Rhea and Ray Whitehead at the Seminary Gate


On a back lane in the bustling Xinjiekou District of the city center of Nanjing is a quiet almost hidden “oasis”, the campus of Nanjing Union Theological Seminary. This is temporary home to nearly two hundred students preparing for leadership and teaching for the Chinese Protestant Church.

Union Theological Seminary (UTS) Nanjing is the national seminary of the China Christian Council. It has 27 full-time Chinese teaching staff. The addition of a few foreign teachers is a new experiment. The hope seems to be that the foreign teachers will bring different experiences, perspectives and teaching methodologies into the faculty mix. The first two foreign faculty members taught at UTS in the 2001-02 year.

My husband Ray and I came as volunteers to teach at the Seminary in the fall of 2002 after retiring from positions in Canada. We returned again in the fall of 2003 after spending the summer back at our home in Toronto, Canada.

In the 1960s and 70s we lived in Hong Kong and first visited the Chinese Mainland in 1971. Each of us was able to return to visit the Chinese Mainland frequently over the subsequent 30 years. Because I worked in the national office of the United Church of Canada and Ray taught in theological schools, we naturally followed developments in Chinese church and society with interest. But never had we imagined we would find ourselves teaching in a Chinese theological seminary.

Here in Nanjing we each teach in the three-year graduate program as well as 4th year students in the four-year undergraduate stream. I teach an introduction to feminist theologies, sharing voices and perspectives of Christian women from various parts of the world, and helping students to reflect from a Christian perspective on women’s issues in their Chinese church context.

Ray’s field is Christian social ethics. In 2003, he teaches an undergraduate introductory ethics course and a graduate seminar on eminent brothers, Reinhold Niebuhr and H. Richard Niebuhr, who dominated American theology and ethics in the 20th century.
　　　　　
Ray Whitehead teaching Christian Ethics class.

We find our students a delight to teach. They are intelligent, dedicated and committed. We struggle to discern what materials and approaches most readily meet their needs. We have chosen the resources and worked out the methods of instruction with support of colleagues but without any interference.

Language is a constant challenge for us. From our work in Hong Kong from 1961-76 we retain some basic ability in Cantonese, which is helpful. Our Putonghua is not nearly as good but we make an effort with it. We are fortunate to have young, hard working translators to assist us in our teaching.

Nanjing Seminary students come from almost every part of China: from Sichuan, Gansu, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia and Ningxia in the far west to the populous provinces of the east coast; from Dongbei in the north to Guangdong and Yunnan in the south. Many of the students come to Nanjing after study at one of China’s 18 other provincial or regional Seminaries and Bible Schools. All have been active in the church. Entry into the Seminary is very competitive. Students must pass a challenging examination and be recommended by their local and provincial church authorities. Seminary faculty interview all students before they are accepted.

We eat many of our meals in the student canteen. This is an excellent way to get to know students. We find ourselves in wide-ranging table conversations in any one of three languages (Putonghua, Cantonese or English), or a mix of any two of the three. We learn about students’ home situations and Chinese church and society. Sometimes students bring further questions from discussions that began in the classroom. Meal times are an occasion to discuss any topics that come to mind, to express concerns about studies and to compare ideas about the differences and similarities between China, the West, and other areas where we have worked.

At first students seemed puzzled that Ray and I ate at separate tables in the student canteen. “Why didn’t you sit together?” they asked. We explained since there are only four seats to a table that by sitting separately we have the opportunity to be in conversation with more of them, to learn more about their lives and thinking, and answer more of their questions. Our sitting apart is now accepted as natural.

Many students come from rural areas. Some are from large cities. Many of the graduate students are married with a husband or wife or young son or daughter remaining back home. Of course they eagerly anticipate summer and winter vacations to be with their families. A few fortunate couples study together in the Seminary.

In addition to the differences of regional background students are of varying ages, mostly in their twenties and thirties. Our classes are an almost even mix of women and men. In fact in undergraduate and graduate classes entering in 2003 women outnumber the men. We hear a variety of accents in the Putonghua spoken. There are regional differences in life style, food likes and dislikes, and in theological viewpoints. This makes for interesting discussions in class.

In my Feminist Theologies classes, in addition to Biblical study, theory and historical development, students are intensely interested in relating their study to the current context of the churches and of society. How can they better understand and deal with the impact of rapid social change? What about problems such as domestic violence, broken marriages, prostitution, the large number of redundant female workers, and the health of young women factory workers? Why do so many women come to church? How can churches better meet their needs? Some students spend volunteer time answering telephone calls that come into a nearby crisis hot line center.

Bikes are our daily transport and we get to the Seminary by 7:30 for morning Chapel three days a week. Over the years I have worshipped in theological seminaries in many parts of the world. The UTS Nanjing student body’s robust and vigorous hymn singing is matched only in a few African settings where the love of music is also great.

In the fall of 2002 the Seminary celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Alumni from the five decades came from all over China, as did foreign friends from Asia, Europe and North America. We found the celebrations quite moving. So much has happened since 1952 when 12 Protestant seminaries in north and east China came together to form Nanjing Union Theological Seminary. Forward looking Christian leaders at the time found a creative way to organize theological education under the new people’s government and to deal with the fact that the Chinese Church had been so heavily foreign-influenced. Unfortunately the church had been used as an instrument of western cultural imperialism. UTS Nanjing soon became the only institution of theological education and research in the country. After a period of suspension beginning in 1966, the school formally reopened in the early 1981.

One good result of the difficult years is that the Church emerged strengthened by its own work of self-support, self-evangelization and self-administration. Students today are fortunate to be studying theology at a time when Chinese Christians have largely overcome the image of belonging to a foreign religion. Just as the Church of England is very English while being truly Christian, so the Church in China is truly Chinese and truly Christian. It is possible to say today that Christianity is a Chinese religion. Christianity began, of course, as an oriental religion and not a European one.

Even though Christianity is rooted now in Chinese soil it is still necessary to continue to develop an appropriate theological expression of this faith tradition. In the past several years the churches in China have been actively engaged in a process called Theological Reconstruction. This is an attempt to help people at all levels of the Christian life achieve a better understanding of the meaning of their faith. In a country as large as China unhelpful theological ideas, even harmful superstitions, spring up from time to time. Some outside Christian groups continue to pursue culturally imperialistic activities in China. Theological Reconstruction will be an ongoing task to help the Church see its way through to a theology reflecting the best of the Chinese church experience.

Chinese Christianity has a very strong base in the Christian scriptures, the Bible. We were pleased to be here in Nanjing when the Amity Foundation Press celebrated the printing of the 30 millionth copies of the Bible in 2003. The Amity Foundation is an excellent Christian and community based structure involved in education, social service, printing and publishing, and art.

In addition to the regular students UTS Nanjing is involved in a host of other educational activities. One special class of 30 church leaders completed a two-year part time course in the fall of 2002. Now another class of 30 has entered this program. They come to the campus for three-week periods several times a year, for lectures, reading, discussion and research.

There are also correspondence courses and journals that assist thousands of church workers around the country. Also, graduates of UTS provide teachers for most of the 18 Protestant Seminaries and Programs in various parts of China.

On Christmas Eve of 2002 the Seminary hosted an outdoor gathering on the Seminary grounds for visitors from other educational institutions. A light snow made the atmosphere quite beautiful though it was very cold. We sang Christmas carols and listened to anthems sung by the Seminary Choir. Students told the story of the birth of Jesus in dramatic pageant form. They also performed other skits based on Bible stories and national minority dances.

Other events of the Christmas week included a festive all school dinner, a Seminary Choir concert and a student-led fun evening party. On Christmas morning we all gathered in the chapel for a Christmas communion service. On Christmas Day celebrations was the way we learned.

We are impressed by the total program of the Seminary and enjoy the flexibility and openness we have found here. We have joined with students on outings to Buddhist, Catholic and other institutions, and to parks and places of special interest. We also enjoy watching the athletic competitions, basketball, volleyball, badminton, table tennis and other sports. The exercise equipment is well used. Christian students are not living in a spiritual vacuum. They take the opportunity to develop mind, body and spirit. Deep friendships and romances also develop among the students.

We believe these students are signs of hope in the midst of our world’s massive problems of war, terror, state terror, misuse of power, and poverty. As they spread out across China after finishing their studies here in Nanjing they will carry knowledge and wisdom and work for both a better Chinese church and nation, and for a better world. We feel our own lives are enriched daily by being with these students and colleagues at UTS.