a dialogue or even questioning of God because of the darkness of reality. [17] In terms of types, lamentations can be made for individuals as well as groups and for groups. Yang attaches more importance to the application of the tradition of lamentations to the contemporary era. The church can bear the sufferings of the people of China and Hong Kong, and it also becomes the pastor and mediator of the two and moves towards reconciliation. [18]

In short, the theology of reconciliation is still the core of the book of reconciliation, and its contextualization is the lamentation tradition in the Bible. The situation in Hong Kong creates a need for reconciliation, and lamentation is the way to theologize that need. Let people gather together because of mourning before they can embark on the road of reconciliation.

4. Theological contextualization and change

For the church to change, it must theologize the situation so that theology can respond to society. Here are the reforms Young believes the church should make in response to the situation:

First of all, Yang Mugu believes that before China and Hong Kong are reconciled, Hong Kong people need to give up the passer-by mentality. This mentality is rooted in the fact that people who have moved to Hong Kong since the establishment of the Communist Party of China have used Hong Kong as a transit point rather than a place to live. It then applies the lamentation tradition to Hong Kong, and discusses how the church and Christians act as lamentation-style "mediators". In the case of Jeremiah, the mediator's role involves suffering together, keeping the people's well-being as their guide. However, Yang believes that the contemporary Hong Kong church is still not ready and needs to renew itself to accept this challenge. [19]

Yang Mugu pointed out that the Hong Kong church and the Protestant anthropology produced individualism, but the gathering of churches failed to produce groups, and instead focused on internalizing spirituality. The lamentation tradition can build a community of grief by mourning together, and a dialogue-like faith, so that it can carry the unknown future and open up to the grace of God. [20] In the face of society, Yang believes that the church can undertake two aspects:

• Dealing with Fear: Young believes that the church should abandon its past attitude to mending social problems and help people confront their hurt experience. [21] The church does not need to have a formulaic answer to sell, but to experience and find a way out with the suffering masses. Yang suggested that church gatherings should allow people to face up to their own experiences and injuries, and that the problem itself has a therapeutic effect, and then let those who stay face the possibility head-on. [twenty two]
• Rebuilding Meaning: Young points out that suffering robs existence of meaning, and suffering without meaning is unacceptable. In particular, the social meaning of Hong Kong who is a drunkard is already very empty, and the material can not meet the demand for meaning. Meaning provides benchmarks and goals for progress, and is an important part of self-realization. If this kind of desire can be placed in the group, it will exert the power to promote social reform. [23] Young suggested that church gatherings should allow people to affirm that survival is meaningful, and allow the church and society to practice change together with this goal. [twenty four]

In the end, Yang Mugu emphasized that the focus of the group meeting's suggestions is on communication, and it is difficult to achieve one step at a time, but at least people understand that they can understand their own experience from another angle and let God intervene. It is even possible to invite different positions to have a dialogue, which can achieve the effect of reconciliation in the long run. [25]

(Postscript: I have read a paper a few years ago on the Internet, and it is also a paper that uses situational theology to analyze complex theology and try to construct a local theology. However, the author did not find it clearly pointed out that the local and transformational situations that require theological responses are It is true that indigenous theology can be used as situational theology, but the author believes that without a clear construction of the two pillars of theological situation and situational theology, it is easy to go back to the two extremes of pure theoretical analysis or lack of theological foundation. After all, After 19 years, local issues either disappeared or transformed into other issues. It can be seen that the foundation of the so-called local theology is not solid, and even reduced to gang ideology. Until 19 years ago, the experience of suffering and diaspora became a part of the church again, Yang Only with the reconciliation theology of situational theology can Mugu put it on the agenda of the Hong Kong church again. As for how it will develop in 30 years, I will leave it for the next time.)

[1] The term "church" below refers to the Protestant Church in Hong Kong unless expressly stated.

[2] Pears, A.. Doing Contextual Theology (New York: Routledge, 2010). 11.

[3] Pears, Doing Contextual Theology, 11-12.

[4] Pears, Doing Contextual Theology, 12-17.

[5] Pears, Doing Contextual Theology, 12-17, also see 21-22.

[6] Pears, Doing Contextual Theology, 17-19.

[7] Yang Mugu, Reconciliation Theology and Church Renewal (Hong Kong: Mingfeng Publishing, 2010). 391-395.

[8] Guo Weilian, Self-Protection and Care: Social and Political Participation of the Church in Hong Kong (Hong Kong: Mission Publishing House, 2014). 102.

[9] Guo Weilian, Self-protection and Care, 102-106.

[10] Guo Weilian, Self-protection and Care, 115-120.

[11] Xing Fuzeng, Wandering under the Changing Situation: From Post-war to Post-1997 Hong Kong Church Social Relations History (Hong Kong: Impression Text, 2018). 143.

[12] Xing Fuzeng, Wandering under the changing situation, 143-144.

[13] Yang Mugu, Rehabilitation Theology and Church Renewal, 395-402.

[14] Yang Mugu, Rehabilitation Theology and Church Renewal, 532.

[15] Yang Mugu, Revival Theology and Church Renewal, 220-225.

[16] Yang Mugu, Rehabilitation Theology and Church Renewal, 263-268.

[17] Yang Mugu, Rehabilitation Theology and Church Renewal, 416-420.

[18] Yang Mugu, Rehabilitation Theology and Church Renewal, 433, see also 451-453.

[19] Yang Mugu, Rehabilitation Theology and Church Renewal, 487-497.

[20] Yang Mugu, Rehabilitation Theology and Church Renewal, 500-506.

[21] Yang Mugu, Revival Theology and Church Renewal, 516-519.

[22] Yang Mugu, Reconciliation Theology and Church Renewal, 525-526.

[23] Yang Mugu, Rehabilitation Theology and Church Renewal, 519-525.

[24] Yang Mugu, Rehabilitation Theology and Church Renewal, 525-526.

[25] Yang Mugu, Rehabilitation Theology and Church Renewal, 527-528.