A Christian Narrative

The present article explores the Jesuit interpretation of the Confucian concept of “tian” 天 (usually rendered as “heaven”) and “tianming” 天命 (“mandate of heaven”) within a few passages from the first Western translation of the Lunyu 論語 (Analects) to Latin (1687). Thus, it examines how Jesuit missio...

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Main Author: Martín Ricardo López Angelini
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Published: Coimbra University Press 2024-12-01
Series:Biblos
Subjects:
Online Access:https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/biblos/article/view/14234
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author Martín Ricardo López Angelini
author_facet Martín Ricardo López Angelini
author_sort Martín Ricardo López Angelini
collection DOAJ
description The present article explores the Jesuit interpretation of the Confucian concept of “tian” 天 (usually rendered as “heaven”) and “tianming” 天命 (“mandate of heaven”) within a few passages from the first Western translation of the Lunyu 論語 (Analects) to Latin (1687). Thus, it examines how Jesuit missionaries, driven by the goal of evangelization, sought to reconcile Confucius’ philosophy with Christianity. This not only implied interpreting terms such as “tian” or “tianming” through a Christian’s perspective but also commenting on the original text and adding content to it so as to portray Confucius as a proto-Christian. By using an orientalist framework, this article will analyze the construction of a “Christo-Confucianism”; a phenomenon that could be understood as a natural product of the particular material and theological conditions to which the Jesuit Order had to adapt in China.
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issn 0870-4112
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language Portuguese
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Coimbra University Press
record_format Article
series Biblos
spelling doaj-art-f703a49392da4bf4befc5ab86ed68f2a2024-12-12T14:12:41ZporCoimbra University PressBiblos0870-41122183-71392024-12-011010.14195/0870-4112_3-10_9A Christian NarrativeMartín Ricardo López Angelini0Universidad del Salvador; Rijksuniversiteit Groningen The present article explores the Jesuit interpretation of the Confucian concept of “tian” 天 (usually rendered as “heaven”) and “tianming” 天命 (“mandate of heaven”) within a few passages from the first Western translation of the Lunyu 論語 (Analects) to Latin (1687). Thus, it examines how Jesuit missionaries, driven by the goal of evangelization, sought to reconcile Confucius’ philosophy with Christianity. This not only implied interpreting terms such as “tian” or “tianming” through a Christian’s perspective but also commenting on the original text and adding content to it so as to portray Confucius as a proto-Christian. By using an orientalist framework, this article will analyze the construction of a “Christo-Confucianism”; a phenomenon that could be understood as a natural product of the particular material and theological conditions to which the Jesuit Order had to adapt in China. https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/biblos/article/view/14234ConfucianismJesuit OrderOrientalismAccommodation processCultural mediation
spellingShingle Martín Ricardo López Angelini
A Christian Narrative
Biblos
Confucianism
Jesuit Order
Orientalism
Accommodation process
Cultural mediation
title A Christian Narrative
title_full A Christian Narrative
title_fullStr A Christian Narrative
title_full_unstemmed A Christian Narrative
title_short A Christian Narrative
title_sort christian narrative
topic Confucianism
Jesuit Order
Orientalism
Accommodation process
Cultural mediation
url https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/biblos/article/view/14234
work_keys_str_mv AT martinricardolopezangelini achristiannarrative
AT martinricardolopezangelini christiannarrative