Yup, apparently it’s possible. Robert Neville, the former Dean of Boston University’s School of Theology, is a United Methodist Minister and self-proclaimed Confucian Christian (interesting article).
In preparation for my imminent departure westward to the East, I have been reading up a bit about the big three Chinese religions. I recently finished about a thirty-page survey of Confucianism, which was about thirty more pages than the previous amount I had ever read concerning the religion/philosophy (not counting “Confucius Say” wisdom, of course). A couple interesting things stuck out to me:
1. 1. There is some debate over whether Confucianism in its original form is, in fact, a religion. A reason for this is that Confucian thought is largely concerned with the here and now, and is purposefully silent about the purely spiritual realm or afterlife.
2. 2. In Confucianism, community is king. While self-transformation to an “exemplary person” is key, it can only be done in community—social life is essential to becoming fully human. This reminded me of something a New York City Christian pastor by the name of Timothy Keller wrote:
“Ultimate reality is a community of persons who know and love one another. That is what the universe, God, history, and life is all about. If you favor money, power, and accomplishment over human relationships, you will dash yourself on the rocks of reality.”
Perhaps “Confucian Christian” does not have to be a contradiction after all. I’m still not quite convinced, but either way this short exposure to the tradition has certainly inspired me to learn more about what that wise guy had to say.
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