8. T.C. Chao: Builder of Chinese Indigenous Christian Theology

Author attempts to look at Chao's theology from beyond the Chinese context and see how these wider contexts, such as the World Council of Churches and Anglicanism had helped shaped Chao's indigenous theology. There are three stages of development in T.C. Chao's indigenous theology, namely: during the years 1922-1937; 1937-1949; and in the years after 1949. Chao not only developed his own Chinese theology in theory and doctrines, but also wrote poems and hymns for the practical use of Chinese Christians. Many scholars considered the first period as the golden period of Chao's theology, as Chao developed his theology more freely during the 1920s and early 1930s, and he could construct his indigenous theology from a purely philosophical and rational discourse. The second period was especially during the eight years of the Sino-Japanese War. The third period came in the years after 1949. It began with the New China era.Keywords:Anglicanism; Chinese; Chinese Christians; Christian Theology; New China era; Sino-Japanese War; T.C. Chao; World Council of Churches