基督教茶文化融合的探索——以茶文化中的“敬”德为例

Exploration of the integration of Chinese Tea Culture and Christianity——Take the virtue of“Jing(Respect)”in Tea Culture as an example

茶文化是茶在中国精神文化中的体现。基督教茶文化建设即为山东基督教在茶文化中的独特洞见与处境思考——“敬”德就是文化融合中一个格外重要的契合点。在中国茶文化中,“敬”字,同时包有今天所说的敬畏、恭敬、谨慎、严肃、认真、努力、谦卑等多种感情含义在内。它有两个维度:纵向是人面对天道——敬畏、谨慎、严肃;横向是人面对人——谦卑、认真、努力,即敬天与爱人的统一。现代汉语中没有一个现成的词汇完全替代它。基督教中的“敬”德主要表现在三个方面:动态的神人关系、上帝的创造与救赎、信心。圣经中对“敬”的来源、原因、方式都有明确的记载,且由“敬”升华为对上帝的“信”。两种文化中的“敬”,既有共通之处,也有独特之别。故而,探索基督教茶文化建设中以“敬”德为进路的文化融合利于中国基督徒回归中国文化身份和探寻中国茶文化中的敬天信仰;避免走入西方神学的一些误区,使基督教信仰表达更具中国特色,更符合中国式思维;是以中国老一辈神学家“敬德”思考为资源和响应国家号召以茶弘扬中国文化,以茶对外交融互鉴。

Tea Culture is the embodiment of Tea in Chinese spiritual culture.The construction of Christian Tea Culture is Shandong Church’s unique and insightful way of contextualizing Christianity from the perspective of Chinese Tea Culture.The virtue of“Jing(Respect)”is an especially important meeting point in the integration of Christianity and Chinese Tea Culture.In the latter,the word“Jing”embraces the attitudes of awe,deference,prudence,seriousness,diligence,humility and so on.“Jing”connotates human beings’two-dimensional attitudes:vertically,their“awe,deference,prudence”towards Tian(God/heaven),while horizontally,“humility,earnest and diligence”towards human beings.This is the unity of respecting heaven/God and loving others.In Christianity,the virtue of“Jing(respect)”is mainly manifested in three aspects:1)the dynamic relationship between God and human being,2)God’s creation and redemption,and 3)faith.The originality,reasons and ways of“respect”are clearly demonstrated in the Bible.Besides,“respect for God”is sublimated to“faith in God”.There are similarities and unique differences in these two cultures–Christianity and Chinese Tea Culture-in terms of the virtue of“Jing(Respect)”.Therefore,in the exploration of constructing Christian Tea Culture,undertaking the virtue of“Jing(Respect)”as an approach would be conducive for Chinese Christians to express Christianity from their Chinese cultural identity and from their exploration of Jing-Tian concept in Chinese Tea Culture.In such a way,the expression of Christian belief might be more Chinese characteristic,and more in line with Chinese thinking.This attempt also demonstrates how the church in Shandong inherits and continues the formergeneration Chinese theologian’s thinking on the virtue of“Jing(respect)”,as well as responds to the national calling of the enhancing international relationship and mutual learning through the promotion of Chinese Culture via the role of Tea.