Matteo Ricci (1552–1610)

In the seventeenth century, an Italian Jesuit priest named Matteo Ricci and some of his associates entered China in order to spread the Christian message there. Matteo Ricci, fortunately, was an extremely brilliant man; he was accomplished at mathematics and science as well as theology, and when he arrived in China, he did extensive study in the Chinese language and in Confucianism as well as Chinese Buddhism and Taoism. After doing so, he adopted the traditional garb of a Confucian sage and became known as a sage from the West. He engaged in public debates with leading Buddhist monks, and eventually became a very respected figure among elite Chinese circles. (He adopted the view that Confucian teaching was a useful preparation for Christianity, whereas Buddhism – which at the time was not as widely respected in China – was a false teaching that needed to be refuted.) He then wrote “The True Meaning of the Lord of Heaven”, a religious dialogue between a Confucian scholar and a Jesuit from the West like himself. Throughout the work, the Christian character makes his case based on reason and at times on Confucian classics. It's a fascinating look at contextualized theology employed in interfaith dialogue. Thanks to this work, Ricci managed to convert several influential Confucian and Buddhist scholars and officials; his mission ultimately led to a thriving Christian presence in China, until the mission suffered greatly after his death because of the papacy shutting down the Society of Jesus.… (more)