Confucian Ren and Jesus’ Agape as a Basic Virtue toward a More Ecumenical World

PRECIS:

The equivalence of the Confucian ren and agape in Jesus’ commandment of love is clearly expressed in the fundamental values of humanity, love, the moral virtues, and goodness. These values motivate human beings to live in a more sisterly and brotherly communion. Ren in the Analects signifies to do good, not to disturb or hurt others. Jesus’ agape includes not only the humanist dimension but also a religious and transcendental dimension. However, the similarity between Confucian ren and Jesus’ agape can bridge a sociocultural gap in multicultural societies such as those found in Asia. The following comparative research shows us that Confucian ren and Jesus’ agape are so basic to human virtue that Confucius’s followers and Christians can work together to build a more ecumenical world.