The Cambridge Centre for Chinese Theology was established in 2025, following a generous donation from Lux Mundi Inc (USA). Professor David Fergusson and Dr Ximian Simeon Xu are its founding Co-Directors.
The dramatic growth of both Chinese Christianities and the churches of global Chinese diasporas is generating increased interaction between Western and Chinese theological academia. However, extensive cross-cultural collaboration in the UK remains underdeveloped. The Centre aims to advance Chinese theology understood in the broadest sense through addressing the context and concerns of Chinese Christians, the study of theological work emerging from China and the Chinese diaspora, and the facilitating of closer links between theologians from the West and those in China and elsewhere in Asia. It seeks to facilitate global and cross-cultural dialogue on Chinese theologies and serve as an interface between Western and East Asian theological institutions and scholars.
The Centre has the following threefold aim:
(1) To extend the research scope of academic theology in the UK
Over the past several decades, the reception of Western theology in the circle of Chinese Christianities has already produced a significant volume of theological outputs. Through the Faculty of Divinity, the Centre will engage intensively with theologies in Chinese and, more broadly, East Asian culture.
(2) To catalyse exchange and collaboration between Western and Chinese theologians and religious thinkers worldwide
The Centre will provide both Western and Chinese theologians with an opportunity to collaborate on key theological themes from various cultural, theological, and philosophical perspectives. This will expose Western and Chinese scholars to a wider range of perspectives, theological traditions, and values, leading to the cross-cultural flourishing of theological study.
(3) To create and foster academic links between leading universities, divinity schools and scholars in Europe, North America, East Asia, and South Asia, by advancing the study of Chinese theologies
This international engagement will create a network of collaboration on Chinese theologies extending beyond individual partnerships. These academic links will enable collaboration on problems and challenges which concern both Chinese and Western communities.
Launch Event of the Cambridge Centre for Chinese Theology
The Cambridge Centre for Chinese Theology was formally launched at the Faculty of Divinity on 2 October 2025. The event was attended by representatives of the funding body Lux Mundi, based in Atlanta, Georgia, and by scholars from China and the USA. Following a keynote address by Dr Alex Chow (Edinburgh) and presentation by Dr Simeon Xu (Co-Director), a reception and dinner were held at St Catharine’s College.
The Centre seeks to facilitate global and cross-cultural dialogue on Chinese theologies and to serve as an interface between Western and East Asian theological institutions and scholars. Professor David Fergusson (Regius Professor of Divinity and Co-Director) noted that ‘the new Centre will enable our Faculty to extend the reach of its research and teaching in world Christianity. We are grateful to the trustees of Lux Mundi for their generous support of this exciting venture, and we look forward to developing our partnership.
