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In his new book Divergent Religious Paths to Convergent End? Perspectives of Religious Studies and Sino-Christian Theology, Lai Pan-chiu addresses the issue of religious diversity. He raises a significant question, namely whether religions have a convergent ultimate end or not. To answer this question, he articulates a theory of multi-dimensional salvation. This article argues that Lai's theory effectively explains the complexities inherent to religious diversity. The theory claims that religions have some common soteriological goals, which nevertheless do not belong to the category of ultimate salvation. This theory however does not adequately answer the question of whether religions have a convergent ultimate end or not. Moreover, this article argues that, in terms of a Sino-Christian soteriology, Lai should further discuss whether Christianity and Chinese religions have a convergent end or not, especially given the inherent contrast between Christian monotheism and Chinese polytheism. This article also argues that Lai may incorporate other issues such as multi-dimensional salvation, universal salvation, and the ethics of hope into his discussion, so as to explore the possibility that religions have a convergent ultimate end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern Neo-Confucianist Tang Chun-I paid great attention to Nicholas Berdyaev’s Theosis with his concept of “God-man” as the core. In Tang’s eyes, Berdyaev combined humanism with religion, which stood in opposition to the traditional belief in God-man isolation, and thus affirmed the universal value of humanity. It is close to Tang’s own Confucian humanism. However, on the other hand, Berdyaev failed to fully affirm human value, and clung to Jesus as the one and only mediator of salvation, which some might think tends to the theory of exclusive salvation. Tang’s interpretation also differs somewhat from Berdyaev’s understanding of freedom, God-man (and Man-god), humility and universal salvation. He also omitted Berdyaev’s eschatological frame of Theosis. Tang’s interpretation is originated from his idea of the immanent transcendence of human, which is due to his insistence on the Confucian theory of the original goodness of human nature, plus his adoption and transformation of both Kant’s and Hegel’s philosophies. Tang’s understanding and interpretation is constituted by the grounding myth of ontotheology. Moreover, the criticism of Tang from Chinese Christians was also confined to onto-theology. Therefore, the Christian-Confucian dialogue needs to overcome these different understandings of onto-theology in order to deconstruct the dualism of transcendence and immanence. Only in this way might Theosis gain its methodological significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication originated in the United States increasingly became into an "universalism" discourse spread through the world rapidly. However, as a theory leave its matrix and be introduced into other countries or areas, the conflicts will appear between the theory and the culture, values and customs of the local society. So the "localization" is necessary for a theory. The asiacentric of communication being put forward just during the process of its "localization", whose purpose is not to build up a new discourse hegemony but to talk to the West, to form a situation of harmonious development between the Asia and the West. With the guide of this purpose, the approach of Asian communication should discard the contention between "centralization" and "pluralism" to construct a new research paradigm ground in the Asian culture and social reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It seems that religion once again claims central status in political arena these days. As a theoretical response to the reemergence of religion, Badiou and Žižek turn to Christianity and find a singular and alternative form of universalism through a reinterpretation of Christian discourse, especially of St. Paul's. They believe that this Christian universalism enables us to properly cope with the problem of community. In his book St. Paul, Badiou argues that Paul established universalism by disconnecting Christianity from its origin, i.e. Judaic community and by persisting with entirely indifferent attitudes towards any matters related to communities. Žižek goes one step further and asserts that the universalist disconnection or 'unplugging' from one's community is a truly subversive social practice. Using the traditional dichotomy of 'Love' and 'Law', he remarks that 'Love' as a universalist principle completely annuls disavowed but indispensable 'supplements' to law and thus undermines the given order of things. What forms an important theoretical background for Badiou and Žižek's arguments is Nietzsche's famous critique of Christianity. They attempt, on the one hand, to correct Nietzsche's 'misunderstanding' of Christianity brought on by his 'particularism' and, on the other hand, to develop the concept of Christian universalism based on Nietzsche's relatively positive descriptions regarding Jesus' complete disengagement from 'actuality'. In this regard, Nietzsche's critique provides a useful point of reference with which to make critical assessment of Badiou and Žižek's thoughts on universalism and community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existent mode of industrial technology is evolved from the technology in primary stage. Industrial technology is a complex knowledge system with local characteristics in the perspective of knowledge theory, which is composed of dominative knowledge of technology, knowledge of technology with universality and contextual knowledge of technology. Recognizing the local characteristics of the industrial technology knowledge means that they oppose the universality but emphasize that the knowledge of industrial technology is generated and justified within industrial context. However, it does not restrict the growth and transfer of knowledge. Recognizing the unification of both openness and locality of the knowledge of industrial technology in view of the space-time dimension is the rational understanding of the connotation of industrial technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]