Confucians under the Cross: Fostering Confucian Ministers in American Divinity Schools

This paper examines a recent phenomenon in the global development of Confucianism: since around 2010, a small number of individuals who self-identify as Confucians have enrolled in multi-religious divinity schools in the United States, including Harvard Divinity School, the University of Chicago Divinity School, and Boston University School of Theology. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and autoethnography, the paper analyzes seven representative cases from 2013 to 2024. It explores how these students understand their Confucian religious identity, why they seek ministerial training in divinity schools, and how theological education shapes their spiritual practice and professional trajectories. The study argues that entering divinity school is not merely an academic choice but part of a broader effort to cultivate Confucian spirituality and gain institutional legitimacy. At the same time, the encounter with Western theological education introduces new possibilities as well as tensions for the future development of Confucian religiosity.