劉廷芳是一位獨特又富爭議性的基督徒知識份子，身逢基督教信仰與中國現代化中社會變遷的雙重尋索。誠如在變遷之中的眾多中國知識份子一樣，劉氏沒有棄家國於不顧，反而承受社會變化而來的種種衝擊。在宗教與政治之間的張力之中，劉氏之師華德(Harry Ward, 1873-1966)所提倡的社會福音，其社會取向成了劉廷芳的明燈，故此他的基督信仰盡可能在兩方面平衡，不致顧此失彼。同時，劉氏藉著教育為手段，促使中國走向現代化的路程。本文探討劉廷芳參與社會改造的進程中，如何建構個人的神學觀，同時整合宗教與政治不二分的取向以推動社會改造。民國時期(1911-49)的中國基督徒知識份子每每都被標籤為尋求大眾在政治上認同而失落於信仰整全性的一群，又或者是認同基督教現代性卻又關注儒學出路的一群。劉廷芳作為中國人又是基督徒，在其雙重身份中尋索此身份被認同。作為中國知識份子，他肯定基督教的倫理觀念；作為基督徒知識份子，他引入基督教教育在國民教育之中，盡其國民義務，為中國的社會與政治問題及提升國際地位獻謀出策。

As a Christian intellectual, Timothy Tingfang Lew (1891-1947) was an exceptional and controversial f igure who adopted twofold perspectives to adapt to Christianity and contemporary Chinese social change. Similar to most Chinese intellectuals of his period, Lew could not escape and was to endure the challenges posed by evolutionary social changes. He eventually adopted the social gospel approach, which emphasized both the spiritual and political aspects of the Christian faith. In addition, He promoted modernization in China through Christian education. This study surveyed and evaluated how Lew adapted to social changes, simultaneously developed a theological view toward these social changes, and promoted both the spiritual and sociopolitical aspects of the Christian faith. Chinese Christian intellectuals in the Republican era (1911-49) were typically considered either political competitors who sought acceptance by the masses at the expense of the integrity of their religious faith, or cultural conservatives who regarded Christianity as a modern approach to advancing their Confucian concerns. Lew found himself in the midst of conflicts between his dual identities as Chinese and Christian. As a Chinese intellectual, he endorsed Christian ethical values; as a Christian, he actively fulfilled his citizenship obligations by providing solutions, primarily through Christian education, to national social and political problems, including the international status of China.