A New History of Christianity in China

In this new book, one of the world′s the leading writers in the field, looks at Christianity′s long history in China, its extraordinarily rapid rise in the last half of the twentieth century, and charts its future direction. Bays expertly tracks the expansion of Christianity in China from the seventh century to the present day, charting how a religion first brought into China by a foreign mission has been adapted by the local population into part of their religious landscape. Beginning with the Nestorian mission in the seventh century, Bays presents a bold reinterpretation which reveals a process that was closely bound up with national and local politics. The account moves through the expansion of Christianity in the Dynastic era, its survival under fire in the mid–1900s, and the growth of the Chinese Church from the end of the Cultural Revolution to the early twenty–first century. The book concludes with an examination of the way in which China is both similar to and different from other non–Western societies–for example Africa, Korea, Indonesia, and the Pacific Islands–where Christianity is surging. Throughout, A New History of Christianity in China offers a broad scope and incorporates the major scholarship of the last 30 years, weaving a balanced narrative of Christianity′s long history in China, tracing its transformation from an imported, Western religion to a thoroughly Chinese religion today.

Acknowledgments. Introduction. 1. The Nestorian Age and the Mongol Mission, 635–1368. 2. The Jesuit Mission of Early Modern Times and Its Fate. 3. Protestant Beginnings, Catholics Redux, and China′s First Indigenous Christians, 1800–1860. 4. Expansion and Institution–building in a Declining Dynasty, 1860–1902. 5. The "Golden Age" of Missions and the "Sino–Foreign Protestant Establishment," 1902–1927. 6. The Multiple Crises of Chinese Christianity, 1927–1950. 7. Christianity and the New China, 1950–1966. 8. The Chinese Church from the End of the Cultural Revolution to the Early Twenty–first Century. Appendix: The Russian Orthodox Church and Ecclesiastical Mission in China. Bibliography. Index.

Daniel H. Bays is currently Professor of History and Director of the Asian Studies Program at Calvin College in Michigan. Previously he taught at the University of Kansas for 30 years. He is the author of several books on Chinese Christian history.

“This succinctly written, groundbreaking work will no doubt become required reading for undergraduate and graduate students of world history and religious studies.” ( The Journal of Asian Studies , 1 September 2013) “These praiseworthy books from Bays and Phan will enhance their readers’ understanding of the manifold Christianities of China and Asia as well as of the global history of east–west relations.”  (Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 1 January 2013)  “This is an excellent text for both undergraduate classes and more advanced scholars of the subject, and even the well–read scholar of Chinese Christianity will find here helpful reminders, a driving n arrative line, and Bays’ confident, collegial voice guiding them toward future research on topics that could not fit fully into this concise volume.”  (Social Sciences and Missions 25, 2012) “Summing Up: Essential.  All levels/libraries.”   ( Choice , 1 April 2012) “Daniel Bays succeeds in bringing the story of Christianity to scholars and readers in terested in China and the story of China to Christians and others fascinated by global Christianity.”  (EMQ, 2012) "A New History of Christianity of China provides an expert overview and reinterpretation of a complex and often–confusing subject." (Asian Review, 26 February 2012) "This short, erudite, and accessible history of Chinese Christianity is set to become the best introduction available." (Church Times, 6 January 2012) "Given the scholarly quality and historical timeliness of Bays′s work, A New History of Christianity in China is an invaluable resource for any student of Chinese Christianity or any missionary desiring to serve the church there." (Themelios, 2011) “I′ve really learned a lot from A New History of Christianity in China … Bays is one of the leading scholars in the field and gives us an accessible, compact book … This is a riveting history and Bays tells it fairly and evenly.”— Asia Blog ( http://asiasociety.org/blog/asia ) “[Bays] offers a comprehensive narrative that covers the waterfront, from Tibet and Mongolia in the west and north to Beijing and Macao in the east and south; from the Apostle Thomas in the church’s very first generation to Bishop K. H. Ting in our own time; with discussion not just of abstract theological and ecclesiological debates but also of pragmatic political and cultural considerations … He focuses not so much on the words and deeds of authority figures but, as much as the data permits, on the daily experience of China’s Christian masses … This book has my highest recommendation. It belongs in the library of every seminary and on the syllabus of every course on Asian church history.” (Journal of Asian Mission) “A concise and accessible overview as well as a convincing reinterpretation of the often tortuous transition of Christianity from a foreign creed to an indigenized and acculturated faith in a non–Western society … While recent academic research has focused almost exclusively on prominent Chinese church leaders, the lives, beliefs, experiences, and attitudes of ordinary Christians have been sadly neglected. Daniel Bays is, therefore, to be congratulated for having devoted considerable space to Chinese indigenous churches, especially those with Pentecostal characteristics, notably the True Jesus Church and the Jesus Family … This succinctly written, groundbreaking work will no doubt become required reading for undergraduate and graduate students of world history and religious studies.” (The Journal of Asian Studies)