徐光启的官界人际网络与在华耶稣会士传教事业的展开

Xu Guangqi's Network in Official Circles and the Growth of the Society of Jesus's Mission in China

被誉为"天主教三大柱石"之一的徐光启入教后不仅自身虔诚奉教、著书译作,更积极通过各种社会关系及其在官界的影响力为传教士创造有利的传教环境。不论是在世时或去世后,其在官界拥有的人际网络对耶稣会在华传教事业的展开都产生了重要的影响。这种以奉教士人为核心,通过其拥有的社会关系不断向外扩散的模式可谓是耶稣会"上层路线"传教方针的重要展开形式之一。

Xu Guangqi,one of the three towering figures in the early Chinese Catholicism,devoted himself to the dissemination of his faith by means of writing and translation,as well as creating a Catholicism-friendly environment with the help of his efficient network in the official circles. Xu's network significantly influenced the growth of the Society of Jesus' s mission in China,when the leading Chinese Catholic was alive.The network's posthumous influence was still tangible. Jesuits' then strategy,wherein the prominent scholar-official-turned-Catholics played a pivotal role in the dissemination of Catholic faith and expanded the religion on the basis of their personal network,contributed greatly to the growth of the missionary work.