For this roundtable discussion, five guests who work as a pastor, laypersons, and scholars were invited by the Christian Times to share different perspectives on the topic of "Travel and Faith—Cultural Tours, and Its Implications for the Growth of Christian Life". These guests have devoted themselves to promoting Christian cultural tours in recent years.
Roundtable panelists: Pastor Zhang (advocate), Mr. Jiang(playwright), Mr. Wang (scholar), Sister Cong (organizer), and Sister Si (participant)
Christian Times: How did Christian cultural tourism/tours (CCT) first get your attention? What did you benefit from participating in CCT and how did the experience provoke your thoughts? What are the impacts of travel on your personal lives and beliefs?
Pastor Zhang: I initiated CCT in the first place because of my two children. I felt the need to take my six or seven-year-old daughter on a trip around the country, which could have a profound impact on her future. At that time, I headed northwest along with my daughter to visit the Terracotta Warriors of the First Emperor of Qin in Xi’an, Lake Qinghai, and the desert. In Lanzhou, we visited the Iron Bridge and the Yellow River, where there is a sharp drop between the upstream and downstream.
My daughter first told me that she liked rapeseed flowers probably because she grew up in the south. After the trip, she was greatly impacted, and her perspectives were changed. Thereafter, I became more aware that Christians should have such opportunities of traveling to places, which could be impactful on their lives. That’s how we started to promote CCT.
Mr. Wang: The first time I participated in CCT was in December 2019. I visited the old church in Jiaxing, the Xujiahui Cathedral or St. Ignatius Cathedral in Shanghai, the former home of Guangqi Xu, and more. CCT has helped me acknowledge the tradition of the Christian faith. As Christians, we have inherited a tradition, which does not appear instantly but has been passed down from generation to generation since 2,000 years ago.
Sister Si: I first knew of CCT from the recommendation made by a Christian friend. I used to enjoy doing all the planning myself, traveling as a family, or joining a group. In the beginning, I didn't expect much. But the CCT at that time set itself apart. It fostered my appreciation for nature created by God. It's more of a "fellowship on the move." Whether believers, seekers, or non-believers, we were fully engaged on the journey.
Sister Cong: It was after I graduated from college that I came to know about CCT. I was fortunate to go on a study tour with Pastor Zhang. During the year, I traveled to most of China, including the Christians in Sichuan, Fujian, Shanxi, and Beijing. I visited and fellowshipped with the Christians in various ministry fields. On my study tour, I explored different ways of life and witnessed God’s guidance and the mission entrusted to everyone's life. It was touching and direct to me.
Mr. Jiang: I have always called CCT "worship on the move." By chance in the late 1990s, I hosted a cultural salon, which I called "Ministry on the Move." In the salon, there was a range of activities every night. Most of the participants were from academia, science and engineering, and technical professionals. I have a background in science and engineering. It is another kind of challenge to talk about the Gospel with those who are in science and engineering. Genesis and Darwinism are at odds in their minds.
Later, I took a group of students who majored in science and engineering to Guangqi Xu Park. They knew before then that Guangqi Xu was a great scientist but realized later that he was actually a devout Christian. And I call him the first native Chinese theologian in the true sense. He started a dialogue between Chinese culture and Christianity. The students remained quite willing to study more about him and learned about Christianity. It was very impactful.
I found the trip productive and started to show my friends around. It did not take long for some churches to ask me to organize activities. I have a better understanding of Shanghai's vicinity, which was originally the main base of Christianity in modern China. There are rich historical and cultural resources pertaining to Protestantism, Catholicism, and the Eastern Orthodox church in Shanghai. Over the past 20 years, many friends and scholars from home and abroad invited me to organize activities for their visits. Later, I expanded the region from Shanghai to the surrounding areas of East China, such as Jiaxing, Changshu, Nanjing, Beijing, Shandong, Wenzhou, Hangzhou, and so on. I like to take seminary students on a trip. We make observations along the way, and I would give a lecture in the field.
Christian Times: When it comes to civilizations, the historian Toynbee mentioned the profound influence of the geographical environment on the formation of civilizations. In some sense, CCT is sightseeing. In another sense, it is to observe the influence and shaping of different geographical and cultural environments on the lives of local Christian groups. What observations and sharing do you have regarding this?
Pastor Zhang: We put forward a slogan for CCT - that is, either the body or the soul has to be on the road. In Calvin on the Christian Life, the knowledge of general revelation is discussed.
After we traveled beyond Jiayu Pass of the Great Wall on our last trip to the northwest, the bleakness of the desert outside the Pass that we saw was drastically different from the urban vegetation. In fact, human beings have been creating civilization in our own way to some extent. This civilization is farther away from God in a certain sense.
At that time, my wife called me one day from East China and told me that there was a power outage. I was worried that everything in the refrigerator would be ruined. This summer was extremely hot, and a young man beside me died of a heat stroke. I was wondering how highly our current civilization depends on external conditions. The setting of CCT has a particularly strong impact on our lives. I want to rethink my way of life - how should people live?
God has a plan to drive us out of our familiar environment, just like how God led Abraham to leave his hometown and be molded in the wilderness. Christians are foreigners, who are away from their home environment in some sense. This is my point of view from a theological perspective.
Mr. Wang: We feel awe when we are in desolate nature. There is actually something that exists beyond our power. Snow-capped mountains and vast grasslands remind us of Him, who stretched out the sky and stopped the river flow. Those who traveled together composed poems and essays to express their feelings after the trip. The comfort we receive from nature comes from God, which is very nourishing.
Sister Si: On a journey to the Great Northwest and a cycling trip around Lake Taihu, I did not have strong feelings for the local Christian vibe. However, we were a group of Christians from different places and were at different stages of life. We learned how to interact with each other in what we said and did. My husband was not a believer. His admiration for Pastor Zhang was really beyond words when he witnessed how Pastor Zhang served everyone on the trip.
Additionally, I did not seem to relate to the characters in the Bible when I read it in the past. But at a later point in time when I got to interact with people or visit different places, I found that these characters live in our daily life. Their words and deeds recorded in the Bible reflect who we are.
Sister Cong: I observed that people are different in the status of their beliefs from region to region. Christians in the coastal area may become believers as a way of self-fulfillment. Tibetans are incredible in terms of their faith. Although they are not rich, they dedicate 70% of their annual income to temples and monks. They are probably used to this concept of offering while we tithe 10 percent with difficulty. That is something we can think about.
Mr. Jiang: I recalled one year when I visited the Catholic church in the deep forests of Mountain Wuyi, which is a nature reserve of the United Nations. I spent more than ten days there. When I came back home, I found that the cars from the city smelled very bad. My sense of smell must have been renewed and returned to its original state. We ought to return to the original of God’s creation, which is devotion. It is crucial for the spiritual growth of our church.
Christian Times: "Culture", in fact, carries multiple meanings. It is a kind of precipitation and accumulation of the past. This accumulation includes changes in local history and culture, as well as the work of missionaries in the local and the impact of modern history. Could all of you share about the impact that history has on a modern day?
Pastor Zhang: You came to be because of the history of Christianity that spans from the past till this day. If you forget about what Christians did in the past, there would be a risk that Christianity may be lost in the future. We have to be careful about one thing - we are passed down by the world.
When visiting Shuangxi, we heard a story that goes like this. When missionaries first came to Pingnan, Fujian, they were not welcome and could only stay in a small village on the outskirts. They were able to keep on staying there because Western medicine was more effective in stopping bleeding, which helped the local villagers. That’s why the people in Pingnan allowed them to evangelize. For years, life was difficult for many missionaries.
I am also a minister. I have been wronged or disapproved of in my ministries. I was wondering what missionaries were facing in those days. They were excluded and marginalized. Yet they made sacrifices without being noticed until a person was eventually saved. People started to note that missionaries could offer a little help. Many young people are also impressed by this. History teaches us what not to forget. In my opinion, CCT is a good way to explore who you are, where you come from, and how you should live.
Mr. Jiang: Twenty years ago, we simply called CCT the study of Christian history and culture. We explicitly searched for the history and culture of Christianity. For instance, the headquarter of the China Inland Mission was located in Shanghai at that time. From there, the seeds of the Gospel were spread to all parts of the country, especially to remote areas. Virtually all of the old buildings of the headquarters have been preserved. Countless stories happened there. On the diagonally opposite side of the street, there was an English-style coffee shop. The missionaries would drink a cup of coffee from their hometown before heading all over the country. No one knows how many years later they would be able to drink it again. Many have visited and prayed there with tears because that is the root of their village churches in the mountains. Some even commented that the activities of the day are more effective than a week's lecture in a seminary.
Mr. Wang: In my opinion, "culture" can be defined in two ways. One refers to civilization—architecture, cities, and man-made products. All are magnificent. To some degree, they embody a human-centered desire to control nature.
"Culture" is also humanities. There is a saying in China, "Make observations of the humanities to gain knowledge of the transformation of the world." That is humanity, being a real human. In this sense, religion is the manifestation of a person's civilization. Humans’ inner longing for religion is expressed through various forms, such as music and architecture. Through such footprints of civilizations as languages, architecture, and history in the activities of CCT, people can develop a sense of generational inheritance, including the expression of our relationship with God. This is marvelous.
Sister Cong: We might have learned a great deal of history from textbooks, but it doesn’t seem related to me. We once visited Pingnan, which is a restored village in Fujian Province. Its restoration is a process of rising and falling. Seeing it in person makes history come alive for young people. I feel more connected to the place in this way.
Christian Times: Any thoughts and sharing about the encounters among the participants of CCT?
Sister Si: We didn't see differences from the regular tour groups in the first few days of our first CCT. But on one hot sunny day, standing on a rock by Lake Qinghai, Pastor Zhang shared his take on faith with us. It was from this moment that our group started to connect and have an impact on each other. When the trip came to an end, no one wanted to say goodbye.
Once again, we, the same group of people, went cycling together. Ranging from thirteen-year-olds to those in their sixties, we rode nearly 300 kilometers in three days. None of us were professional cyclists. We trusted and relied on each other throughout the trip. A brotherly and sisterly bond was formed among us.
Mr. Wang: What she said about "bonding" resonates with me. This is a keyword. There were many touching moments when I relived our trip to the Northwest. If I was by myself facing the beautiful scenery, I would not have been as moved. We sang together for we had God as our common core, which connected our lives. The sense of being loved and cared for in a group drives us naturally to respond and relate to one another.
Pastor Zhang: The devotion of Catholicism and Protestantism is contemplative. In today's fast-paced life, CCT could be a way of devotion. For instance, mountain climbing is one of our designs for cultivating perseverance. Many breakthroughs in our lives require a context so that we can truly experience what it means to love one another. I think that Christians are willing to love, but there is no opportunity for them to do it.
This type of group devotion means a great deal in today’s context. Often we do not have half a month or a month to meditate on God’s words. One unique feature of CCT is that people work as a group to complete a project, which is a rare opportunity in urban life.
Mr. Jiang: The encounters that I had on CCT for more than twenty years were intense. As Protestants, we tend to keep to ourselves. But I told people that to understand the history and culture of Christianity in a broader sense, one should care about not only the China Inland Mission and the Christian Literature Society for China but also the historical sites of the Catholic and Orthodox Church. This would result in a shock. Protestants and Catholics have been fighting for 500 years since the Reformation. It seems that the fight will continue forever. However, people were touched when I took them to meet the brothers and sisters of the Orthodox and Catholic Church.
I once took Christians to visit the fishermen's Catholic church in the south. They have been standing firm in their faith since the end of the Ming Dynasty till today. We worshiped and fellowshipped with them. When witnessing how much they loved the Lord and learning what hardships they had endured, we were all greatly touched.
At another time, I took some young Protestant friends to accompany an Orthodox professor from the United States to visit an Orthodox church in Shanghai. Many Protestants are strangers to the Orthodox church in the first place. The church we were visiting was closed and not open to the public. As soon as this Orthodox professor walked to the church, she knelt down on the sidewalk and prayed without any hesitance. Tears streamed down her face. For the Orthodox, Saint Nicolas' Church is a world-famous holy place. Any Protestant would be deeply moved when seeing this scene.
Christian Times: What is the current status and area for improvement in CCT? What are your expectations for its development? Or which scenic spots are resources worth exploring for CCT?
Sister Si: I hope that the information regarding CCT can be shared on the internet so that believers and those who may be interested could join. I also hope to see more short-term programs in the city where I live. Programs that are half a day or one day on weekends would be appreciated when it is difficult to find a large block of time to participate. People nowadays don't need to spend much time on housework. They could have some spare time on weekends, which is most likely to be occupied by activities online. This is especially the case for children. They are drifting farther away from the real world. Besides, more people could be trained in leading CCT.
Mr. Wang: There are still many places we want to explore, such as Zhaotong, and Yunnan, where Samuel Pollard stayed. I hope that churches across the board could look for the marks and footprints of the history in their surroundings and have people organize programs like CCT.
Sister Cong: From a professional perspective, we come short of content materials and projects, especially with regard to Christianity. We need to collect more information and dive deeper. Organizational logistics such as food and accommodations could be entrusted to those who are in the business. In terms of promotion, we call on church pastors and ministers to make recommendations, which would be more efficient.
Mr. Jiang: It seems to me that churches have different takes on this. Some are very supportive. I have been invited by several churches to tour their communities on Saturdays. We started with a short prayer early in the morning and visited 2-3 places along the way for prayer and fellowship. When it became dark, we concluded the day in worship.
Secondly, as far as I know, CCT has made great progress in recent years. But people have been doing it in their own way without much collaboration. Hopefully, those who have experience in CCT could implement it in their daily life. Every believer should take the initiative to do it with family and friends. It can be very impactful as a way of personal evangelism.
Additionally, we need to broaden our horizons by exploring Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and even the sound secular culture. As I recall, I once took Christians to the cemetery of Rushi Liu in Changshu. We took a deep dive into Chinese culture through Liu’s research in the late Ming Dynasty—that is an exploration of where the path leads to.
Pastor Zhang: There are two different missionary approaches among Chinese churches, Timothy Richard’s and Hudson Taylor’s. Since Hudson Taylor’s approach which directly shared the Gospel with the common people has been successful, the Chinese church has been following this model for many years. I think this approach is better at preserving the faith. It does not engage much with the outside world, remains relatively closed, and stays out of the public sphere.
However, the times have reached a stage where there are more and more Christians in the workplace. They are confused with their identities in the public sphere because the church does not give enough guidance in this regard. We cannot shy away from this topic. I think the church should be aware of the need in engaging with and serving the public in our day. CCT is a practical call.
I have another thought. The young people who have participated in CCT are not only participants but also researchers. We are advocates rather than initiators. There are many themes in Chinese churches. We now call for more people to join to provide the historical materials of the city, such as the history of Hudson Taylor. Everyone does their own research and contributes their findings to an information pool.
- Translated by June I. Chen
本期圆桌谈，基督时报邀请近年来致力于推动和参与基督徒文旅领域的牧者同工，学者和平信徒来从不同的角度谈“旅行和信仰——文化旅游，对基督徒生命滋养的意义”。
圆桌讨论人员：
三位嘉宾：张牧师（倡导者）、姜老师（剧作家）、王老师（学者）、聪姊妹（策划者））、思姊妹（参与者）
基督时报：各位是怎么开始关注基督徒文旅（以下用“文旅”代指“基督徒文旅”）领域？在你参与的过程中，文旅经历带给你的滋养和思考有哪些？旅行对我们个人生命和信仰的影响有哪些？
张牧师：我最早发起文旅其实源于我带着我的两个孩子。我觉得要带六七岁的女儿去全国有些地方走一走，这样可以对她的未来产生很深的影响。那时，我带我的女儿沿着西北线先去了西安看秦始皇兵马俑，到了兰州去看了铁桥和落差很大的黄河的上游和下游，也去了看了青海湖和沙漠。
最开始女儿告诉我，她喜欢油菜花，可能是因为她在江南长大，但是旅行过后，她就越改变自己的观念，受到很多的冲击。所以我就更加有这个意识——其实很多的基督徒都应该能够有这样的机会去到这种环境里面，这对生命来讲是一种冲击。所以我们就开始倡导文旅。
王老师：我第一次参与文旅应该是2019年12月份去了嘉兴的老教堂，还去过上海的徐家汇大教堂、徐光启的故居等。文旅让我感受到我们的基督信仰是有一个传统。作为基督徒，我们已经生活在一个传统当中，而这个传统不是突然出现的，而是可以追溯到2000以前，并且是一代一代人在传承的。
思姊妹：我最开始知道文旅是一位主内弟兄向我推荐。我以前都是喜欢自己做所有的规划，一家人出去旅游，或者是跟着一个团。刚开始，我确实没有那么多的期待，但那次主内文旅确实不太一样，感受到那种被造的大自然。这更像是一个“行走的团契”。在旅途中，不管是我们信主的、慕道友，还是不信主的人，都完全融入到这种关系之中。
聪姊妹：我最开始接触文旅是在我毕业之后，有幸和张牧师一起出去游学。在这一年当中，我去了大半个中国。我曾去拜访了四川、福建、山西和北京的基督徒，看到做不同领域的事工、基督徒，和他们交流。我在游学中，是去探索不同的生活方式，也去探索神在每个人的生命当中托付的使命和带领。这对我来说很有触动，也很直观。
姜老师：我也一直把基督徒文旅称之为“行走中的敬拜”。一个非常偶然的机会，我在上世纪90年代末主办了一个文化沙龙，我称之为“行走中的服事”。在沙龙里，每天晚上有各种活动，参与者大多为来自学术各界、学理工科和一些工程技术人员。我自己也是学理工科出身的，和学理工科的谈福音有另外一种难度，因为他脑子里的创世记和达尔文主义要打架。
后来有一次，我带了一批学理工科出身的去徐光启公园。之前，他们知道徐光启是一个伟大科学家，但是那次他们了解到徐竟然还是一位虔诚的基督徒。而且我称他是中国第一位真正意义上的本土神学家，例如他把中国文化和基督教进行对话。所以他们非常愿意静下心来仔细地了解他，并通过徐去了解基督信仰，这效果就非常好。
我发现这是一件好事，我就开始会带着朋友们到一些地方去走走看看，很快一些教会就开始邀请我带活动。我对上海的情况比较了解，上海原来是基督教在近代中国主要的根据地，基督新教、天主教、东正教都在这有极其丰富的历史文化资源。这二十多年，海内外很多的朋友、学者来访问，也辗转邀请我带活动。后来由上海扩展到了华东的周边，像嘉兴、常熟、南京、北京、山东、温州、杭州等。我喜欢带着神学生，我们边走边看，然后我在野外讲课。
基督时报：历史学家汤恩比在谈到不同的文明时，曾提到地理环境对文明形成的深远影响。文旅一方面是旅游，另一方面是去观看不同的地理和文化环境对当地基督徒群体生命的影响和塑造。关于，这点上大家是有什么体验和分享的呢？
张牧师：我们对文旅提出了一个口号——就是身体和灵魂总有一个要在路上。《加尔文的人生智慧》书中谈到了一个对待普遍启示的认识。
上次去西北，我们在出了嘉峪关长城以后，感受到城市植被和关外沙漠的萧瑟感是完全不一样的。或者说其实人类某种程度上一直在用自己的方式构建自己的文明，而这种文明在某种程度上是离上帝更远的。
那时，有一天妻子从华东给我打电话就告诉我说停电了，担心冰箱里的东西都坏了。今年的夏天特别热，我身边有一位年轻人去世了就是热射病死的。所以我就在想我们现在的文明对外部条件的依赖是多么强，但是文旅中的环境对我们人生的冲击力是特别大的。我要重新再一次的思考我的生活方式——人该怎么活着？
上帝有一个心意，让我们离开固有的环境，就如上帝让亚伯拉罕离开故乡，在旷野被塑造。基督徒是寄居者，寄居者在一定程度就是带离他原来的环境。这是我一个神学上的思考。
王老师： 我们在荒凉大自然当中就会产生敬畏感。实际上有一种超越我们力量的东西存在。看到雪山、茫茫的草原，就会想起祂铺张穹苍，让河水止住。（一起文旅的）朋友们回来写了些诗和散文表达了这种感觉，就是我们可以在自然当中得到的安慰是来自于上帝的安慰，非常滋养人。
思姊妹：在一次大西北旅行和一次环太湖骑行中，我对当地基督徒氛围的感受没有那么明显。但是我们当时去的是来自于不同地方的基督徒，所以，我们会看到不同的生命状态，在言谈举止之间，感受彼此之间怎么样互相对待。我先生是不信的，但是他在旅行中看到张牧师如何服务大家的，所以他心里对张牧的那种敬佩真的是溢于言表的。
还有一点，以前我读圣经的时候，我觉得圣经里面的人物好像和我没关系，但是后来当你和人接触，或者你走到不同的地方，你发现其实这是每个人的真实生活，圣经里面很多人的言行其实就是我们有时候当下的自己。
聪姊妹：我看到每个地区的人在信仰上面的状态是不一样的。沿海的基督徒可能处在一个满足自我的状态中去信仰，而藏民他们的信仰是不可思议的，虽然不富有，但是他们会把一年收入的70%奉献给寺庙、僧人，在他们看来可能这种观念是很正常的。但是在我们看来，做到十分之一的奉献就已经挺难了。这让我们对现在的生活有一种思考。
姜老师：我记得有一年我到武夷山的深山老林里去访问天主教会，那是一个联合国的自然保护区。我到深山里去待了十几天，出来的时候我就突然发现城市里来的车，味道特别难闻。一定是我的嗅觉已经被洗了一遍，又回归到了上帝原创的那种状态。我们需要回到上帝原创的世界，这是对我们的灵修，对我们教会精神生命的成长是非常重要的。
基督时报：谈到“文”，其实它的涵义很多，它是过去的一种沉淀和积累，这种积累包括当地历史和文化的变迁，还有曾经宣教士在这里的耕耘和在近现代历史上的影响。各位嘉宾，可以就历史对今天的影响展开一些探讨吗？
张牧师：过去基督教的历史走到今天才有你。如果你忘了过去的基督徒做过什么，就会面对一个危险，就是我们可能就失去未来的基督教。我们要小心一件事情——我们被世界传承了。
我们以前去双溪，有个小故事：宣教士当时进来福建屏南的时候，是不被欢迎的，只能在边缘的一个很小的村子。他们能在那生活下来是因为西医止血比较快，对当地的村民起到了帮助。然后屏南的人才说你们可以进去宣教。很多宣教士熬了很多年。
我也做传道人，有时候会牧会中受一些委屈，或者是一些不认可，我就在想，当年宣教士是一种什么状态？他们彻底被排斥和边缘化。但他们默默地付出，终于能救活一个人的时候，别人才觉得原来他们还能做一点点贡献。很多年轻人也受此震撼。历史告诉那些我们不能忘记的东西。所以我觉得文旅是一个很好的观念，让你知道你是谁，你从谁来，你应该怎么去生活。
姜老师：20年前我们把文旅干脆就叫做基督教历史文化考察，明确地去寻找基督教历史和文化。比如，上海有当年内地会在中国的总部，中国的福音的种子是从这儿开始撒向全国各地的，尤其是撒向偏僻的地方。总部的老建筑基本上全都保存了下来，无数的故事在那里发生。斜对面有一个英国式的咖啡馆，当年传教士在奔向全国各地之前，会在那里喝一杯家乡的咖啡，因为他们可能不知道要多少年才能喝到。很多人参观过都在那边流泪祷告。因为他们山里的教会、乡村教会的根就在那。甚至有的人说，这一天的活动比在神学院里讲一个星期的课的效果还好。
王老师： 我觉得“文”其实可以有两个不同的意思。一个文就是文明，Civilization——我们的建筑、城市、人造的产品。这也很伟大，但在某种程度上，他们确实体现了一个人类的掌控自然、人类中心主义的渴望。
但“文”的第二个含义就是人文。中国也会说“观乎人文，以化成天下”——这个人文就是Humanity，成为一个真正意义上的人。在这个意义上，宗教就是一个人的文明性表现。人的内在宗教渴望会通过各种产品给表现出来，比如音乐、建筑。在文旅的活动中，也是透过人们留下这些种种的文明足迹、文字、建筑、历史，感受到我们一代代人，包括我们自己对和上帝的关系的表达，这是非常好的。
聪姊妹：历史可能教科书上学了很多，但是它会跟我没有关系。有一次，我们去屏南，它是一个修复后的乡村。修复它是有一个兴衰变化的过程。对于我们年轻人来说，这样的方式会让历史更生动、更形象地浮现在我的眼前，让我对这个城市更有感情。
基督时报：文旅的参与者之间的碰撞什么值得思考和分享的吗？
思姊妹：我们第一次文旅的头几天也没什么感觉，就跟别的旅行团差不多。直到有一次在青海湖边，那天太阳很大，张牧师在石头上给我们分享信仰的看法。从这时开始，我们这群人真的就有了生命的互相影响，开始就建立了关系。等我们分开的时候，都希望我们旅途不要结束。
下一次，我们一起去骑行，又是同一批人，从十三四岁到六十几岁的人，骑了三天将近300多公里，而且没有一个人是专业骑行的，靠着彼此的信任就骑下来了。我们之间像兄弟姐妹般的感情一样。
王老师：我也同意这位姐妹说的“关系”——这是一个关键词。重温我们西北之旅的记忆时，有很多感动。但是如果我一个人看那些美景的话，可能就没有那么大的感动，后面大家一起来唱歌……因为我们有一个上帝作为我们共同的核心把我们连接在一起，才能有这样的生命连接。在一个团体当中被爱、被关心的那种感觉，你也很自然地对他人有感应和联系。
张老师：天主教和新教的灵修是默观式的，比如在今天生活节奏比较快的时代，有一种灵修的方式是文旅，比如说爬山就是我们对培养毅力的一个设计。我们生命中的很多突破是需要你设计出一个场景来的，才能够更真实的体会什么是彼此相爱。我觉得基督徒的生命里面是有相爱的意愿，但是却没有相爱的机会。
这种在团队中的灵修放在今天的这种环境特别有意义。很多时候，我们没有半个月、一个月默想圣经的时间。但是我们有一个团队来完成一个项目，这是文旅特别大的亮点，都市生活中这种没有机会。
姜老师：我带着这二十多年文旅中非常强烈的碰撞，是我们新教的信徒都封闭在新教自己的环境里，但是我告诉他们说，要了解广义的基督教历史文化，不仅看内地会、广学会，还要去看天主教堂、东正教留下的遗址。这就产生了很多的碰撞。宗教改革以后新教和天主教已经争吵了500年，好像永远会吵下去。但是当我带着很多信徒走进东正教和天主教的弟兄姐妹们中间，大家都会非常感动。
我曾带着基督徒到江南去访问渔民天主教会，他们是从明末到现在一直保持着很好的信仰状态。当大家和他们一起敬拜、交流，看见他们这么爱主，为主走过这样艰难的道路，大家就非常感动。
有一次，我带着一些年轻的新教朋友陪着美国来的东正教教授，一起去访问上海的东正教教堂。很多新教徒原来对东正教是最陌生的。这位东正教的教授姐妹一走到教堂，因为这个教堂是封闭的，根本不对外开放，她二话不说，泪流下来了，就跪在马路的人行道上开始祷告。因为对他们来说，上海东正教堂是世界著名的东正教的圣地，新教徒看到这种场景，都会深深感动。
基督时报：现在基督徒文旅领域的现状和不足是怎样的呢？你对于基督徒文旅领域的期待有哪些呢？或哪些景点等是值得挖掘的文旅资源？
思姊妹：我希望这些文旅信息可以在网络让很多主内的、还有一些可能对文旅感兴趣的加入进来。因为有时很难找到大块的时间参与，所以我希望在自己的城市经常有这样的小型活动，比如每次半天一天周末就可以。我也希望多培养一些可以带领文旅的人，因为现在的人不需要花很多时间在家务上，在周末还是有一些空闲的时间，不然这些时间大部分被网络所吞噬了。尤其是现在的孩子们，他们已经离真实的世界越来越遥远了。
王老师：我们还有很多想去的地方，比如云南昭通柏格理待过的地方。我希望各地的教会能够有一些人组织这样的活动，在他们周边找寻相关的历史的线索和足迹。
聪姊妹：从旅游的专业性上来说，我们还是比较缺乏实际的一些内容和项目，尤其是主内的这一块，我们需要搜集和挖掘更多的资料。从组织上来说，在吃住等各方面的，需要有更专业的人去做。在推广方面，我们呼吁有教会能够有牧者、传道人去推荐，这样能够快很多。
姜老师：我看到的教会态度很不一样，有的教会是很支持的。我认识有好几个教会邀请我星期六带他们附近走一走。我们一大早做一个简短的祈祷就开始，一路上会去看2-3个地方，有祷告和交流。晚上天黑下来，在敬拜中结束。
第二，据我所知，这些年实际上基督教文旅事业已经有了很大的发展。只不过都在各自做。还有一个就是希望已经经历过文旅的个人也要在日常中做，每一个信徒都应该主动地带着家人亲友去做，甚至作为个人传福音的工作，效果都是非常好的。
还有一个，我们要拓展眼光，要去去了解天主教、东正教，甚至要去了解优秀的公共文化。我记得我曾经在常熟带着基督徒去看柳如是的墓地。明末柳如是的研究，对中国文化深深的探索——这是对出路在哪里的一种叩问。
张牧师：中国教会有李提摩太模式和戴德生模式两种的宣教路线。戴德生模式成功了，所以这么多年中国教会一直在这种模式下沿袭下来。我觉得这种模式防守能力比较好，容易不往外走，比较封闭，不进入公共领域。
但是时代走到一个阶段，职场基督徒越来越多，他们在公共领域中的身份变得迷茫，因为教会不在这方面更多的引导，这是我们逃避不了的话题。我觉得教会应该是意识到在今天这个时代，有必要进入和服务公共领域。文旅则是一个实践性的呼吁。
我有另一个思考，参与文旅的年轻人既是文旅的参与者，又是资料的调查者。我们只是倡导者，而不是发起者。中国教会的主题有很多，我们现在就可以呼吁很多的人加入，可以提供城市的一些史料。比如说戴德生的历史，大家一起去找找戴德生干了什么，然后大家把所找到的资料凑在一起。
圆桌间 | 五位牧者学者与平信徒共同畅谈：旅行和信仰——文化旅游，对基督徒生命滋养的意义
For this roundtable discussion, five guests who work as a pastor, laypersons, and scholars were invited by the Christian Times to share different perspectives on the topic of "Travel and Faith—Cultural Tours, and Its Implications for the Growth of Christian Life". These guests have devoted themselves to promoting Christian cultural tours in recent years.
Roundtable panelists: Pastor Zhang (advocate), Mr. Jiang(playwright), Mr. Wang (scholar), Sister Cong (organizer), and Sister Si (participant)
Christian Times: How did Christian cultural tourism/tours (CCT) first get your attention? What did you benefit from participating in CCT and how did the experience provoke your thoughts? What are the impacts of travel on your personal lives and beliefs?
Pastor Zhang: I initiated CCT in the first place because of my two children. I felt the need to take my six or seven-year-old daughter on a trip around the country, which could have a profound impact on her future. At that time, I headed northwest along with my daughter to visit the Terracotta Warriors of the First Emperor of Qin in Xi’an, Lake Qinghai, and the desert. In Lanzhou, we visited the Iron Bridge and the Yellow River, where there is a sharp drop between the upstream and downstream.
My daughter first told me that she liked rapeseed flowers probably because she grew up in the south. After the trip, she was greatly impacted, and her perspectives were changed. Thereafter, I became more aware that Christians should have such opportunities of traveling to places, which could be impactful on their lives. That’s how we started to promote CCT.
Mr. Wang: The first time I participated in CCT was in December 2019. I visited the old church in Jiaxing, the Xujiahui Cathedral or St. Ignatius Cathedral in Shanghai, the former home of Guangqi Xu, and more. CCT has helped me acknowledge the tradition of the Christian faith. As Christians, we have inherited a tradition, which does not appear instantly but has been passed down from generation to generation since 2,000 years ago.
Sister Si: I first knew of CCT from the recommendation made by a Christian friend. I used to enjoy doing all the planning myself, traveling as a family, or joining a group. In the beginning, I didn't expect much. But the CCT at that time set itself apart. It fostered my appreciation for nature created by God. It's more of a "fellowship on the move." Whether believers, seekers, or non-believers, we were fully engaged on the journey.
Sister Cong: It was after I graduated from college that I came to know about CCT. I was fortunate to go on a study tour with Pastor Zhang. During the year, I traveled to most of China, including the Christians in Sichuan, Fujian, Shanxi, and Beijing. I visited and fellowshipped with the Christians in various ministry fields. On my study tour, I explored different ways of life and witnessed God’s guidance and the mission entrusted to everyone's life. It was touching and direct to me.
Mr. Jiang: I have always called CCT "worship on the move." By chance in the late 1990s, I hosted a cultural salon, which I called "Ministry on the Move." In the salon, there was a range of activities every night. Most of the participants were from academia, science and engineering, and technical professionals. I have a background in science and engineering. It is another kind of challenge to talk about the Gospel with those who are in science and engineering. Genesis and Darwinism are at odds in their minds.
Later, I took a group of students who majored in science and engineering to Guangqi Xu Park. They knew before then that Guangqi Xu was a great scientist but realized later that he was actually a devout Christian. And I call him the first native Chinese theologian in the true sense. He started a dialogue between Chinese culture and Christianity. The students remained quite willing to study more about him and learned about Christianity. It was very impactful.
I found the trip productive and started to show my friends around. It did not take long for some churches to ask me to organize activities. I have a better understanding of Shanghai's vicinity, which was originally the main base of Christianity in modern China. There are rich historical and cultural resources pertaining to Protestantism, Catholicism, and the Eastern Orthodox church in Shanghai. Over the past 20 years, many friends and scholars from home and abroad invited me to organize activities for their visits. Later, I expanded the region from Shanghai to the surrounding areas of East China, such as Jiaxing, Changshu, Nanjing, Beijing, Shandong, Wenzhou, Hangzhou, and so on. I like to take seminary students on a trip. We make observations along the way, and I would give a lecture in the field.
Christian Times: When it comes to civilizations, the historian Toynbee mentioned the profound influence of the geographical environment on the formation of civilizations. In some sense, CCT is sightseeing. In another sense, it is to observe the influence and shaping of different geographical and cultural environments on the lives of local Christian groups. What observations and sharing do you have regarding this?
Pastor Zhang: We put forward a slogan for CCT - that is, either the body or the soul has to be on the road. In Calvin on the Christian Life, the knowledge of general revelation is discussed.
After we traveled beyond Jiayu Pass of the Great Wall on our last trip to the northwest, the bleakness of the desert outside the Pass that we saw was drastically different from the urban vegetation. In fact, human beings have been creating civilization in our own way to some extent. This civilization is farther away from God in a certain sense.
At that time, my wife called me one day from East China and told me that there was a power outage. I was worried that everything in the refrigerator would be ruined. This summer was extremely hot, and a young man beside me died of a heat stroke. I was wondering how highly our current civilization depends on external conditions. The setting of CCT has a particularly strong impact on our lives. I want to rethink my way of life - how should people live?
God has a plan to drive us out of our familiar environment, just like how God led Abraham to leave his hometown and be molded in the wilderness. Christians are foreigners, who are away from their home environment in some sense. This is my point of view from a theological perspective.
Mr. Wang: We feel awe when we are in desolate nature. There is actually something that exists beyond our power. Snow-capped mountains and vast grasslands remind us of Him, who stretched out the sky and stopped the river flow. Those who traveled together composed poems and essays to express their feelings after the trip. The comfort we receive from nature comes from God, which is very nourishing.
Sister Si: On a journey to the Great Northwest and a cycling trip around Lake Taihu, I did not have strong feelings for the local Christian vibe. However, we were a group of Christians from different places and were at different stages of life. We learned how to interact with each other in what we said and did. My husband was not a believer. His admiration for Pastor Zhang was really beyond words when he witnessed how Pastor Zhang served everyone on the trip.
Additionally, I did not seem to relate to the characters in the Bible when I read it in the past. But at a later point in time when I got to interact with people or visit different places, I found that these characters live in our daily life. Their words and deeds recorded in the Bible reflect who we are.
Sister Cong: I observed that people are different in the status of their beliefs from region to region. Christians in the coastal area may become believers as a way of self-fulfillment. Tibetans are incredible in terms of their faith. Although they are not rich, they dedicate 70% of their annual income to temples and monks. They are probably used to this concept of offering while we tithe 10 percent with difficulty. That is something we can think about.
Mr. Jiang: I recalled one year when I visited the Catholic church in the deep forests of Mountain Wuyi, which is a nature reserve of the United Nations. I spent more than ten days there. When I came back home, I found that the cars from the city smelled very bad. My sense of smell must have been renewed and returned to its original state. We ought to return to the original of God’s creation, which is devotion. It is crucial for the spiritual growth of our church.
Christian Times: "Culture", in fact, carries multiple meanings. It is a kind of precipitation and accumulation of the past. This accumulation includes changes in local history and culture, as well as the work of missionaries in the local and the impact of modern history. Could all of you share about the impact that history has on a modern day?
Pastor Zhang: You came to be because of the history of Christianity that spans from the past till this day. If you forget about what Christians did in the past, there would be a risk that Christianity may be lost in the future. We have to be careful about one thing - we are passed down by the world.
When visiting Shuangxi, we heard a story that goes like this. When missionaries first came to Pingnan, Fujian, they were not welcome and could only stay in a small village on the outskirts. They were able to keep on staying there because Western medicine was more effective in stopping bleeding, which helped the local villagers. That’s why the people in Pingnan allowed them to evangelize. For years, life was difficult for many missionaries.
I am also a minister. I have been wronged or disapproved of in my ministries. I was wondering what missionaries were facing in those days. They were excluded and marginalized. Yet they made sacrifices without being noticed until a person was eventually saved. People started to note that missionaries could offer a little help. Many young people are also impressed by this. History teaches us what not to forget. In my opinion, CCT is a good way to explore who you are, where you come from, and how you should live.
Mr. Jiang: Twenty years ago, we simply called CCT the study of Christian history and culture. We explicitly searched for the history and culture of Christianity. For instance, the headquarter of the China Inland Mission was located in Shanghai at that time. From there, the seeds of the Gospel were spread to all parts of the country, especially to remote areas. Virtually all of the old buildings of the headquarters have been preserved. Countless stories happened there. On the diagonally opposite side of the street, there was an English-style coffee shop. The missionaries would drink a cup of coffee from their hometown before heading all over the country. No one knows how many years later they would be able to drink it again. Many have visited and prayed there with tears because that is the root of their village churches in the mountains. Some even commented that the activities of the day are more effective than a week's lecture in a seminary.
Mr. Wang: In my opinion, "culture" can be defined in two ways. One refers to civilization—architecture, cities, and man-made products. All are magnificent. To some degree, they embody a human-centered desire to control nature.
"Culture" is also humanities. There is a saying in China, "Make observations of the humanities to gain knowledge of the transformation of the world." That is humanity, being a real human. In this sense, religion is the manifestation of a person's civilization. Humans’ inner longing for religion is expressed through various forms, such as music and architecture. Through such footprints of civilizations as languages, architecture, and history in the activities of CCT, people can develop a sense of generational inheritance, including the expression of our relationship with God. This is marvelous.
Sister Cong: We might have learned a great deal of history from textbooks, but it doesn’t seem related to me. We once visited Pingnan, which is a restored village in Fujian Province. Its restoration is a process of rising and falling. Seeing it in person makes history come alive for young people. I feel more connected to the place in this way.
Christian Times: Any thoughts and sharing about the encounters among the participants of CCT?
Sister Si: We didn't see differences from the regular tour groups in the first few days of our first CCT. But on one hot sunny day, standing on a rock by Lake Qinghai, Pastor Zhang shared his take on faith with us. It was from this moment that our group started to connect and have an impact on each other. When the trip came to an end, no one wanted to say goodbye.
Once again, we, the same group of people, went cycling together. Ranging from thirteen-year-olds to those in their sixties, we rode nearly 300 kilometers in three days. None of us were professional cyclists. We trusted and relied on each other throughout the trip. A brotherly and sisterly bond was formed among us.
Mr. Wang: What she said about "bonding" resonates with me. This is a keyword. There were many touching moments when I relived our trip to the Northwest. If I was by myself facing the beautiful scenery, I would not have been as moved. We sang together for we had God as our common core, which connected our lives. The sense of being loved and cared for in a group drives us naturally to respond and relate to one another.
Pastor Zhang: The devotion of Catholicism and Protestantism is contemplative. In today's fast-paced life, CCT could be a way of devotion. For instance, mountain climbing is one of our designs for cultivating perseverance. Many breakthroughs in our lives require a context so that we can truly experience what it means to love one another. I think that Christians are willing to love, but there is no opportunity for them to do it.
This type of group devotion means a great deal in today’s context. Often we do not have half a month or a month to meditate on God’s words. One unique feature of CCT is that people work as a group to complete a project, which is a rare opportunity in urban life.
Mr. Jiang: The encounters that I had on CCT for more than twenty years were intense. As Protestants, we tend to keep to ourselves. But I told people that to understand the history and culture of Christianity in a broader sense, one should care about not only the China Inland Mission and the Christian Literature Society for China but also the historical sites of the Catholic and Orthodox Church. This would result in a shock. Protestants and Catholics have been fighting for 500 years since the Reformation. It seems that the fight will continue forever. However, people were touched when I took them to meet the brothers and sisters of the Orthodox and Catholic Church.
I once took Christians to visit the fishermen's Catholic church in the south. They have been standing firm in their faith since the end of the Ming Dynasty till today. We worshiped and fellowshipped with them. When witnessing how much they loved the Lord and learning what hardships they had endured, we were all greatly touched.
At another time, I took some young Protestant friends to accompany an Orthodox professor from the United States to visit an Orthodox church in Shanghai. Many Protestants are strangers to the Orthodox church in the first place. The church we were visiting was closed and not open to the public. As soon as this Orthodox professor walked to the church, she knelt down on the sidewalk and prayed without any hesitance. Tears streamed down her face. For the Orthodox, Saint Nicolas' Church is a world-famous holy place. Any Protestant would be deeply moved when seeing this scene.
Christian Times: What is the current status and area for improvement in CCT? What are your expectations for its development? Or which scenic spots are resources worth exploring for CCT?
Sister Si: I hope that the information regarding CCT can be shared on the internet so that believers and those who may be interested could join. I also hope to see more short-term programs in the city where I live. Programs that are half a day or one day on weekends would be appreciated when it is difficult to find a large block of time to participate. People nowadays don't need to spend much time on housework. They could have some spare time on weekends, which is most likely to be occupied by activities online. This is especially the case for children. They are drifting farther away from the real world. Besides, more people could be trained in leading CCT.
Mr. Wang: There are still many places we want to explore, such as Zhaotong, and Yunnan, where Samuel Pollard stayed. I hope that churches across the board could look for the marks and footprints of the history in their surroundings and have people organize programs like CCT.
Sister Cong: From a professional perspective, we come short of content materials and projects, especially with regard to Christianity. We need to collect more information and dive deeper. Organizational logistics such as food and accommodations could be entrusted to those who are in the business. In terms of promotion, we call on church pastors and ministers to make recommendations, which would be more efficient.
Mr. Jiang: It seems to me that churches have different takes on this. Some are very supportive. I have been invited by several churches to tour their communities on Saturdays. We started with a short prayer early in the morning and visited 2-3 places along the way for prayer and fellowship. When it became dark, we concluded the day in worship.
Secondly, as far as I know, CCT has made great progress in recent years. But people have been doing it in their own way without much collaboration. Hopefully, those who have experience in CCT could implement it in their daily life. Every believer should take the initiative to do it with family and friends. It can be very impactful as a way of personal evangelism.
Additionally, we need to broaden our horizons by exploring Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and even the sound secular culture. As I recall, I once took Christians to the cemetery of Rushi Liu in Changshu. We took a deep dive into Chinese culture through Liu’s research in the late Ming Dynasty—that is an exploration of where the path leads to.
Pastor Zhang: There are two different missionary approaches among Chinese churches, Timothy Richard’s and Hudson Taylor’s. Since Hudson Taylor’s approach which directly shared the Gospel with the common people has been successful, the Chinese church has been following this model for many years. I think this approach is better at preserving the faith. It does not engage much with the outside world, remains relatively closed, and stays out of the public sphere.
However, the times have reached a stage where there are more and more Christians in the workplace. They are confused with their identities in the public sphere because the church does not give enough guidance in this regard. We cannot shy away from this topic. I think the church should be aware of the need in engaging with and serving the public in our day. CCT is a practical call.
I have another thought. The young people who have participated in CCT are not only participants but also researchers. We are advocates rather than initiators. There are many themes in Chinese churches. We now call for more people to join to provide the historical materials of the city, such as the history of Hudson Taylor. Everyone does their own research and contributes their findings to an information pool.
- Translated by June I. Chen
Roundtable: Travel and Faith—Cultural Tours, Its Implications for Christian Life Growth
