C. S. Song Explained

Choan-Seng Song (October 19, 1929 – November 26, 2024) was a Taiwanese theologian who was Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Theology and Asian Cultures at the Pacific School of Religion.

Biography

Song was born into a Presbyterian family in Tainan, and received his early education while Taiwan was under Japanese rule.[1]

He studied at the National Taiwan University (1950–1954), the University of Edinburgh (1955–1958) and the Union Theological Seminary, where he received his PhD in 1965. Song's dissertation was "The Relation of Divine Revelation and Man's Religion in the Theologies of Karl Barth and Paul Tillich."[2] Song was principal of the Tainan Theological College (1965-70), secretary for Asian ministries of the Reformed Church in America (1970—1973), associate secretary for Faith and Order for the World Council of Churches (1973—1982), and president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (1997–2004).[3]

Song received two honorary Doctorate of Divinity degrees, one in 1996 from his alma mater the University of Edinburgh,[4] and another in 2018 from Tainan Theological College where he served as principal.[5]

Song died on November 26, 2024, at the age of 95, after being hospitalized for over a week due to pneumonia.[6] [7]

Theology

A major theme underlying Song's theology is his attack on the Western-centric nature of Christian theology. He sees it as highlighting an individualistic gospel that uproots non-Western converts from their original cultures.[8] Instead, Song argues, God redemptively works in creation through all cultures, even the so-called "non-Christian" cultures.[9] Asian Christians are therefore obliged to articulate an Asian theology, coming from the "womb" of Asia.

Song borrows his methodology from Latin American liberation theology, which adopts largely from a Marxist critique on religion and capitalism. Song describes the people of Asia as being victimized by a history of Western imperialism, both colonially and culturally, creating an identity crisis for Asian Christians. Hence the task of contextualization is found through liberation of these unjust circumstances and the reconstruction of a new identity for Asian Christians.

Works

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Book: Federschmidt, Karl H.. Theologie aus asiatischen Quellen. Der theologische Weg Choan Seng Song's vor dem Hintergrund der asiatischen ökumenischen Diskussion. Münster/New York. Lit. 1994. 71. de.
  2. Song . C. S.. The Relation of Divine Revelation and Man's Religion in the Theologies of Karl Barth and Paul Tillich. Union Theological Seminary. dissertation. 1964.
  3. News: WCC gives thanks for the life of Choan-Seng Song . 1 December 2024 . World Council of Churches . 28 November 2024.
  4. Web site: Chow . Alexander . Alexander Chow . Rev. Professor Choan-Seng Song (1929-2024) . The University of Edinburgh . 2 December 2024 . en . 27 November 2024.
  5. News: 林家鴻 . 台南神學院肯定宋泉盛 授榮譽博士 . 2 December 2024 . Taiwan Church News Network . 13 June 2018 . zh-hant.
  6. News: 王子恆 . 上帝卑微的僕人 神學家宋泉盛牧師安息主懷 . Taiwan Church News Network . 29 November 2024 . zh-hant.
  7. Web site: Keum . Jooseop . Jooseop Keum . CWM mourns the passing of Prof. Choan-Seng Song (C.S. Song) . Council for World Mission . 26 November 2024 . 26 November 2024.
  8. Yung Hwa, Mangoes or Bananas? The Quest for an Authentic Asian Christian Theology (Oxford: Regnum Books, 2009), 170.
  9. Book: Song, C. S.. Christian Mission in Reconstruction: An Asian Analysis. New York. Orbis Books. 1975. 20–28.

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