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The Society of Jesus (also known as the Jesuits) has long played an important role in the history of religious, intellectual, and cultural exchange between China and the West. The most famous missionary to China, Matteo Ricci, has been called both the “father of the China mission” and the “founder of Sino-Western relations.” Meanwhile, no one in our present time has appeared more often in media reports about the situation of China’s Christian population than Pope Francis, who signed the Vatican’s first official agreement with China’s government since it became a communist state in 1949. Though centuries apart, both Ricci and Francis are Jesuits who represent an astonishing continuity in how the Society of Jesus has theoretically and operationally actualized its religious and diplomatic mission regarding China. In his reflections, Dr. Anthony Clark examined how Jesuits have maintained Christian dialogue with China from 1582 until the present. As representatives of this uniquely Jesuit approach, Matteo Ricci and Pope Francis frame that exchange. About Dr. anthony clark Anthony E. Clark is the Edward B. Lindaman Endowed Chair at Whitworth University, the Distinguished Combe Trust Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh, and an elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in London. He is the author and editor of eleven books on the history of China and Sino-Christian exchange of which his latest is: A Chinese Jesuit Catechism: Giulio Aleni’s Seventeenth-Century Four Character Classic. He has published hundreds of scholarly book chapters and journal articles, and he has organized and hosted a number of academic gatherings on diverse topics. Clark is presently preparing a book on Jesuit drama in China and a co-authored study of Catholic missionary photography during the late Qing and Republican eras. The Presentation further resources Dr. Clark's Whitworth Faculty Page > Dr. Clark's Wikipedia Page > Published Works by Dr. Clark >

The USCCA’s esteemed partner, ERRChina (Educational Resources & Referrals – China) invites you to attend its next Chinese Worldviews Seminar, an intensive, six-day online event. This series, sponsored by ERRChina’s China Academic Consortium, will explore the background and development of contemporary Chinese worldviews. Friday, May 20 What are China’s moral foundations? Saturday, May 21 How did China become communist? Friday, May 27 What is the Chinese concept of God? Saturday, May 28 How does China differ from the US? Friday, June 3 How will China adapt after COVID-19? Saturday, June 4 Will China rule the world someday? This is an extraordinary opportunity that will enable attendees develop friendships and do business with Chinese people in China, the US, and around the world. Course credit may also be available. Learn more and register >

On November 14, 2021, John Barwick, Ph.D. presented “Chinese Christians and the Path to Liberal Modernity in China, 1900-1949”. China's encounter with the modern world in the first half of the twentieth century occurred at the same time that the small community of Christians was beginning to increase rapidly in numbers and influence. Christianity was in fact an integral part of this process, and particularly in advancing a liberal vision of modernity. By examining the lives of Chinese Christians, Dr. Barwick explored the following revelatory themes: · Why was Christianity so closely connected with liberal modernity in Republican China? · Why did Chinese Christians have such a large impact on China's early modernization? · Why did the Christian vision of liberal modernity in China fail and Communism succeed? · What lessons does Chinese Christian social engagement in this period hold for us today? About Dr. john barwick Dr. Barwick, a lecturer in the Department of History at Cornell University, has a Ph.D. in modern Chinese history from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He has done work on the role of Protestant elites in China’s modernization during the first part of the 20th century. His research centers on the fascinating enigma that is modern China. He is drawn especially to the question of Chinese engagement with the modern world during the 19th and 20th centuries and the construction of Chinese modernity that emerged from it. A sub-theme of his work considers the role of religion in modern societies, and in particular the role of Christianity in mediating notions of modernity around the world over the past two centuries. His presentation will help us more fully understand Christianity's contribution to China’s development during the 1930's. After the lecture program on the stage ended, participants were given the opportunity to explore ideas, meet new people, and build community in small groups. the presentation

Fr. Drew Christiansen, SJ, Ph.D., director emeritus of the USCCA, died on April 6, 2022 in Washington, D.C. He was 77. Until his passing, Fr. Christiansen served as a distinguished professor of ethics and human development in Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and he was senior fellow at Georgetown's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs. Formerly, he was the head of the U.S. bishops' Office of International Justice and Peace and was well known for promoting the plight of Christians in foreign countries. He often testified on Capitol Hill or wrote to members of Congress on issues ranging from the Middle East peace process to peacekeeping in Bosnia, from human rights in China to religious rights in Russia. Additionally, he assisted the bishops' committee that wrote "The Harvest of Justice Is Sown in Peace," a pastoral letter on war, peace and nonviolence, which the body of U.S. bishops adopted in 1993. Even after his tenure as a board member at the USCCA ended, he continued to help promote our mission, most recently by speaking at a briefing on human rights, Catholic tradition, and China. Christiansen served at America, a national weekly Jesuit publication based in New York, for 10 years, from 2002 to 2012. For the last seven of those years, he was editor-in-chief.

The USCCA Book Circle is reading a pre-publication version of the manuscript, “For A Christian Reading of The Core Values of The China Dream: Different Prospects in a Light of the Culture of Unity” by Kin Sheung Chiaretto Yan. The manuscript focuses on themes such as, harmony and the trinitarian relationship, ecological civilization and integral ecology, fraternity and social friendship, poverty alleviation and sharing economy, and the freedom of religion and the golden rule of reciprocity. The Book Circle is open to USCCA Affiliates. Learn more about becoming an Affiliate and how to join here. Kin Sheung Chiaretto Yan lives in Shanghai. He holds a doctorate in Missiology from the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome). His primary areas of research are interdisciplinary approaches to the religions and cultures of Asia. He is the author of numerous articles and two books: Evangelization in China: Challenges and Prospects (Orbis 2014) and Season for Relationships: Youth in China and the Mission of the Church (Claretian Publications 2018). Earlier this year at the USCCA conference, “China, Christianity, and the Dialogue of Civilizations,” he spoke about the concerns and challenges facing young people in Chinese society today. This keynote presentation can be viewed here. To find out more about joining this book circle, contact Mr. Xin Chen at Admin@USCatholicChina.org.

The XXIV Winter Olympics have commenced in Beijing. This is a time when we come together in friendly competition as a world community. With that in mind, let us pray that the Olympics be the occasion for all people to work together for unity and peace, rather than grandstanding and false nationalism. At this time, Pope Francis also calls our attention to working together for a world community based on fraternity and welcome. In his reflections on the Olympic and Paralympic Games, he reminds us that the “true gold medal” goes to everything that helps the global community be more welcoming and accepting of all people. In union with the Holy Father, let us pray for a world that welcomes all human beings. Finally, we hear that these games are a tribute to the human spirit. At the same time, they remind us of the Spirit that animates us all. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul writes, “Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we run to win an imperishable one.” (1 Corinthians 9:24) In particular, we remember that Chongli, the main venue for Olympic skiing events, is also the site where on more than one occasion, Chinese Catholics witnessed to their faith at the cost of their lives. These brothers and sisters in faith remind us of Saint Paul’s comments to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” During this time, let us pray for all the people of China, and especially for those Chinese who have been heroic witnesses to the Gospel. These are difficult times for all people around the world. This is especially true for the people of China and its Christian communities, who have been cut off from easy travel to other parts of the world. Let us be diligent in reaching out to our brothers and sisters in China, and let us pray that the Spirit sustain them.

Dear friends in Christ, As we celebrate the Year of the Tiger, I write to share a post from a brother Jesuit, Fr. Francis Lim Chin Choy, SJ. Fr. Lim is the Communications Officer of the Malaysia-Singapore (MAS) Jesuit Region. Blessings, Fr. Michael Tigers are considered the most iconic of the big cats. Tigers, being the largest felines in the world, are considered by many cultures to be a symbol of strength, courage, independence, and majestic dignity. The tiger is careful, crafty and suspicious in a good way. It is careful to avoid pitfalls and traps. It is rarely taken by surprise. Following the example of the tiger, we must stay alert, we must walk carefully, and we must be wise in the Lord. There are two subspecies of tiger, commonly referred to as the continental tiger, and the Sunda island tiger. All remaining island tigers are found only in the island of Sumatra. The continental tigers are found in the mainland of Asia, stretching from India to Siberia, and south to the Malay peninsula. The largest tiger is the Siberian or Amur, while the smallest tiger is the Sumatran. No two tigers have the same stripes, and their stripes are as individual as fingerprints are for human beings. A tiger’s stripes are important for survival in the wild as they act as camouflage which appear as moving shadows in long grass and in trees. Therefore, the stripes of the tiger are what make the tiger majestic and unique. In the Bible, lions and leopards are mentioned but no tigers. Furthermore, interestingly there is not one mention of a domestic cat.It is because tigers are not native to the Middle East. We can assume that none of the Hebrew speaking, Aramaic speaking, or Greek speaking authors ever saw or heard of a tiger.The closest to the tiger in the Bible would be the lion which also symbolises authority and royalty. On top of that, some older English translations of the Bible mistakenly translated lion as tiger in some texts. Interestingly, there is an autobiography called “Christ the Tiger” by Thomas Howard published in 1967. Howard was born evangelical in 1935, but converted to Catholicism in 1985. “Christ the Tiger” was written before Howard became Catholic. It is not an exposition about Christ, but rather an autobiography of a sharp and restless mind. The book should have been named “Tom the Tiger”; although this title would not have sold the book! In his book, Howard spends a long time unveiling the unmanageable thoughts of a young man who has been caught up by the love of Christ rather than portraying Christ himself. Initially, he saw dogmas and institutions as obscuring the powerful truth of God’s love in Christ. He argues that Jesus is always greater than any theology. However, Howard demonstrates his awareness that without those institutions there would not be any way of encountering Christ the tiger. This book radically presents who Christ is and what faith in him means. Howard was greatly influenced by the famous writer, CS Lewis, who was in turn influenced by another great writer, GK Chesterton. Howard did his doctoral dissertation on the writings of Charles Williams who was a good friend of Lewis. Howard is generally considered an expert on the writings of Williams. Lewis and Williams compared Christ to a lion, but Chesterton and Howard compared him to a tiger. Chesterton says that when you make the claim that God is a reality like a tiger, which is a reason for changing your life, the modern world will try to stop you if it can. Then, be prepared to be opposed. Prior to that, TS Elliot, a poet, had also used the image of Christ as a tiger in his poem, “Gerontion.” Nonetheless, whether it is a tiger or a lion to signify Christ, the idea is to manifest Christ as majestic, courageous and authoritative. We, who are the disciples of Christ, can imitate him in this way, too. Happy Lunar New Year! - Fr. Francis Lim, S.J.

The Institute for the Study of Christianity and Culture in Beijing, which promotes academic research on Christianity and culture and the promotion of evangelization in China and beyond, is celebrating its 20-year anniversary in 2022. The institute was founded in 2002 by Father Peter Zhao Jianmin, vicar of the Archdiocese of Beijing, who graduated with a degree in canon law from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Father Zhao was the first Chinese priest to obtain a doctorate after the opening up of the Church in China 1970s. Since its foundation, the Institute has sought to study religions, especially Christianity, local culture, and the promotion of greater harmony between Catholicism and Chinese traditions. Over the course of its history, the Institute has sponsored seminars, conferences, publications, forums, training courses, international exchanges. Topics covered range from Mariology and St. Ambrose to the doctors and fathers of the Church, the contributions of Chinese and foreign missionaries to evangelization, and social development in China. The institute has been a pioneer in mainland China for paving the way for dialogue between the inculturation of faith and the evangelization of cultures. Read more from Union of Catholic Asia News >

in person: Beulah Chapel at Home of Peace 4700 Daisy St. Oakland, California 94619 online: Sun, Nov 14 / 4pm-6pm (PST) Sun, Nov 14 / 7pm-9pm (EST) Mon, Nov 15 / 8am-10am (China) John Barwick, a lecturer in the Department of History at Cornell University, has a Ph.D. in modern Chinese history and has done work on the role of Protestant elites in China’s modernization during the first part of the 20th century. His research centers on the fascinating enigma that is modern China. He is drawn especially to the question of Chinese engagement with the modern world during the 19th and 20th centuries and the construction of Chinese modernity that emerged from it. A sub-theme of his work considers the role of religion in modern societies, and in particular the role of Christianity in mediating notions of modernity around the world over the past two centuries. His presentation will help us more fully understand Christianity's contribution to China’s development during the 1930's. After the lecture program on the stage ends, explore ideas and meet new people in any of the small groups throughout the evening. Explore ideas, meet new people, build community. Stay as long as you’d like at any of the three virtual tables. This event is being hosted by China Academic Consortium (ERRChina) and co-hosted by USCCA and ChinaSource. Learn more about the speaker here > The above link will take you to China Academic Consortium's website to register.

On November 10, 2021, Father Michael Agliardo, Executive Director of the USCCA, will participate in a speaker series hosted by the University of Notre Dame, entitled "The Global Church." The specific talk he will be participating in is "The Church in Asia.” “The Church in Asia” introduces Christianity in China from its entry in the 7th century to the present. From the very beginning, Christian evangelization has been a process of inculturation and of negotiation with other religious traditions, especially Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism. The on-going interweaving of Christian theology and Chinese cultural elements offers a special example of the diversity of the Church today. In this series we will explore the history of Christianity in China and introduce Chinese religions, especially Buddhism, in an open and accessible manner. The first episode of "The Church in Asia" occurred on October 27, 2021, and featured Xueying Wang, Ph.D. Dr. Wang presented during a panel entitled, "Chinese International Students in American Universities I" at our latest conference. On November 3, 2021, the second episode will occur and will feature Dr. Robert Gimello, who gave the lecture, "The Logos and the Dao: John C. H. Wu’s Catholic Witness to China's Spiritual Traditions" in 2019 at Santa Clara University, which was sponsored by the USCCA. The program is free and open to the public. Register here >

Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-yan was ordained a bishop in Hong Kong’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday, December 4, 2021. Cardinal John Tong Hon, the apostolic administrator of Hong Kong, presided over the Mass. Cardinal Joseph Zen and auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha co-presided. Reflecting on his duties, Bishop Chow said, “As a successor to the Apostles by the grace of Almighty God, I request your constant prayers that I may always be loyal to God’s will as a shepherd to the People of God in Hong Kong, and faithfully carry out my duties.” Bishop Chow is the first Jesuit bishop of Hong Kong. Prior to the role of bishop, he served as the provincial superior of the Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus. We offer our congratulations to Bishop Chow and appreciate that while he has challenges ahead of him in a tense situation, we trust that he will guide the church with wisdom and integrity. In a brief speech at the end of the Mass, Bishop Chow said that he wanted to help “foster healing and connections” in the Catholic community in his "beloved hometown." “As the bishop, it is my desire to be a bridge between the government and the church in Hong Kong and between the Catholic Church, fellow Christian denominations, and other religions,” he said. Born in Hong Kong in 1959, Chow went on to study in the United States, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota. He entered the Society of Jesus in Dublin, Ireland at the age of 25. He continued his studies at Loyola University in Chicago, where he earned a master’s degree in organizational development in 1995. Bishop Chow also attended Harvard University from 2000 to 2006, where he studied developmental psychology and earned a Doctorate in Education.

A new book entitled, The Catholic Church, The Bible, and Evangelization in China, which was edited by Cindy Yik-yi Chu, was recently released and contains writings from authors in Italy, the United States, mainland China and Hong Kong. It provides various perspectives covering the Chinese Church in the contemporary period and considers the Church on the different levels -the diplomatic, the governmental, the communal, and the individual. From the publisher’s website, “This edited volume starts from the perspectives of Beijing in how it sees that religion should serve the interests of the state. From China’s viewpoint, religion should act as a stabilizing force of society, or else the Christian Churches will lose their reason for existence. This might be incomprehensible to Western Christians, who believe in the freedom of religion and their right to embrace their faith. This collection of articles represents the concerted efforts of Chinese, Italians, and an American—who live in China, Europe, and the United States and belong to different disciplines, such as History, Religious Studies, and Language Studies—to promote a better understanding of the Catholic Church in the world and in China.” Cindy Yik-yi Chu is a Professor of History at Hong Kong Baptist University and Editor of the Christianity in Modern China Series of Palgrave Macmillan. She writes on the Catholic Church and the Catholic sisters in China and Hong Kong. Her recent work is edited with Paul P. Mariani, People, Communities, and the Catholic Church in China (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020).