Professor Zhou primarily traced the evolution of the religious landscape since modern times, covering the shift from tradition to modernity in Europe, the two waves of the transmission of Western learning to the East, and the introduction of Protestantism to China and its impact. His analysis was broad in scope, precise in its conclusions, and thought-provoking.
Using the stone monument donated by Chinese Christians at the Washington Monument in the United States as a starting point, I pointed out that religion had a profound impact on modern China. My main responses were as follows: 1. The chronological division of the second wave of the transmission of Western learning to the East needs further refinement; 2. The classification into “salvation of the world,” “salvation of the soul,” and “relief from suffering” may be problematic; 3. The ethical implications of the terms “first generation,” “second generation,” and “third generation” are unclear; 4. Is religion the cornerstone of civilization?
