教会大学与中国高等教育的几个问题

Problems of Christian Colleges and Chinese Higher Education

基督宗教在中国近代高等教育初创时期具有重要作用,其各教会、教派创办的"教会大学"都一一成为近代知识学科的先驱。民国以后,中国大学中的民族主义取向占据上风,强调国族认同。由于西方民族国家奉行"政教分离"的原则,基督宗教的人道、博爱、合一等现代教义和普世信仰并不主张直接干预现实政治,故而通过"信仰自由"原则在社会、文化和教育领域起作用。但是当1937年抗日战争爆发时,中国基督教、天主教会正好处在政治上积极认同中国政府,在教义上努力适应中国文化的阶段,因而倾向于中国,抵制日本。各教会大学内迁西南,为中国保存知识精英,其作用不亚于国立大学。抗战强化了中华民族的国族认同,这一时期的教会大学已经完全融合为抗战事业的一部分。

Christian plays an important role in the first development stage of Chinese higher education in modern times with Christian colleges set up by churches and sects as the pioneer for disciplines and knowledge of modern times.After the Republic of China was founded,nationalism prevailed in Chinese colleges with an emphasis on national identity.Since western states obey to the principle of "separation of church and state",such modern creeds as humanism,philanthropism and universal belief propose "freedom of belief" in social,cultural and educational fields instead of a direct intervention in politics.However,after the breakout of the war against Japan in 1937,China's Protestantism and Catholicism submitted politically to Chinese government and adapted to Chinese culture,taking a position inclined to China and against Japan.All Christian colleges moved to Southwest and played a significant role not less than that of public colleges in protecting Chinese intellectual elites.The war strengthened the national identity and Christian colleges had already become one part of the war.