沈教授的學術面向，基本上是以天主教為底基，融合了「中西」文化的精髓，開創了自己的學術主張，特別是他在最近推出「慷慨外推與多元他者」的主張，就是以天主教的愛與儒家推己及人的精神做為發展的內含，試圖找到彼此的融合之道。愛天主的基礎是我們對於祂的隸屬性，愛他人的基礎是我們與他們的共同性，只是我們不應該忘了我們的個體性與位格性，愛應該是個體與個體之間的共融（communion）。 聖博納認為，始終是天主先愛了我們，好使人靈得到幸福。而神聖、貞潔、甜蜜、溫和、愉快、誠實、知心及強烈的愛使靈魂與聖言「結合為同一精神」，如此人靈得以達至幸福的最高境界：「那與主結合的，便是與他成為一神」

Professor Shen’s academic scholarship is founded on Catholics incorporating the essence of both Chinese and western cultures; his own philosophical claims, especially “generous strangification” and “many others”, integrate the Catholic idea of love and the Confucian spirit of “putting oneself in another one’s shoes,” attempting to reconcile them. We love the Lord because we belong to Him; we love others because of what we have in common with them. However, it should not be forgotten that everyone has his own individuality and personality, and love is the communion between individuals. St. Bernard believed that the Lord gave His love to us before we love Him. Holiness, chastity, gentleness, happiness, honesty, understanding and powerful love makes one’s soul and God’s words “become one spirit”, elevating the human spirit to the supreme state of happiness: “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.”