Comparing Confucianism and Christianity Essay -- Christianity Confuciu

Comparing Confucianism and Christianity The premise of Confucian teachings are centered around the idea of Jenor the virtue of human beings (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 further for a revolution of the political system to adopt themethods of Jen. Confucius sought to revive the ancient Chinese culture byredefining the importance of society and government. He expound 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 by content of education and the unification of culturalbeliefs. He believed that a nation would be benefited by citizens that were cultivated hatful whose intellects and emotions had been developed and maturedby conscious people (Clearly). He felt tha t those born into the feudal systemwere had a personal duty to excel socially by means of power. Those who were oflesser class should as well seek out education to better themselves. All purposesfor betterment of man and society as one whole is known as Li. Li means therationalized social order (Yutang). Confucius felt that love and respect forauthority was a key to a perfect society this strict respect was practiced with 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, biovular 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 rescuer is essential to this enlightenment. It was also under theguise of Christianity that it had to confront totalitarian systems dehumanizeuses of power in its sphere of influence ( disk operating system and church, and these systemstriumphed under the banner 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., fresh York1971.King. Hans and ed. Christianity and the World Religions. Doubleday, NewYork 1986McCuen., Gary E. The Religious Right. Hudson, Wisconsin 1989.OBriare, S. J. l 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 Press, New York1966.Toynbee, Arnold. Christianity Among the Religions of the World. CharlesScribners Sons, New York 1957Weber, Max. The Religion of China. The assoil 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 California Press,Berkeley and Los Angeles 1961.Yutang, Lin. The Wisdom of Confucius. The Modern library, New York 1938.