Christianity on the twenty‐first Century 

〔英文版，XULON press 出版〕 〔中文版，五南書局出版〕

著者是一位科學家，又是宗教哲學領域書籍，如「科學與宗教」(2000)、「現代人

生哲學」(2002)「聖經現代釋義」(2005) 、Rationality of Christian Doctrines

(2009) 等書的作者。本書二十一世紀基督教(中文版)的英文版Christianity on

the 21st Century (2011)書封面介紹如下：作者提倡「永今神學」，係聯合科學與

宗教，引導閱讀並了解聖經以便過心靈上豐盛又自由的人間生活。本書對基督教重

要諸命題如：神是誰，如何邏輯用公式描述基督教「三一神」，聖經是否絕無錯誤

性，創造論對抗進化論的爭議是什麼，為什麼世間有罪惡，為什麼全能又仁愛的神

讓世間有苦難，拿撒勒耶穌是誰，為什麼耶穌必死，耶穌真正復活了嗎，如何邏輯

用公式陳述耶穌「神－人合一」本性，我們的禱告都會被答應嗎，我們真有來生

嗎，天國或地獄像什麼，基督徒何時進入天國，在天國我們具什麼形狀，及其他基

督教宗教疑問提供了明確的答案。如此，本書對正生活在二十一世紀現代人提供了

嶄新的神心象，現代基督論，先進的世界觀，正確的末世論，以理性辯護基督教信

仰，知性解釋聖經，又系統地公式表示基督教義。如此，「永今神學」將調和各教

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Christianity on the twenty‐first Century 

派間對基督救贖教義的議論。尤其是本書對喀爾文主義對抗阿米紐主義辯論有所詳

細分析。                                    二十一世紀基督教~永今神學 (中文版)封面 

 

 

 

                                                                                 作者簡介 

林建中 (Kent C. Lin) 

經專任台灣大學化工系教授及兼系主任，路易治亞那州立大學化工系教授，新澤西州立理工學院化

工系教授，交通大學應用化學研究所教授及材料科學與工程研究所教授及兼所長。從教職退休後專

寫作宗教哲學領域。已出版有（科學與宗教）(2000)，（現代人生哲學）(2002)，（聖經現代釋

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Christianity on the twenty‐first Century 

義）(2005)，自傳  :（林建中八秩回憶錄）(2007) ，（The  Rationality  of  Christian Doctrines）(2009) 以及本書(二十一世紀基督教) (2011) 出版中英文版。目前與妻子定居美國。 

 

                            本書(中文版)封面評語 

本書聊合科學理性推理與神學哲學思維解析一大世界性宗教‐‐‐‐‐‐基督教，堤供相當於一套客觀而

理性的「聖經釋義學」(Hermeneutics) 正解く聖經＞，以及邏輯而知性的「基督教擁護論」

(Apologetics) 正信真理。作者以「永令神學」解釋基督教義，包括：神概念、基督論、末世論與基

督徒倫理，發展嶄新的「永今」神觀，「天秩」世界觀，和「三實在論」人性觀，使二十一世紀

現代人知性地獲得「神的知識」，靈性得信仰自由，察悟生命意義與目的，而今生享受自然「豊

盛生命」，來生進入超然「永生」。 

                                                                                          出版 

          出版:  五南圖書出版股份有限公司 

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Christianity on the twenty‐first Century 

          地址:106 合北市和平東路二段 339 號 4F          電子郵件:wunan@wunan.com.tw                                      Christianity on the 21st Century                    ~An Introduction to Eternal‐Now Theology~                                               

                                               Cover Page 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Christianity on the twenty‐first Century 

 

 

                                                          Contents                  

 

                          Part One: The Foundation of Christianity‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐9 

 

§1‐1 Who and What is God? ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐10 

The knowledge of God‐10        The authority of the Bible‐11   The anthropomorphic idea of biblical God‐13           God is spiritual and Personal‐14      God exists eternal‐now‐15    God is dynamic‐17   Theological Implication of God‐‐17 

§1‐2 The Beginning of Universe and the Origin of Life‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐18 

The purpose of God’s creation‐18               The formation of solar system‐20                        What are there before the Big Bang?‐21                                The origin of life‐22            The origin of mankind‐23          Providential creationism‐25                 

§1‐3 The Scientific Theology’s Worldview‐‐‐Providential Orders‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐26 

Monism, Dualism and Trirealism-26 Eternal-now theology and scientific formulation methodology-28 God (supernatural) vs. Man (natural)-28 God’s plan vs. Human free will-29 Good vs. Evil-31 Determinism vs. Indeterminisim-32 God’s control vs. God’s providence-33 The second laws of thermodynamics-36 The astronomic theory-36

§1‐4 Who and What is Man? ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐38         

The theological definition of humanity‐38                The image of God‐‐‐Human with spirituality‐40      The original sin‐40                               God communicates spiritually with men‐41       The biblical myths and human history of civilization‐42        

§1‐5 The Christian God‐‐‐‐The Trinity‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐44 

The Trinity—Three Persons in one Deity-44 Jesus Christ---the incarnation of the Person of Son-49 The Holy Spirit----The Person of Spirit-49 The principle of analogy-50 Part Two: The Validity of Christology---------------------------------------------------------------53 §2‐1 The Historicity of Jesus‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐54 

The historical records of Jesus’ life‐54         Jesus Christ as the true image of God‐55              The Church and churches‐56                      Monotheism‐‐‐‐Judaism, Christianity and Islam‐59 

§2‐2 The Nature of Jesus‐‐‐Divinity‐Humanity Equilibrium‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐61 

The virgin birth of Jesus‐‐‐‐the Incarnation‐61   Jesus’ Divinity‐Humanity equilibrium‐61 

§2‐3 Jesus’ Death and Resurrection‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐64 

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Christianity on the twenty‐first Century 

Why should Jesus die?‐64            The crucifixion reveals God’s attributes‐65        Bodily resurrection of Jesus‐65 

§2‐4 The Way to Salvation‐‐‐‐The Cross‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐66 

Born again‐‐‐‐Regeneration‐66                   The Cross‐‐‐‐God’s salvation plan ‐67       World religions‐68 

 

§2‐5 Jesus’ Teaching about the Heaven and Hell‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐70 

The Kingdom of God‐‐‐‐The heaven‐70                   The heaven as metaphor‐71     What does heaven or hell look like?‐72                             When will a Christian be in the heaven?‐73          Catholicism vs. Protestantism‐73                  Summary and conclusion‐75 

Part Three: The Essence of Christian Life------------------------------------------------------77  

§3‐1 The Relationship between the Natural and the Supernatural ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐78 

Natural vs. Supernatural-78 Future, realized, eternal-now eschatology-79 The biblical account about the Last Day-79 §3‐2 The Meaning and Purpose of Human Life‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐80 

Natural life vs. Supernatural life-80 Spiritual healing vs. Modern medicine-81 Holistic medicine-83 Blessing and bane of modern technology-83 Sufferings in the world -84 §3‐3 Christian Life to the Full‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐87 

Life abundant‐87          Prayers in Christian life‐88            Justification by faith alone‐90             Christian ethics‐91                                            Christian hope toward God’s ultimate purpose‐92 

§3‐4 Christian Death and an Afterlife ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐93 

Is there a life after death?-93 Before the death-94 hat kind of a body will be in the heaven?-95 How to facing death-96

§3‐5 Christian Hope and Ultimate‐‐‐Eternal Life‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐98 

The eternal life---Christian ultimate-98 Divine citizenship in the heaven---gods-99  

Epilogue--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------101

Appendix A: Scientific Formulation Methodology----------------------------------------------------------------------------------107

Appendix B: Equilibrium Rule----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------109

Appendix C: Big Bang Theory‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  111 

Appendix D: Genetics ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐113 

Appendix E: Calvinism vs. Arminianism‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐115 

 Index‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐117    

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Back Cover Text

Author, a scientist and the author of books such as Science and Religion (2000),

Modern Interpretation of the Bible (2005) and The Rationality of Christian Doctrines (2009), has developed eternal-now theology by unifying science with theology in order to introduce Christian faith as a guide for reading and understanding the Bible, and living a life in full and freedom.

The Book tells you who and what is God; how to develop a logical mode of the

Christian God----the Trinity; what is the authority of the Bible, is the Bible errorless; was there an ancestor of Adam; what is the major debate of evolutionism vs. creationism; why do bad things happen in the world; how can God be all-powerful and all loving and yet there are sufferings in the world; who is Jesus Nazareth; why should Jesus die; was resurrection of Jesus true; how to formulate logically Jesus’ God-Man unity in nature; will all prayers be answered; is there a life after death; what does heaven or hell look like; when will a Christian be in the heaven; what kind of a body will be in the heaven, and many other questions about Christian believes.

Therefore, it offers a new mental picture of God, a modern apologetics and

hermeneutics, a new definition of humanity, an up-dated worldview and correct idea of afterlife in order to defend rationally our Christian faith, to interpret intellectually the Bible, and to reformulate logically of Christian doctrines for modern people who are living on the 21st century. Eternal-now theology would play an important role in accommodating the argument of the Christian doctrines in all Christian dominations and the controversy among Protestant theologies in the matter of salvation. Especially, the controversy of Calvinism vs. Arminianism has been well discussed in the book.

                                 Publication 

Christianity on the 21st Century ~ An Introduction to Eternal‐Now Theology 

Copyright © 2011 by Kent C. Lin 

Printed in the United States of America 

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Christianity on the twenty‐first Century 

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ISBN 9781619048614 

Xulonpress.com