Comparing Confucianism and Christianity Essay -- Christianity Confuciu

Comparing Confucianism and Christianity The premise of Confucian teachings are centered around the sentiment of Jenor the virtue of humanity (Ching 68). To accomplish this divinity, fiverelationships must be honored ruler and minister, father and son, husband andwife, elder and younger brother, and friend and friend (Hopfe). Theserelationships led a push for a revolution of the political system to adopt themethods of Jen. Confucius sought to revive the ancient Chinese culture byredefining the grandness of society and government. He described a societygoverned by reasonable, humane, and just sensibilities, not by the passions ofindividuals arbitrarily empowered by hereditary status (Clearly). He feltthat this could be achieved through education and the unification of culturalbeliefs. He believed that a nation would be benefited by citizens that were cultivated people whose intellects and emotions had been developed and maturateby conscious people (Clearly). He felt that those b orn into the feudal systemwere had a personal duty to excel socially by way of life of power. Those who were oflesser class should also seek out education to better themselves. All purposesfor betterment of man and society as one whole is know as Li. Li means therationalized social order (Yutang). Confucius felt that love and respect forauthority was a key to a perfect society this set respect was practicedthrough rituals and magic (Smith). The Confucius traditions have caused atradition to set within its institution and is extremely active. It has,unfortunately, allowed the political institution to manipulate the Confuciussystem. As with Christianity. Christianity also preaches a divine, brotherly love. ModernChristianity seeks to discover a rational understanding of the person as didConfucius (Ess ed. 381) yet, Christianity feels that faith in the Jesus Christas a personal savior is essential to this enlightenment. It was also under theguise of Christianity that it had to co nfront totalitarian systems dehumanizeuses of power in its sphere of influence (state and church, and these systemstriumphed under the measure of de-Christianization (Ess ed. 384). UnlikeConfucius reformers of their corrupt state pushed the beliefs of the true idealsof Confucius, Christians believed in an Absolute against all absolvi... ...942.Hughes, E. R. and K. Religion in China. Hutchinsons University Library,London 1950.Kelen, Betty. Confucius In Life and Legend. Thomas Nelson INC., sunrise(prenominal) York1971.King. Hans and ed. Christianity and the populace Religions. Doubleday, NewYork 1986McCuen., Gary E. The Religious Right. Hudson, Wisconsin 1989.OBriare, S. J. Fifty Years of Chinese Garment. Lutterworth Press, London1951.Siu, R. G. H. The Man of Many Qualities A Legacy of the I Ching.Smith, Huston. The Religions of Man. Harper & Row, New York 1958Smith, Howard. Confucius. Charles Scribners Sons, New York 1973Soper, Edmund Davison. The Religions of Mankind. Abingdon P ress, New York1966.Toynbee, Arnold. Christianity Among the Religions of the World. CharlesScribners Sons, New York 1957Weber, Max. The Religion of China. The Free Press, New York 1951.Wieger, L. History of Religious Belief and Philosophical Opinions in China.Catholic Mission, Hsein-sein, China 1927.Yang, C. K. Religion in Chinese Society. University of calcium Press,Berkeley and Los Angeles 1961.Yutang, Lin. The Wisdom of Confucius. The Modern library, New York 1938.