The Responsibility for Free Choice between Good and Evil: Matteo Ricci’s Debate with the Chinese Scholar

Jongwoo Yi (이종우)

The Responsibility for Free Choice between Good and Evil: Matteo Ricci’s Debate with the Chinese Scholar

The Korean Journal of Chiristian Social Ethics
Abbr : 기사윤
2023, (55), pp.289-312
Publisher : The Society Of Korean Christian Social Ethics
Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology
Received : March 15, 2023
Accepted : March 29, 2023
Published : April 30, 2023

Jongwoo Yi ¹

¹단국대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Matteo Ricci claimed the Lord of Heaven’s having bestowed humans a free choice between good and evil, and the responsibility for the free choice means the Lord of Heaven’s reward and punishment: sending good souls to heaven or evil souls to hell. The choice means based on human free will and it was influenced by Thomas Aquinas. Ricci claimed that good souls will live in Heaven after their death, whereas evil souls will live in Hell forever after their death. Ricci regarded it as supplement to Confucianism. Because Ricci considered the Lord of Heaven in Catholicism and Shangdi in Confucian classic books as the same. However, this was not mentioned heaven and hell in Confucian classics. Unlike the claim of Ricci, the Chinese scholar believed that good and evil actions are regardless of human will, and good emerges from original human mind. Thus, humans should have good mind. He argued that humans have also taken the responsibility for their good and evil actions in this life, not taking responsibility after their death. This is different from the claim of Ricci.

KEYWORDS

Catholicism, Confucianism, Thomas Aquinas, the Lord of Heaven, Reward and Punishment, Good and Evil

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

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