理雅各对《论语》性善论与基督教人性论的互释互证

James Legge's Inter-interpretation and Inter-demonstration of Human Nature between The Confucian Analects and Christianity

有着基督新教信仰背景的理雅各肯认了孔子的性善论,又在性善论的基础上确认了现实之恶。而在理雅各的理解中,基督教则形成了从被造时的纯洁到犯罪直到终末救赎的直线发展的人性观。由此《论语》的人性论与基督教人性论同时呈现了"禀受——失去(或者污染)——恢复"的历时性结构,甚至两者并无实质性的差别。这种读解不但可能更为接近儒家人性论的本义,而且为"儒耶对话"开辟了崭新的路径和基础。更为重要的是,这种历时性结构恰恰暗示了一点,即:正是由于那些易于将本善之性引入歧途的现实之恶寓居于每一个体身上,所以每一个体,在面对着赐予自我本善之性的"天"的责任和对于禀受天命之性的自我的责任时,便显得更为重大,也更为艰难。

As a Christian, James Legge, who is from a Christian background, on the one hand, affirms the theory of the goodness of human nature in The Confucian Analects; on the other hand, he affirms the evil of man in reality. Correspondingly, it is believed in Christianity that human nature is created pure, and is then depraved until God's salvation. As a result, there is a diachronic structure of human nature between the two sides: being conferred, being lost or being depraved, and finally getting restored. James Legge even believes that there are no substantial differences as to the theory of human nature between The Confucian Analects and Christianity. James Legge' s explanation of the theory probably is closer to the original meaning of human nature in The Confucian Analects, which could create new approaches and a new foundation for dialogues between Confucians and Christians. Moreover, the diachronic structure of human nature which James Legge highlights implies that it's the evil in every person's nature in reality that misleads people, and thus it seems more significant and difficult for people to carry out their duties to Heaven that bestows people with the goodness of nature and the responsibility of human nature itself.