Nanjing Union Theological Seminary
The Nanjing Union Theological Seminary is the flagship theological seminary of Protestant Christianity in China today. It is managed by the China Christian Council.
Prior to the founding of the People's Republic of China, the institution had its beginnings as Nanking Theological Seminary, established in 1911. In November 1952, ten other theological seminaries in East China would join it to form Nanjing Union Theological Seminary. In 1961, Yanjing Union Theological Seminary of Beijing would likewise join, making a total of twelve seminaries which formed the new seminary.
Seminary during the Japanese occupation
During the massacre in Nanking during December 1937, the pre-consolidated Nanking Theological Seminary housed thousands of Chinese civilians in an effort to offer protection from the Japanese soldiers. However, Christian affiliated schools and seminaries suffered during the Japanese Invasion, and many were unofficially moved into unoccupied areas of Free China.During the People's Republic of China
In early 1952, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement worked to reform theological education. The PRC government saw Christianity as a potentially subversive power and seminaries lost funds from overseas denominations. Y. T. Wu was at the head of a committee to work towards the union of seminaries in East China. By November 1952, eleven theological seminaries from East China were incorporated as Nanjing Union Theological Seminary:- Trinity Theological Seminary, Ningbo
- Central Theological Seminary, Shanghai
- China Theological Seminary, Hangzhou
- China Baptist Theological Seminary, Shanghai
- Jiangsu Baptist Bible College, Zhenjiang
- Ming Dao Bible Seminary, Jinan
- Nanking Theological Seminary
- North China Theological Seminary, Wuxi
- Minan Theological Seminary, Changzhou
- Fujian Union Seminary, Fuzhou
- Cheloo Theological Seminary, Jinan
In December 1952, K. H. Ting was elected by the board of directors as the new principal. The union brought together a wide theological spectrum of instructors and students.
The seminary has long been the main center for training religious leaders, and was reopened as one of China's primary institutions for religious study in 1981.
Protestantism regained popularity in China during the 1980s, and the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, which was the only graduate-level seminary at the time, began publishing the journals Nanjing Theological Review and Religion, the latter in collaboration with the Nanjing University.
Historical figures and people associated with the Seminary
- Jin Mingri, pastor of Zion Church of Beijing, an independent Christian church in Beijing.
- Francis Wilson Price, American professor at the Seminary who remained at the Seminary throughout Japanese occupation
- John Leighton Stuart, professor of New Testament Literature and Exegesis and an American Missionary who remained in China during Japanese occupation
- Hubert Lafayette Sone, professor of Old Testament and American missionary during the occupation
- K. H. Ting, long-time president of the Seminary and Chinese Christian leader
- Wang Weifan, alumnus and professor of the seminary
- Y. T. Wu, founder of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement