Watchman Nee and the British Legacy on Sanctification — University of Cambridge

In May 2026 I presented at the Symposium on Watchman Nee, hosted by the Cambridge Centre for Chinese Theology at the University of Cambridge. My paper examined the British roots of Nee’s doctrine of sanctification and the way he critically appropriated them for the global church that continues in his teaching today.

The paper

“Watchman Nee and the British Legacy on the Doctrine of Sanctification: Nee’s Engagement with the Wesley-Holiness Movement and the Keswick Convention.”

Abstract

The doctrine of sanctification functions as a unifying principle in the theology of Watchman Nee. This paper analyzes Nee’s indebtedness to the British theological tradition, with particular emphasis on the Wesleyan-Holiness movement and the Keswick Convention. It is argued that, while drawing from the rich spiritual well of these two movements, Nee critically integrated their elements into his own theological framework, thereby fueling the vitality of the global ecclesial community that continues to follow his teachings today.

To substantiate this claim, the study first examines Nee’s teaching on sanctification and its role as a central element in his comprehensive theological system—encompassing Christology, pneumatology, anthropology, soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology. It then traces Nee’s spiritual lineage to the Wesleyan-Holiness movement and the Keswick Convention, exploring how each shaped his doctrine of sanctification, and elucidates his critical engagement with his British counterparts. Notable concepts he embraced include a secret covenant with God, voluntary poverty, and the progressive development of the divine life (Wesley), together with consecration, the overcoming life, and the believer’s crucifixion with Christ (the Keswick Convention). His ecclesiology further illumines the often-overlooked corporate dimension of sanctification and the unity of the church as expressed in local congregations within each city—“one city, one church.” The significance of the study lies in its identification of the ecumenical scope of Nee’s theology, underscoring his lasting influence on global Chinese Christianity and his indebtedness to British theological legacies.

Keywords: sanctification · Watchman Nee · Wesley-Holiness Movement · Keswick Convention

Event

• Event: Symposium on Watchman Nee
• Host: Cambridge Centre for Chinese Theology
• Venue: University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
• Dates: May 7–8, 2026