Chao Tzu-ch'en

Zhao Zichen, also known as Tzu-Chen Chao, was a prominent Chinese Christian theologian, educator, and writer whose life and work played a significant role in shaping modern Chinese Christianity. He was born in 1888 in Deqing, Zhejiang province, into a Buddhist family. Despite this background, he encountered Christianity during his education at a missionary school and later embraced the faith, being baptized in 1908.

Zhao continued his studies at Soochow University in Suzhou, graduating in 1911. His academic journey then took him to the United States, where he studied at Vanderbilt University from 1914 to 1917, earning both a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Divinity. After returning to China, he taught at Soochow University before moving in 1926 to Yenching University in Beijing, where he became a professor of theology and later dean of the School of Religion.

Throughout the early to mid-20th century, Zhao was a leading figure in Chinese Protestant thought. Alongside contemporaries such as Liu Tingfang, he sought to express Christianity in ways that were meaningful within Chinese culture. His approach often emphasized ethical teachings and philosophical interpretation, attempting to relate Christian ideas to Confucian thought and broader humanistic values.

Zhao was also active internationally. He participated in major global Christian gatherings, including meetings of the International Missionary Council and the first assembly of the World Council of Churches in 1948, where he was elected as one of its presidents, representing East Asian churches.

His theological journey evolved over time. Early in his career, his writings reflected a more liberal perspective, as seen in works like Christian Philosophy and The Life of Jesus. However, later experiences, including imprisonment during the Japanese occupation in 1942, contributed to a shift toward a more conservative and personal expression of faith. He also wrote extensively in both Chinese and English, contributing to theological discussion within China and abroad.

After 1949, Zhao engaged with the new political realities in China and was involved in the early stages of the Three-Self Movement. However, in 1956 he was criticized politically and removed from his academic position, after which he lived in relative obscurity. He died in Beijing on November 21, 1979, and was officially rehabilitated shortly before his death.

Zhao Zichen stands as a complex and influential figure in the history of Chinese Christianity. His efforts to bridge Christian theology with Chinese culture, along with his academic leadership and international involvement, left a lasting mark on the development of the Church in China.