Religion, Politics and Ethics： Towards a Global Theorj of Social Transformation

In this paper＇I set out a phenomenology of social transformation, based on an analysis of the distinctively religious form of communication which underlies the trans-generational and trans-cultural transmission of world traditions, taking Confucianism and Christianity as their representatives. A phenomenological analysis of their communicative structure allows the possibility of a better understanding of what can be learnt from them in the context of contemporary debates in both China and the West on the relations between religion, ethics and politics. This analysis suggests that the ethical consistency of belief and act, which is the necessary condition for the engendering of long-term solidarity in religious community, has significant implications for ethics in politics, and especially for the legitimacy of representational leadership as a focal point for change in society. The paper concludes that the historical experience of world religions can offer new insights into the nature of political leadership and representation in today＇s globalised world and that the appropriate locus for this inquiry is the present negotiation and re-negotiation of relations between China and the West.

Confucianism in the Perspective of Global Science-A Review of Reconceptualizing Confucian Philosophy in the 21st Century

Today, Confucianism appears as a pre-eminently philosophical approach to the human, which, though deeply rooted in an ancient history in Chinese-speaking lands, now also has the potential to become a global philosophy. In its prescription of a distinctively disciplined way of life, it parallels world religions. However, Confucianism makes no claim to revelation, and so potentially offers a universalist understanding of what it is to be a human being. The fact that the nature or meaning of embodied Confucian life also points to specific social and political structures--even though these may be subject to variation--further suggests that such a universalist anthropology could be one which potentially, though still anchored in philosophy, has concrete content. There are two main challenges to be faced, however. First, there is the need for a reconceptualization of Confucianism in order for it to function as a truly contemporary thought-form. Second, there is the need to discover ways in which the themes and concepts of Confucianism can meaningfully inform our contemporary social and political realities beyond the scope of Chinese language and history. However, these challenges have, in many ways, become less daunting in recent years. Today, there is a new openness for a transcultural, globally-oriented ethical thinking and presence which can foster stability in times of rapid and unpredictable change. And there is a new acceptance that such a practical philosophy, or philosophy of human practice, as a properly global phenomenon could have its origins in China.