Bin Song is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Washington College, specializing in Confucianism, early modern philosophy, and comparative theology, with a focus on metaphysics, ethics, spirituality, and the intersections of Confucian and Christian thought. He is the author of Descartes’s Mechanical Philosophy (in Chinese), a study on metaphysical foundations of modern science, and has published translations of early modern European philosophy into Chinese and ancient Confucian meditation texts into English.

• Introduction 11 Comparative Theology as a Liberal Art 142 Comparative Theology as a Science 393 The Transcendence Debate in the History of Christian-Ru Interaction 534 Methodologies of Comparative Theology, Religion, and Philosophyfor the Progress of the Transcendence Debate 755 Creatio ex Nihilo from Plato to Augustine 866 Creatio ex Nihilo in Continuum: Aquinas, Descartes, Schleiermacher, and Tillich 1217 Sheng Sheng as Generatio ex Nihilo from Confucius to Wang Bi 1458 Generatio ex Nihilo in Continuum: Zhou Dunyi, Zhu Xi, Cao Duan, and Luo Qinshun 199Conclusion: Comparative Reflections on the Transcendence Debate 237Acknowledgments 271Glossary 275Notes 277Index 313

"The theme of creation has been a point of contention between Ruist (Confucian) and Christian thought since Matteo Ricci entered the stage. Writing from the Ruist perspective, Bin Song offers a fresh and refreshing look at this long-standing problem, showing the depth and complexity of both traditions on the subject. This book is a must read for anyone interested in Confucian-Christian dialogue or comparative theological method more broadly." - Joshua Brown, author of Aquinas and the Early Chinese Masters: Chinese Philosophy and Catholic Theology

Bin Song is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Washington College, specializing in Confucianism, early modern philosophy, and comparative theology, with a focus on metaphysics, ethics, spirituality, and the intersections of Confucian and Christian thought. He is the author of Descartes’s Mechanical Philosophy (in Chinese), a study on metaphysical foundations of modern science, and has published translations of early modern European philosophy into Chinese and ancient Confucian meditation texts into English.

• Introduction 11 Comparative Theology as a Liberal Art 142 Comparative Theology as a Science 393 The Transcendence Debate in the History of Christian-Ru Interaction 534 Methodologies of Comparative Theology, Religion, and Philosophyfor the Progress of the Transcendence Debate 755 Creatio ex Nihilo from Plato to Augustine 866 Creatio ex Nihilo in Continuum: Aquinas, Descartes, Schleiermacher, and Tillich 1217 Sheng Sheng as Generatio ex Nihilo from Confucius to Wang Bi 1458 Generatio ex Nihilo in Continuum: Zhou Dunyi, Zhu Xi, Cao Duan, and Luo Qinshun 199Conclusion: Comparative Reflections on the Transcendence Debate 237Acknowledgments 271Glossary 275Notes 277Index 313

"The theme of creation has been a point of contention between Ruist (Confucian) and Christian thought since Matteo Ricci entered the stage. Writing from the Ruist perspective, Bin Song offers a fresh and refreshing look at this long-standing problem, showing the depth and complexity of both traditions on the subject. This book is a must read for anyone interested in Confucian-Christian dialogue or comparative theological method more broadly." - Joshua Brown, author of Aquinas and the Early Chinese Masters: Chinese Philosophy and Catholic Theology

Bin Song is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Washington College, specializing in Confucianism, early modern philosophy, and comparative theology, with a focus on metaphysics, ethics, spirituality, and the intersections of Confucian and Christian thought. He is the author of Descartes’s Mechanical Philosophy (in Chinese), a study on metaphysical foundations of modern science, and has published translations of early modern European philosophy into Chinese and ancient Confucian meditation texts into English.

• Introduction 11 Comparative Theology as a Liberal Art 142 Comparative Theology as a Science 393 The Transcendence Debate in the History of Christian-Ru Interaction 534 Methodologies of Comparative Theology, Religion, and Philosophyfor the Progress of the Transcendence Debate 755 Creatio ex Nihilo from Plato to Augustine 866 Creatio ex Nihilo in Continuum: Aquinas, Descartes, Schleiermacher, and Tillich 1217 Sheng Sheng as Generatio ex Nihilo from Confucius to Wang Bi 1458 Generatio ex Nihilo in Continuum: Zhou Dunyi, Zhu Xi, Cao Duan, and Luo Qinshun 199Conclusion: Comparative Reflections on the Transcendence Debate 237Acknowledgments 271Glossary 275Notes 277Index 313

"The theme of creation has been a point of contention between Ruist (Confucian) and Christian thought since Matteo Ricci entered the stage. Writing from the Ruist perspective, Bin Song offers a fresh and refreshing look at this long-standing problem, showing the depth and complexity of both traditions on the subject. This book is a must read for anyone interested in Confucian-Christian dialogue or comparative theological method more broadly." - Joshua Brown, author of Aquinas and the Early Chinese Masters: Chinese Philosophy and Catholic Theology