Bishop K. H. Ting, Longtime Trusted Friend, Colleague, and Church Leader Passed Away
Bishop K.H. Ting, longtime friend, colleague, and church leader passes away at the age of 98.
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Our Longtime Trusted Friend, Colleague, and Chinese Church Leader Bishop K. H. Ting (Ting Kuang-hsun) Passed Away.
The China Christian Council, National Committee of Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China and The Amity Foundation (China) announced that Bishop K. H. Ting former President of the China Christian Council and President of the Board of the Amity Foundation passed away on Thursday, November 22, 2012, at the age of 98 in Nanjing.
K. H. Ting was born on September 20, 1915. Ting spent his entire career active in the Christian Church in China. He studied theology at the Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY, USA receiving his Master degree prior to returning to China. He was president of the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary and has held leadership positions in various Christian organizations throughout China.
Bishop K. H. Ting served as member of the Third National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), standing member of the Fifth National Committee of CPPCC, vice- chair of the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth National Committee of CPPCC, delegate of the Third, Fourth and Fifth National People’s Congress (NPC) and a member of the Standing Committee of the Sixth and Seventh NPC. Bishop Ting has also authored several theological books and called for the China theological reconstructions in the1990s.
Bishop Ding is our longtime trusted friend, colleague and a great Chinese theologian and church leader. He made great contributions to the world Ecumenical movement. There were many times he received leaders from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the USA and Canada, and United Church of Christ in the US, and Global Ministries. He referred to the two denominations as the best friends of the Church in China. Rev. Dr. Xiaoling Zhu, the Area Executive for East Asia and the Pacific, spent many long hours with him discussing world Christianity, as well as internal issues of the church in China.
We convey our profound condolences to Bishop Ting’s family, church leadership in China and The Amity Foundation. We will remember him in strengthening partnership with the church in China and Chinese people continually.
(The photo was taken by Rev. Xiaoling Zhu on December 28, 2004 at Bishop Ding’s home.)
Dear Xiaoling: Pat and I send condolences to you, personally, and to our friends in China at the death of K.H. Ting. He was a brother in Christ, and he represented reconciliation of China and North America in spite of historical differences. We owe him a lot for your study in the US and for your faithful liaison with the Chinese church.
I remember that the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) wanted him to stay on the staff in Geneva after Liberation, but he and Siu May chose to return to be with their people in spite of many uncertainties. People in the ecumenical movement like Visser ‘t Hooft advised against it. We only had rumors about him and other Christians for 30 years. K.H. received moral support from Joe Smith through our People-to-People Program in Hong Kong with DeWitt and Becky Barnett until contact was renewed. Bishop Ting came to Indianapolis on the first visit of a delegation in September 1979. Many of us enjoyed his gracious hospitality in Nanking and learned from his theological insight for the churches in today’s world. I hope the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ will lead in honoring him in the ecumenical community of US and Canadian churches.
Sincerely, Bill Nottingham, Highlands Ranch, Colorado.