| There is a saying: "One more Christian, one fewer Chinese". It implies a conflict between an Ascribed Identity (Chinese) and an Achieved Identity (Christian). The former is an inherited and irreversible blood relationship while the latter is acquired after birth, being a self-converted social role. Undeniably, conflict of identities brought about bewilderment and impact to Chinese Christians in late Qing and Early Republican eras, causing identity crisis. Role identification is a process of getting to know oneself in terms of cognition, attitude and behavior, affecting daily life and instilling meaning of life. Quite a number of researches in the past emphasized the mental struggle and torture suffered by Chinese Christians under the seemingly incompatibility of the two identities. However, identity crisis is by no means impossible to do away with or integrated. This research attempts to show that ascribed identity and achieved identity can be integrated harmoniously through identify negotiation. The case of Liu Zhan-en (1896--1938) clearly demonstrated roles of being a citizen on earth and that of heavenly kingdom need not be an either-or option. Christians are not only citizens of the eternal heavenly kingdom, but also contemporary citizens on earth. One can live in serving the Lord with piety while obeying legal requirements stipulated by the government. Devoted and sound citizenship could be harmoniously integrated to be 'Christian Citizen'.;In this dissertation, the phrase 'Christian Citizen' refers to those Christians who possess a strong sense of identity, believing in Christianity and upholding the corresponding faith while fulfilling civic responsibility and loving one's country. Through gathering and investigating into the personal letters, works and reports and so on of Liu, this dissertation renders an in-depth exploration of Liu's analysis on national character, views on citizenship and his blueprint of the Civic Education Movement. More importantly, Liu did not resort to empty talk but walked the talk, integrating faith with daily life. Throughout his whole life, including, in the early days, the Career Guidance Movement and his work at the Y.M.C.A., his presidency at the University of Shanghai and fmally the righteous action in defending against Japanese invasion during the latter days, the quality of Liu, in being loyal to one's nation, displaying care and concern for the society, living out and walking one's faith whole-heartedly was evident. His life manifested the unification of the roles and functions of a Christian citizen of one's nation, with Christian citizenship vividly lived out. Special investigation would be made into a rarely noted work headed by Liu, Y.M.C.A.'s Civic Education Movement in the 1920s, under the slogan 'Saving Nation through Character'. The origins, effectiveness and characteristics of the Movement would be explored. This study concludes with revealing, through Liu's life, the characteristics of being a Christian citizen and examines the choice of the advocators of 'Saving Nation through Character'. |
