The “last mile” has now become one of the hottest issues that is bothering society. In a certain place, there was once a beautiful road built at a large price. It gave great convenience of traveling. However, the road had a dead end right at the last mile. It was either because the last mile was not in the administrative region, or because the land of the last mile had not been negotiated. So the previous big cost was paid in vain and all efforts were wasted due to this last mile.
Many of the “last mile” problems are caused by administrative inaction or turf wars. After they are exposed to media, they are soon solved. So, it shows that the “last mile” issue is not unsolvable.
However, the “last mile” problem also exists on the road between church and society, and this “last mile” is by no means easy. Even if everyone is aware of the problem, they can not simply get through it.
It has been more than 200 years since Christianity entered modern China. The paths of the 200 years can basically be divided into two divisions. One is the upper way, which can also be said to be the cultural path. This path was dominated by European and American liberals. They set up schools, established a systematic modern education system and cultural system, constructed hospitals and medical education, and reformed the backward medical situation in China. However, this route was mainly carried out in cities, so it had a great impact on urban citizens. Today, quite a few of the best hospitals in China’s coastal cities were originally church hospitals, and some of the best universities were church universities. For instance, East China University of Political Science and Law was formerly St. John’s University, and Suzhou University was Soochow University. This path mainly affected the well-educated, so a considerable part of the employees of the National Government were Christians because most of the groups who had received a university education at that time graduated from church universities.
The other division is the grass root, whose purpose is to save the soul from falling into the hell of paganism. Although this route had been carried out in cities, it did not achieve much, and its main position was in remote rural areas. Its arrival had also brought benefits to remote rural areas, partially changing their quality of life. However, because this path focused on saving souls, it had a fierce conflict with traditional culture and rural customs, such as the fierce debate on ancestor worship. This path, because of its "religious salvation" route, was similar to the traditional religion in rural areas, and medical and material relief also attracted many people.
It can be said that after Christianity entered China in modern times, it attracted a large number of Chinese people. If the process of Christianity entering China is likened to the construction of a highway, then the highway of Christianity in modern times was once well built, and basically the problem of the “last mile” was solved. From the city to the countryside, Christian churches have great influence. Even if the imperial power behind the church is thrown away, the influence of the church should not be underestimated.
Although the “last mile” was opened, allowing the church to contact people’s lives directly, the foundation of this road was not laid well, so after several big “storms”, the road collapsed.
Looking at the problem of highway collapse, that is, modern Christianity had such a great influence, but it finally had to fade after several “storms”. There are several main reasons for this. A timing problem. The entry of Christianity into Chinese cultural life is a problem of cultural integration. However, because the timing of Christianity’s entry into China was precisely the time when China was seeking to save the nation, the mentality of seeking quick success and short-term solutions made them not in the mood to slowly learn the advanced culture and change their old system of deep disadvantages, but rather hope to find a path of rapid rise. That situation obviously could not give Christianity much time to show their own culture. The spread and integration of culture is a long historical process. As the saying goes, a leopard cannot change his spots. The spots are culture. Therefore, although Christianity had a wide range of influence and a large number of people, it did not have enough time to enter Chinese culture, thus affecting the life order.
Secondly, after Christianity was introduced into China, it adhered to its own cultural norms, especially the fundamentalists who drew a clear line between doctrine and Chinese culture. It resulted in the immunity of Chinese culture itself which rejected Christianity. This caused Christianity to lose its influence on Chinese culture.
The exit of modern Christianity was due to the fact that it did not change and enter the culture, and did not put the gospel connotation of Christianity into daily life, which became the life order.
Today, the “last mile” problem between Christianity and society is not that the faith foundation is not good, but that there is no repair at all. There is a dead end between Christianity and society.
First of all, although today’s church is large in scale and number, its route is largely the basic route that focuses on saving the soul. This has created an insurmountable wall between church doctrine and social culture.
Thirdly, the privatization of the church is a problem that hinders the opening of the “last mile” of the church. The leaders’ sense of protectiveness gives them a turf war mentality, in which a church is regarded as their private property, thus forming a strong sense of territory. Keeping the state of mind, turning the church into a group within the wall, and creating an insurmountable wall with society are the “last mile” problem. Privatization of the church allows church leaders to measure between their own cost and church output.
Fourthly, the social and political external environment contribute to the church’s doctrinal construction and theological choice. The rich historical tradition and theological resources of Christianity are selected in advance before being introduced into China. One of the fundamental reasons for the singleness of Chinese Christian theology and culture is that the fundamentalist port is enlarged while other ports are closed or contracted. Therefore, the choice and shaping of today’s Christian community is the result of deliberate shaping by politics and society. This is not the same as the full opening of modern Christianity.
These reasons lead to a vicious circle of Christianity. Christianity can not influence the social classes or culture, and thus can not be acknowledged. Therefore, Christianity is in a state of tension with social culture and seeks self-sufficiency in isolation. This has been said to be the source of the tragedy and embarrassing situation of Christianity at present.
Looking back at the period of concentrated outbreaks of social contradictions in history, it is often seen that social crisis is only a prelude to social change, followed by vigorous social change, which may change the contact between Christianity and the international community. Christianity must be prepared to meet the situation of Christian pluralistic traditions.
How can these various changes in the future be dealt with? There is probably no better way to deal with it than to study. Although it is difficult to break through, there is no new life without it.
The future development of Christianity is bound to take cultural and social services as the standard rather than scale or economy.
- Translated by Charlie Li
“最后一公里”问题现在已成为社会上被诟病的热点问题之一。比如某地花大价钱修了漂亮的公路，为方便群众出行立了功劳。但是这条路却成为断头路，在最后一公里却戛然而止，可能是因为最后一公里不是自己的行政区，也或者因为最后一公里因为土地使用没有谈妥等原因，让前期的大成本付出，因为这最后一公里而前功尽弃。
最后一公里问题的产生原因，很多因为懒政或者地盘意识导致，这种问题在社会曝光之后，很快解决说明最后一公里不是一个不能解决的问题。
然而，教会到社会之间的公路，同样也存在着这“最后一公里”问题，并且这个最后一公里，解决起来可能并没有那么容易，即使大家都意识到这个问题的存在，也无力把这最后一公里修通。
近代基督教自进入中国至今已经两百余年，这两百余年的路径基本可以分成两个，一个是上层路径，也可以说是文化路径，这个路径以欧美自由派为主。他们创办学校，建立系统的现代教育制度和文化体系，建立医院和医学教育，改造中国的医疗落后状况。但是这一路经主要在城市展开，因此市民阶层影响巨大，今天中国沿海城市最好的医院前身有相当一部分是教会医院，最好的大学前身也有相当于一部分是教会大学，比如华东政法大学前身是圣约翰大学，苏州大学是东吴大学等等。这一路径主要影响的是文化阶层，因此在国民政府的雇员中，有相当大一部分是基督徒，因为当时接受过大学教育的群体中，基本都是教会大学毕业的。
另一个路径则是基要路线，其目的是拯救灵魂免于陷入异教的地狱，这一路线虽然在城市也有开展，但是成果不大，其主要阵地是在偏远地区的农村。他们的到来，也为偏远农村带来了福祉，部分地改变了他们的物质生活。但是因为这一路径以拯救灵魂为主，因此与传统文化和乡村风俗产生激烈冲突，比如在祭祖问题上的激烈争论就是一例。这一路径因为其提供的宗教拯救路线，与农村传统宗教的类似，加上医疗和物质救济，同样吸引了很多民众。
可以说在近代基督教进入中国之后，吸引了大量中国民众。如果把基督教进入中国的过程比喻为修建高速公路，那么近代基督教这条高速公路曾经修的很好，也基本打通了最后一公里这个问题。从城市到农村，基督教教会都有巨大的影响力。即使抛去教会背后的帝国力量，教会的影响力也不可小觑。
虽然最后一公里打通了，让教会直接与民众的生活接触，但是这个公路的地基却没有打好，因此几次大的暴风雨之后，公路就塌方了。
纵观公路塌方的问题，也即是近代基督教如此影响之巨，却最终在几场风暴之后不得不黯然退场。这主要有几个原因。其一时间问题。基督教进入中国文化生活，是一个文化融合问题。但是因为基督教进入中国的时机恰是中国寻求救国时期，因此急功近利的心态，让他们没有心情来慢慢学习先进文化和改变自己积弊深厚的旧有制度，而是希望找到一种快速崛起的路径，这种状况显然无法给予基督教太多的时间来展示自己的文化。文化的传播和融合是一个漫长的历史过程，正所谓江山易改本性难移，这本性就是文化，因此基督教虽然影响的范围广，人数大，但是并没有足够的时间进入中国文化，从而影响生活秩序。
其次，基督教进入中国之后，因为坚持自己的文化规范，尤其是基要派更是在教义和中国文化之间划清界线。这导致的结果是中国文化自身的免疫力，对基督教也产生了排斥。这导致了基督教对中国文化失去了影响力。
近代基督教的退场是因为没有改变和进入文化，没有将基督教的福音内涵落实进日常生活，成为生活秩序。
今天，基督教与社会之间的最后一公里问题，不是地基不好而是根本没有修通。基督教和社会之间形成了一种断头路。
首先，今天的教会虽然规模很大，人数众多，但是其路线基本是拯救灵魂的基要路线。这造成了在教会教义和社会文化之间有着一道无法逾越的墙。
其次，教会的私人产业化问题也是阻碍教会最后一公里通车的主要问题之一。教会领袖的地盘意识和江山意识，让他们产生了守江山的心态，这种心态把教会看做自己私人产业，从而形成强烈的地盘意识。守江山心态，让教会变成围墙内的团体，与社会之间产生一堵无法逾越的墙，这正是最后一公里的问题。教会的私人产业化，让教会领袖在自己的成本付出和教会产出之间衡量。
第三，社会和政治的外在环境原因，促成了教会的教义建构和神学选择。基督教丰富的历史传统和神学资源，在引入中国的之前，在端口上被提前做了选择。基要主义端口放大，而其他端口关闭或者收缩，是造成中国基督教神学和文化单一的根本原因之一。因此，今天基督教群体的选择和塑造，是一种政治和社会刻意塑造的结果。这与近代基督教全口径开放不可同日而语。
这些原因造成基督教的恶性循环。基督教无法影响文化阶层，无法影响文化，从而也无法获得认可，从而基督教处于与社会文化的张力状态而在封闭中寻求自足。这不得不说是当下基督教的悲剧和尴尬处境之源。
回顾看历史上社会的矛盾的集中爆发的时期，常常社会危机只是社会变革的前奏，之后必然是轰轰烈的社会变革，这个变革也许会改变基督教与国际社会接触的端口，基督教必然要做好迎接基督教多元传统的局面。
如何应对未来的各种变革？除了学习大概没有更好的方应对方法。尽管突破自我是困难的，但是没有突破就没有新生。
未来基督教的发展，必然不以规模和经济论英雄，而以文化和社会服务为标准。
从200年近代史看：教会与社会之间的”最后一公里“
The “last mile” has now become one of the hottest issues that is bothering society. In a certain place, there was once a beautiful road built at a large price. It gave great convenience of traveling. However, the road had a dead end right at the last mile. It was either because the last mile was not in the administrative region, or because the land of the last mile had not been negotiated. So the previous big cost was paid in vain and all efforts were wasted due to this last mile.
Many of the “last mile” problems are caused by administrative inaction or turf wars. After they are exposed to media, they are soon solved. So, it shows that the “last mile” issue is not unsolvable.
However, the “last mile” problem also exists on the road between church and society, and this “last mile” is by no means easy. Even if everyone is aware of the problem, they can not simply get through it.
It has been more than 200 years since Christianity entered modern China. The paths of the 200 years can basically be divided into two divisions. One is the upper way, which can also be said to be the cultural path. This path was dominated by European and American liberals. They set up schools, established a systematic modern education system and cultural system, constructed hospitals and medical education, and reformed the backward medical situation in China. However, this route was mainly carried out in cities, so it had a great impact on urban citizens. Today, quite a few of the best hospitals in China’s coastal cities were originally church hospitals, and some of the best universities were church universities. For instance, East China University of Political Science and Law was formerly St. John’s University, and Suzhou University was Soochow University. This path mainly affected the well-educated, so a considerable part of the employees of the National Government were Christians because most of the groups who had received a university education at that time graduated from church universities.
The other division is the grass root, whose purpose is to save the soul from falling into the hell of paganism. Although this route had been carried out in cities, it did not achieve much, and its main position was in remote rural areas. Its arrival had also brought benefits to remote rural areas, partially changing their quality of life. However, because this path focused on saving souls, it had a fierce conflict with traditional culture and rural customs, such as the fierce debate on ancestor worship. This path, because of its "religious salvation" route, was similar to the traditional religion in rural areas, and medical and material relief also attracted many people.
It can be said that after Christianity entered China in modern times, it attracted a large number of Chinese people. If the process of Christianity entering China is likened to the construction of a highway, then the highway of Christianity in modern times was once well built, and basically the problem of the “last mile” was solved. From the city to the countryside, Christian churches have great influence. Even if the imperial power behind the church is thrown away, the influence of the church should not be underestimated.
Although the “last mile” was opened, allowing the church to contact people’s lives directly, the foundation of this road was not laid well, so after several big “storms”, the road collapsed.
Looking at the problem of highway collapse, that is, modern Christianity had such a great influence, but it finally had to fade after several “storms”. There are several main reasons for this. A timing problem. The entry of Christianity into Chinese cultural life is a problem of cultural integration. However, because the timing of Christianity’s entry into China was precisely the time when China was seeking to save the nation, the mentality of seeking quick success and short-term solutions made them not in the mood to slowly learn the advanced culture and change their old system of deep disadvantages, but rather hope to find a path of rapid rise. That situation obviously could not give Christianity much time to show their own culture. The spread and integration of culture is a long historical process. As the saying goes, a leopard cannot change his spots. The spots are culture. Therefore, although Christianity had a wide range of influence and a large number of people, it did not have enough time to enter Chinese culture, thus affecting the life order.
Secondly, after Christianity was introduced into China, it adhered to its own cultural norms, especially the fundamentalists who drew a clear line between doctrine and Chinese culture. It resulted in the immunity of Chinese culture itself which rejected Christianity. This caused Christianity to lose its influence on Chinese culture.
The exit of modern Christianity was due to the fact that it did not change and enter the culture, and did not put the gospel connotation of Christianity into daily life, which became the life order.
Today, the “last mile” problem between Christianity and society is not that the faith foundation is not good, but that there is no repair at all. There is a dead end between Christianity and society.
First of all, although today’s church is large in scale and number, its route is largely the basic route that focuses on saving the soul. This has created an insurmountable wall between church doctrine and social culture.
Thirdly, the privatization of the church is a problem that hinders the opening of the “last mile” of the church. The leaders’ sense of protectiveness gives them a turf war mentality, in which a church is regarded as their private property, thus forming a strong sense of territory. Keeping the state of mind, turning the church into a group within the wall, and creating an insurmountable wall with society are the “last mile” problem. Privatization of the church allows church leaders to measure between their own cost and church output.
Fourthly, the social and political external environment contribute to the church’s doctrinal construction and theological choice. The rich historical tradition and theological resources of Christianity are selected in advance before being introduced into China. One of the fundamental reasons for the singleness of Chinese Christian theology and culture is that the fundamentalist port is enlarged while other ports are closed or contracted. Therefore, the choice and shaping of today’s Christian community is the result of deliberate shaping by politics and society. This is not the same as the full opening of modern Christianity.
These reasons lead to a vicious circle of Christianity. Christianity can not influence the social classes or culture, and thus can not be acknowledged. Therefore, Christianity is in a state of tension with social culture and seeks self-sufficiency in isolation. This has been said to be the source of the tragedy and embarrassing situation of Christianity at present.
Looking back at the period of concentrated outbreaks of social contradictions in history, it is often seen that social crisis is only a prelude to social change, followed by vigorous social change, which may change the contact between Christianity and the international community. Christianity must be prepared to meet the situation of Christian pluralistic traditions.
How can these various changes in the future be dealt with? There is probably no better way to deal with it than to study. Although it is difficult to break through, there is no new life without it.
The future development of Christianity is bound to take cultural and social services as the standard rather than scale or economy.
- Translated by Charlie Li
Learn From 200 Years' Modern History: a 'Last Mile' Between Church and Society
