My first impression of the Flourishing preview is one of awe as to its density and clarity. It provokes me to raise two cross-cultural hermeneutical questions about framing its thesis by using the specific language/text in the brief (theological, philosophical, and that of Marcus, Marx, Mond). Firstly, I find the language of Marcus, Marx, and Mond “foreign” with respect to biblical exegesis. I wonder if, or to what extent, Paul meant righteousness as agency, peace as circumstances, and joy as emotions in Romans. Have the authors of the brief have already done a “cross-cultural interpretation” on this Romans 14:17 text? Secondly, using the intertextual (one of the cross-cultural readings) method of Confucianist moral language and biblical text on fruit(s) of the Spirit, similar conclusions about what is called a “A Christian Vision” in the preview could also be derived (see my Musing with Confucius and Paul) from early Confucian thought. Yet, I wonder then if Marcus, Marx, and Mond make sense to those outside the Euro-American academic traditions? Since I’m committed to the cross-disciplinary and global conversation of this Initiative, I hope to find ways to bridge the gaps toward meaningfulness, say between Marcus and Mencius, Marx and Confucius, Mond and Zhuangzi via the biblical texts.

Garrett-Evangelical Seminary
Can Confucius and Paul Arrive at the Same Vision of Flourishing?
Preview ResponseFlourishing I1 min read