Watchman Nee's theology of victory: An examination and critique from a Lutheran perspective

This study attempts to set forth the overarching structure of Watchman Nee's thought as a "theology of victory" through an exploration of his doctrines of theological anthropology, justification, and sanctification. Nee's theology is further investigated and critiqued from a Lutheran perspective especially as this finds its focus through Luther's theology of the cross and his doctrine of justification by faith.; Watchman Nee (1903-72) lived in an age of revolutions in China. His ministries started in a time of anti-Christian movements and the massive efforts towards establishing the indigenous and independent Chinese churches in the 1920s. Theologically, Nee was inspired by Plymouth Brethren theology and Dispensationalism. These elements form a context for the eventual shaping of his theology.; Nee's theology of victory projects that God has an insurmountable master plan of triumph which intends to have all creation share the life and glory of Christ. Such a cosmic plan will be primarily realized through the gaining of a people who are qualified to have dominion over the earth and who will rule with Christ in his kingdom. Thus in Nee's theology, creation and redemption are essentially regarded as acts of God implementing his master plan of triumph. Because the fall affects human spirit, soul, and body, therefore full salvation must include all three constituent parts respectively. What is crucial for a Christian to acquire full salvation after experiencing his salvation of the spirit is to experience the soul's salvation through co-crucifixion with Christ and the breaking down of the outward man (soul), as well as the accomplishment of a dividing off the contaminating force of the outward man from the operation of the inward man (spirit). It is argued in this study that this trichotomist anthropology of Nee can easily lead to an instability in the Christian's perception of his salvation. The fundamental difficulty in Nee's theology is that he locates the soteriological problematique in human creaturehood more than in the fall or sin of humanity.; Critiquing Nee's theology of victory from a Lutheran perspective, we propose that anthropologically Luther's totus homo view is the remedy for Nee's tripartitus homo position and that soteriologically Luther's concept of simul iustus et peccator is a corrective to Nee's view of the Christian life in terms of aut spiritualis aut corporalis.