This work on Chinese Culture and Christian Philosophy comes at a most opportune time. For this is a point at which the massive effort at modernization which has fascinated China for the last two centuries is being relaunched on broader and deeper foundations.

After long disputes over what was form and what substance in 1919 a more radical approach was launched, that is, to remove Confucius and his legacy and to substitute it by Mr. Science and Mr. Democracy. It was not incidental that John Dewey and Bertrand Russell were present at the time; nor is it incidental that under this formula the promise of Marx to provide a scientific approach to transforming the history of China captivated much of the intellectual class.

Gradually, however, there has reemerged positive interest in dimensions of meaning and motivation much deeper than the level at which science works and also much more engaged in enabling and attracting the exercise of human freedom.

How can these levels be accessed? One of the key concerns of the Taiwanese has been to retain and develop the resources of classical Chinese culture. The work of Fu Jen University in Taipei has been integral to that search and hence brings an unbroken tradition of scholarship to the task of mining the classical Chinese heritage for context that can serve inour day and to adapting and transforming it to that end.

But this is not merely a matter of recuperating the foundations of Chinese culture. If the task includes inviting in Mr. Science and Mr. Democracy, of which the term "Mr" denotes their Western origin, then there is a certain symmetry. Just as it is necessary to repossess anew the Chinese foundations, it is necessary to integrate as well the foundations of Western culture. This means going back before the Enlightenment to rediscover and rearticulate the sense of democracy elaborated by the Greeks and the sense of person in which this was embedded in the Christian philosophies of the Middle Ages.

This is the unique significance of Fu Jen University as dedicated not only to the ancient heritage of China, but to relating this to the classical heritage of Christian philosophy. In this combination it is truly unique in our day; the papers of this conference on Chinese Culture and Christian Philosophy reflect this uniqueness.

This volume is organized in three parts: Part I "Philosophy and Culture," Part II "Christian Philosophy and Chinese Culture" and Part III "Chinese Culture and Ethics".

Part I "Philosophy and Cultures" takes up the more theoretical questions relating to the general enterprise of the nature and role of culture and of philosophy therein.

Chapter I by Jean Greisch, "The Manifold Meanings of Experience and the Idea of Truth," takes up the issue along closely but convergent pathways. "Both Friedrich Nietzsche and Martin Heidegger have endeavored to develop a genealogical understanding of the historical unfolding of the idea of truth, from the beginning to the end of Western philosophy. In order to make possible an intercultural dialogue on a philosophical level, their understanding should not only be confronted with the concepts of truth developed by other cultural and spiritual traditions; we need as well to reflect upon the manifold meanings of the word "experience" itself. The object of this first chapter is to propose a genealogical understanding of this word, in critical discussion of some contemporary issues in hermeneutics, metaphysics and philosophy of religion." In this the tool used is an analysis of the notion of experience which he evolves from Wittgenstein’s early picturing to recognize not only an external given, but the inner world of the mental states of the psychic life and even the possibility of omitting the notion of an underlying ego. This paper counters the notion that Mr. Science could ever free us from culture or deal without it. The contribution of the heritage of Christian philosophy may be to ground the ego metaphysically in such wise that it is not closed, but a window, and not only on the externally experienced physical universe but on being itself at all its levels.

Chapter II by Carlo Huber, "Philosophy and Culture," is a Wittgensteinian approach, "looking into how the two terms ‘culture’ and ‘philosophy’ are used. The term ‘culture’ is used as a plural noun: there are multiple cultures whose differences are strongly underscored in a global society. It is not a general term, arrived by abstracting a general essence from various items, for there is no common essence, nor really common similar features which we find in all cultures. Culture is rather what Wittgenstein calls a term of ‘family resemblance’." The term ‘philosophy’ is generally used in the singular, but frequently with an added adjective such as ancient or contemporary. Philosophy has many different parts, e.g., philosophy of knowledge, logic, ontology, etc. Historically, there are various philosophical schools, or even different important philosophers. Philosophy is again rather a family term, like ‘culture’, but it has a stronger, even historical, unity and a different beginning. Philosophy itself belongs to culture and is always somehow culture determined, but by its very nature it is trans-historical and trans-cultural. Most important, philosophy is always critical." In this light it appears once again that, while trans-historical and trans-cultural, philosophy is culturally determined. For one who wishes to work by abstractions and univocous universals this will be sad and discouraging news. For others, however, who see cultures as unique manifestations of being, this will prove encouraging and enriching.

Chapter III by Ghislaine Florival, "Existential Rootedness of Culture and Worldwide Globalization: Teleology and Reconstruction." The work begins with an analysis of the technological reconstruction of the world of sense in a way that unveils the presence and role of a teleology. This provides insight into the notion of ‘teleology’ which makes it possible to articulate a lived process from the point view of phenomenology and hermeneutics. The analysis begins with the help of the later Husserl and Merleau-Ponty in order to find a double application of the word ‘teleology’ within our contemporary world. A second approach, in the fundamental area of teleology, is the mediation of such concepts as temporality and passive synthesis. These relate to the genesis of the existent and its cultural historicity. In the third part of this paper the structural, genetic and cultural analysis of existence enriches the dimension of sense with that of desire by which technocratic world of globalization can gain teleological direction. The dynamic of desire is found in the ethics of political institutions, and opens the cultural dimensions to its in-finite meaning. The contemporary cultural problem is thereby connected with technical globalization, which is now constituting the reality of the future world."

Chapter IV by William Sweet, "Philosophy, Culture and the Future of Tradition," applies this to cultures as traditions in order to identify the modern development of subjectivity and the implications of this for both their diversity while yet sharing in basic values. The effect is to suggest a balanced view in which tradition has authority which is not absolute or stiffing and diversity does not entail incommensurability or incommunicability. The integrating vision of this chapter is central to the work as a whole.

Part II, "Christian Philosophy and Chinese Culture," brings us to the heart of the work in relation to which Part I has laid the groundwork and Part III will draw implications. This is to examine the relation between philosophy as specified in a Christian context and culture as specified in a Chinese manner. As noted by C. Huber in Chapter II neither is meant to suggest simply the addition of a specific difference to philosophy or culture. Rather each is a unique whole; their meeting is not the submersion of one by the other, but the union as it were of two loves each of which is integral and together generative.

Chapter V by Kim-Chink Vu, "Wittgenstein on the Religious Points of View: Its Relevance for Inter-religious Dialogue." "The question ‘What is religion?’ remains a fascinating one for research in the thought of Wittgenstein, especially in view of such enigmatic propositions as ‘Not how the world is, is the mystical, but only that it is,’ or ‘I am not a religious man, but I cannot help seeing every problem from a religious point of view.’ This chapter first describes the ‘mysticism’ in the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and its notion of ‘keeping silence’. Although Wittgenstein was well known as an analytical philosopher in this early period, he touched upon what positivism in general considered taboo or meaningless, i.e., the sphere of metaphysics. Next the chapter explores the role of religion in the later Wittgenstein, where he spoke of the meaning of ‘grammar’ in ‘language-games’ and ‘forms of life’ and distinguished between ‘surface’ and ‘deep’ grammar, considering ‘theology as grammar’. Third it reconstructs his view of religion as a foundation of united fragmentary thoughts as expressed in his enigmatic expression: ‘I cannot help seeing every problem from a religious point of view.’" This can be helpful for the inter-religious dialogue between Buddhism and Christianity inasmuch as it makes it possible to approach religious awareness multiple modes beyond its ontological content.

Chapter VI by Jean-Ladrière, "Christian Thought and the Destiny of Philosophy," goes deeply into the nature of philosophy in an effort to comprehend human destiny. He notes the internal constraint which philosophy places upon itself due to the logic of its development in the present time marked by the expectations of science. Philosophy now shifts to a transcendental perspective attending to the development of both a technologically specified world without and an intensive awareness of human subjectivity within. In these terms philosophy is challenged to deal with issues of human destiny.

Turning to Christian theology and its Trinitarian mystery, the chapter notes its existential significance in understanding the source and goal of being. In this context one could engage philosophy in attaining greater technical clarity in theology. But conversely one could also envisage philosophy as the analogon of the life of faith as the progression of the spirit toward the ultimate. "Thinking on Thinking" as the object of universal desire and the eschaton of reason. In this, philosophy is drawn significantly ahead to reinterpret subsistence radically in terms of event, contingency and relation. This happens not by removing the absolute, but by appreciating afresh the relativity of all else when seen in this light.

Chapter VII by Peter Phan, "Inculturation of the Christian Faith in Asia through Philosophy: A Dialogue with John Paul II’s Fides et Ratio," unfolds the implications of the reflections on Christian philosophy. Where considered not only in terms of Christian thought with its more cohesive Greek heritage, but in terms of the great difference between the Chinese and especially the Buddhist cultural context for philosophy and indeed for theology as well. This he sets in a study of the document of John Paul II, Fides et Ratio. In this Peter Phan as it were shadows Ladrière’s subtle and penetrating relation of philosophy and theology now broadened it to a global dialogue East-West.

Chapter VIII by George F. McLean "The Role of Christian Philosophy in the Present Transformation of Chinese Culture." This prepares an approach to the issue first by noting the evolving character of any culture as a way of cultivating the soul in the concrete and developing circumstances of life. In this context the terms value, virtue, culture, heritage and tradition are reviewed. Second, a study of the entrance of Buddhism into China suggests ways in which it is possible for a philosophy evolved insteadly outside of Chinese culture to be found relevant and in time to be integrated therein. On these bases the chapter proceeds to analyze the new needs of Chinese civilization at the dawn of the present millennium and the ways in which a Christian philosophy can respond thereto.

Part III, "Chinese Culture and Ethics," moves beyond the theoretical and relational studies of Part I and Part II to a set of ethical issues which illustrate the overall theme of this work: Chinese Culture and Christian Philosophy.

Chapter IX by Francoise B. Todorowitch, "Worshiping the Divine in Spirit and in Truth," takes especially in global perspective in its concern with the relation between the response of different peoples to the call of the divine, to the Omega point. This attends to different notions of truth, different conceptions of the absolute, and above all to different notions of rationality itself in the West as predominantly analytical and disjunctive, whereas in the East it is more holistic.

Chapter X by Michel Renaud, "Human Dignity in Retrospect and Prospect," inquires into the essence of the human being though concrete issues in practical ethics though the consideration of four trilogies: conviction-tolerance-identity, authenticity-desistance-commitment, memory-forgetfulnes becomes manifest.

Chapter XI by Eui-Chai Tjeng, "The Philosophy of Life in Oriental Philosophy and Thomas Aquinas: Immanence and Transcendence," looks for the way Chinese and Christian philosophy can mutually enrich each other. "Chinese civilization as one of the oldest and most profound human cultures has always absorbed foregn cultures to create dazzling syntheses; it has helped them develop further. It meets the challenge of an encounter with Christianity, which for the past 2000 years has been the spiritual foundation on which Western civilization was built. Christianity needs now to absorb the nutrients that the rich soil of Chinese civilization has to offer. Through mutual understanding and cooperation Christianity and Chinese civilization can contribute to the formation of a unified Asia and a unified humankind. The chapter suggests that in embarking on the process of building a unity of all humankind, Christian philosophy, Chinese culture, and the other religions and cultures of Asia must find a point which all can accept as being the most fundamental and common and on that point construct a common culture for mankind and sees this common point as the love of life. This chapter compares, contrasts and synthesizes the conceptions of life found in Asian philosophies and religions with that of Christian life and philosophy, especially of Thomas Aquinas with a view towards constructing a common culture of humankind based on the love of life."

Chapter XII by Isabel Renaud, "Ethics and Life," continues this effort by studying the experience of psychiatric counselors with young persons lacking in motivation. It suggests a hierarchical ordering of values and the work of ethical imagination in discovering a permanence and coherence of values behind the mutability of their forms of expression.

Chapter XIII by Edmund Ryden, "Just War: Chinese and Western Perspectives," studies the development of the rules of war through history, both East and West. He finds an extensive overlap on particular previsions while recognizing the difference in mode of articulation and conception in ancient Chinese and modern Western cultures.

From the above it can be seen that the issue of the relation between Chinese culture and Christian philosophy is deep and complex J. Ladrière made clear that the development of philosophy as a technical science has entailed its own limitations in which mode much of Christian theology has been elaborated in this mode. Peter Phan notes how the Asian vision is not thus bound. This brings one to the point of concluding to an asymmetry, if not an incompatibility, of Christian philosophy and Chinese culture.

This urges, in turn, the question of whether it is possible to find a path that can open philosophy to a richer sense of human life, and of itself, which will enable it to relate the richness both of Chinese culture as outlined in Chapter VII by Peter Phan and of Christianity as well. In Chapter VI by Jean Ladrière suggests such a way. He shows how Christian philosophy as presenting the sense of creation of the finite by the infinite gives participation the character of ‘event’ with its radical uniqueness and novelty. The Incarnation plunges the Trinity into time, while the crucifixion and resurrection point beyond in an eschatological dynamic pointing toward reunion and fulfillment in the fullness of being. Together they suggest that Chinese culture and Christian philosophy are not so much opposites which contrast, but parallel efforts which break the confines of science and technical philosophy in terms of a love that inspires and attracts, mobilizes and fulfills.

With stunning beauty n. 23 of Fides et Ratio suggests this when it notes how philosophy done in the context of the Christian faith is liberated from the confines of any one tradition and launched upon the infinite expanse of truth: "The preaching of Christ crucified and risen is the reef upon which the link between faith and philosophy can break up, but it is also the reef beyond which the two can set forth upon the boundless ocean of truth. Here we see not only the border between reason and faith, but also the space where the two may meet."