The present book is written in Chinese as a contribution to the Chinese acculturation or inculturation of the Christian faith.* Hopefully, it could become an effective means among countless others for the evangelization of China. It is divided into seven chapters after the preface.

Preface

1. Introduction (done) [It introduces this modest suggestion, as well as our method for Theology of Chi called Gradual Elucidation of Salvation Process. What a breakthrough in the development of Theology of Energy as a whole! We would like to express our gratitude here to God and to the rest of the Divine Heavenly Family. Alleluia! The author is also thankful to our dear visitors who may have said a prayer or two for this project. Of course, he will continue writing in Communication. He really needs this time off to build up the meta-structure of both the Chinese language [which has been put aside for over three decades] and the present thesis-like project. Praise God! And thank you also! Sept.21]

2. A Brief Analysis of the History of Chi [chi or qi as the single most universal unifying

paradigm in the history of Chinese philosophy] (done)

3. Principles of developing Theology of Chi (done)

4. An Ontology of Chis in Salvation History (done)

5. Various Types of Chi in the Familization of Chis in the Most Holy Trinity Ad Extra

(i.e., The Triune God Reaching Out to Creation) (done)

6. Further Development of Theology of Chi (done)

7. Concluding Remarks (done)

Notes

Bibliography

*A special thanks is due to the International Society for the Study of Human Ideas on Ultimate Reality and Meaning, as well as all the professors and scholars involved.. Without the various opportunities and challenges they have provided over the last eight years or so, the author would not have acquired the necessary philosophical foundation for the present endeavour.

* A more recent special thanks is due to Fu Jen Catholic University, its many professors and staff, in particular Prof. Chung Chun Sun, Prof. Chan Tak Kwong, Prof. Li Hong Long, as well as the advice of Prof. Janine Langan, Prof. Lai Zai Hing, and Leo Ng, etc., here in Toronto. At the same time, another special thanks is due to the three Chinese prayer and study groups which took time to listen and offer comments during the early drafting stage of this book (from August 2001 to January 2002), i.e., St. Francis Bible Study Group headed by Mrs. Wai-Chin Hwang, Mrs. Louisa Shiu's family Bible study group, and a Chinese theological study group constituted by many priests and scholars in Hong Kong.

* A very special word of immense gratitude has long been due to the superabundant graces given by the Most Holy Trinity, as well as all those who have been personally praying for this Chinese project without which it would have been too difficult or simply impossible, i.e., Our Heavenly Mother, all the Chinese and non-Chinese Martyrs and Saints, all the Holy Angels, including also all the dear friends in Canada, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Alleluia!

Update: May 25, 2003 (Indeed, this book is now published. Some copies have been delivered here. Alleluia!)

Ontology or general metaphysics is the study of what really exists in the totality of reality, traditionally in terms of being in Western philosophy.

Both on a personal and social level, the highest ideal of the Chinese traditional culture is "Union with Heaven", along with "Union with all". In the final analysis, these ideals are simply a "testimony of the soul naturally Christian" (testimonium animae naturaliter christianae). Anima naturaliter christiana is a phrase used by Tertullian (c. 160-220) in the early Church (Apol. 17.6; PL 1:37). Integrating the ontological reality of various Chis in the Chinese culture with that of God's Uncreated Energy (and other spiritual energies) in Eastern Orthodox or Catholic Christianity, this work attempts to show how Christianity --- in terms of Familization --- can intimately help fulfill these two traditionally unsurpassed ideals or dreams in the Chinese psyche (or in any other soul created by God) which is naturally Christian.

At the same time, in line with the Catholic Church in South Korea, we are also deeply aware of the New Age Chi culture, a so-called "New-Age-style movement that mixes health programs with faulty religious ideas" (Zenith News on February 23, 2001). Should we, then, stop talking about Chis or cease approaching the people of Chis?

"Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel" (1Cor 9:16) to the people of Chis, Kis or energies!

Update: October 12, 2001

As you know, directly and indirectly, there are countless individuals in the Far East --- as many as over one or two billions in China, India, Japan, etc. -- who have been brought up or immensely influenced by the historical tradition, culture and development of high Chi (Ki, energy, or other synonymous names) biology and its quasi-religious psychics. Simultaneously, there are numerous people in the modern and postmodern West (North and South also) whose traditional Christian faith has been loosened up or swept away by the modern success of high energy physics, as well as by the international cultural import of the Chi experience and its quasi-religious elements.

How, then, shall we approach these high energy or Chi people? As the Church has advised us, it is through the Christian method of authentic inculturation. This is precisely where Theology of Energy comes in, through which we help to evangelize these people, bringing them to an intimate union with the whole Divine Heavenly Family and the Mystical Body of Christ, as well as to a family and familiar experience of God's grace (or Divine Energy), the Word of God, the Holy Eucharist, the Magisterium, the different Sacraments and sacramentals, and the genuine mysticism of our canonized Saints, etc.

While other volumes of A Handbook of Theology of Energy are helping to evangelize the West, North and South, this volume is important for the incultural evangelization of Chi people in the Far East. Like many other cultures there, the Chinese culture is a culture of countless Chis or energies.

All in all, is there not emerging --- at the beginning of the present new millennium --- a universal paradigm shift in which numberless people in this global village begin to realize that everything is indeed energy or Chi?

Please take note that the various energies or Chis are not something invented, but something to be discovered at varying paces. For example, it has taken the West many centuries to have discovered nature's omnipresent physical energy. The next big universal discovery by the world -- which hopefully might take a few more decades --- would be God's eternal omnipresent Divine Energy which was first discovered by the Eastern Christian mystics, e.g., St. Basil, St. Anthanasius and St. Gregory Palamas. We may, then, relate to the first two mystics as two of the early Roman Catholic saints, since they (St. Basil and St. Anthanasius) lived before the East-West schism happening about 1054 A.D. The discovery of God's Divine Energy belongs, therefore, to the early Roman Catholic Church. To embrace God's Energy simply means to be true to our early Roman Catholic experience, teaching or tradition. It is nothing new.

Christ and, therefore, also the Christian Church do not come to destroy but to bring supernatural fulfillment or enrichment to a culture, helping Providence to fill and permeate it with superabundant graces (cf. Mt 5: 17; 1Cor 15: 28). We believe that our works would eventually help inspire also many people in the West, East, North and South to come closer to that goal, so that God would be All in all.

Update: October 12, 2001

Like many other cultures, the Chinese culture is a culture of countless chis or energies. This volume, then, is important for the incultural evangelization of China. Beyond doubt, Christ and His Church do not come to destroy any culture but to bring it to fulfillment (cf. Mt 5: 17).

As Feng Shui --- a substantial part of traditional Chinese experience of various created energies, chis or qis (cf. Time, Canada, July 10, 2000, p. 44) --- has nothing to do explicitly and directly with God's Uncreated Energy, Divine Revelation, the Magisterium and eternal salvation, Theology of Energy therefore has nothing to do with Feng Shui. (That does not mean we do not love these Feng Shui people.)

However, when these highly intuitive Feng Shui folks --- on the created level --- begin to be open and develop their spiritual intuitive cognition towards the omnipresent Uncreated Energy of God, not only would they be immensely fascinated by it, but they would also become irresistibly drawn to it in continuous awe.

As a consequence, many would increasingly turn to the Holy Eucharist --- the greatest Living Source of God's radiant Uncreated Energy on earth --- and embrace what the Church has to teach them about various other awesome channels of God's grace or Energy (i.e., various other Sacraments and sacramentals). Many might, in turn, become some of the greatest missionaries on earth, on fire to bring Christ's awesome channels of God's Uncreated Energy or grace to others, something which Feng Shui has kept missing all these centuries or millennia. Their passion for the created would finally, by the grace of God, lead them to their inexhaustible love and zeal for the Uncreated.

Further, their accumulated experience and healthy balance between the Uncreated Energy and created energies would have much to teach others. Alleluia!

Update: November 1, 2002