从贝德士到章开沅:中国基督教史研究的薪火相传

From M.S.Bates to Zhang Kaiyuan:Passing the Torch of Studies on the History of Christianity in China

20世纪80年代中后期,章开沅先生因偶然因素开启了中国教会大学史研究,并由此发现了耶鲁所藏他的业师、金陵大学历史系创办者贝德士的文献。“贝德士文献”内容极为丰富,彰显了贝德士献身教育、追求学术、寻求正义、无私奉献的一生。晚年的章先生以研究“贝德士文献”为志业,先后出版了南京大屠杀历史文献、教会大学史、中国基督教史等领域的论著,引起海内外学术界和社会的巨大反响,成就了章先生学术生涯的又一高峰。章先生继承了贝德士未竟的中国基督教史研究,强调传教士研究对“走出中国近代史”的重要意义,并以“呼唤人类精神文明的重建”响应贝德士“给全球以和平,给人类以慈悲”的呐喊,实践了“史学的参与”。从贝德士到章开沅,从学术追求到人生理想,两代学人学脉绵延、薪火相传,他们继往开来、不断探索的学术精神,值得后人传承发扬。

In the late 1980s,Prof.Zhang Kaiyuan accidentally started his research into the history of Christian colleges in China,which led to the discovery of the writings by Miner Searle Bates,founder of the history department at the University of Nanking.The contents of“Bates’writings”are extremely rich,showing Bates’dedication to education and academic research,justice and selfless devotion throughout his life.In his later years,Mr.Zhang devoted himself to the study of“Bates’s writings”,and successively published works on the historical documents of the Nanjing Massacre,the history of Christian colleges,and the history of Christianity in China,which aroused great response from the academia and society at home and abroad.Zhang inherited Bates’unfinished research on the history of Christianity in China,emphasizing the significance of missionary research in“stepping outside of modern Chinese history”.His calling for“the reconstruction of human spiritual civilization”corresponds to Bates’appeals of“peace on earth,good will to Men”,and practiced“the participation of historiography”.From Bates to Zhang,from academic pursuit to life ideal,they both embody the spirit of exploration by passing torch from one generation to the next,which deserves to be inherited and carried forward by future generations.