The International Journal of Catholic Studies is the bilingual academic journal published by the Centre for Catholic Studies, CUHK, in collaboration with The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press, beginning in 2025. It consolidates the former Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies and Catholic Theological Review. The Journal has two main objectives. First, it aims to promote academic exchanges between Chinese and Western cultures by developing Catholic studies across various disciplines such as social sciences, history, culture and interfaith dialogue. Second, it aims to strengthen the relationship between the Catholic faith and contemporary Chinese culture through dialogue and interaction by promoting the expression of Catholic disciplines (such as Bible, theology, and canon law, etc.) in Chinese.
The journal is divided into three sections: Special Feature, Regular Contributions and Book Reviews. The Special Feature aims to explore a selected topic from various aspects. Regular Contributions are for essays that do not belong to the special feature category. They could be any study on Catholicism, and it particularly welcomes dialogue and discussion on papers published in this journal or certain current phenomena in the Church and society. The scope of the Book Review focuses primarily on recent titles in the study of Catholicism and various ecclesiastical disciplines, published in Chinese or foreign languages. The International Journal of Catholic Studies welcomes original work from Catholic and non-Catholic scholars. After receiving the manuscript, the editorial board will invite a blind peer review by two scholars. Review opinions will be returned to the author within two months. Once notification of acceptance is issued, the copyright of the manuscript goes to the journal. The publication will be available in both digital and print formats, and each author will receive two complimentary print copies.
Special Feature: Chinese Culture and Catholic Theology
Issue Editor: Antoine Ren
The task of theology is to interpret Revelation rationally, and Revelation is a mystery that people can only understand and accept according to their culture context. The specific task of theology, therefore, is to establish a connection between Revelation and culture. Today, the Chinese culture, while emphasizing its uniqueness, must address its position, role, and responsibility in the world by considering the actual impact and changes brought about by frequent intercultural interactions in globalization and modernization. Consequently, the cultural tensions and relationships between plurality and unity, between the universal and the individual, and between the local and the global are pivotal in shaping the trajectory of contemporary theology. A healthy theology must contribute in a specific inculturated manner from the perspectives of global culture and theology.
The journal is proud to present eight articles in this inaugural issue, including six that directly address the above theme and two other regular contributions. The first six articles delve into the main development stages of Christianity since its entry into China and the ways in which its representatives engaged with Chinese culture. This analysis encompasses a wide historical span, from the various authors of the Nestorian texts in the Tang dynasty to Michele Ruggieri during the Ming dynasty, and extends to the contributions of Bishop Joseph-Martial Mouly during the Qing dynasty to Gong Yan, who initiated the so-called “spirituality of unitive Taiji” (or Interior Taiji) in the present time, and to Chinese youth who are instrumental in the development of a theology of Christ the Brother and an ecclesiology of brotherhood. Though the other two Bible-related essays do not address our selected theme, they can inspire reflection on the relationship between Chinese culture and Catholic theology.
Centre for Catholic Studies
Address: Room 220, Leung Kau Kui Building, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 3943 4277
Fax : (852) 3942 0995
Email: catholic@cuhk.edu.hk
Slide image: The Art Institute of Chicago.