漢語神學不是指我們所熟悉的「中國神學」，因為隨著問題意識的改變，漢語神學旨在批判或克服中國神學的偏差和錯置。漢語神學以現代性作為其反思和回應的問題，中國神學則以振興民族或民族主義的論述為其主轴，結果，神學充當了民族論述的工具，而非承擔起人的生存危機的信仰。中國神學積極展開對「基督教與中國文化」的對話，以倫理為其思考的論題，然而’漢語神學則是以「個體生存」為其釋義學，以根本的信仰問題為其論題，強調差異起著作用。漢語神學不再以「認同中國文化」或認同民族為其思考的對象，相反的，它以更為激進的生存意義來強化對作為差異的上帝的認同。

"Sino-theology" is not what we know as "Chinese theology." Due to the awareness of paradigm shift, Sino-theology is meant to be a critique of and overcome the disposition and displacement of "Chinese theology." Sino-theology takes modernity as its subject for critical thinking and response, while Chinese theology has national prosperity or discourse of nationalism as its main thrust; thus, theology is substituted as a tool of nationalism instead of being the faith that is required for the existential crisis in human being. Chinese theology aggressively engages in the dialogue between "Christianity and Chinese Culture," taking ethics as the theme of its reflection, while Sino-theology, however, takes the "existential hermeneutics" of the individual as its realm of understanding for meaning, having the fundamental issues of faith as its theme, and emphasizing the effects of differences. Sino-theology no longer takes the "identification with Chinese culture" or nationalistic identification as its object of thought; rather, contrary to that, it takes on a more radical meaning of existence so as to strengthen the identification with the God that is different.