A History of Christian Missions in China

A History of Christian Missions in China traces missionary work from the arrival of the first Nestorians in 635 CE through the early 20th century. This comprehensive chronicle documents the efforts of Catholic and Protestant missions across different Chinese dynasties and regions. The book examines the methods missionaries used to spread Christianity, their interactions with Chinese society and culture, and the various challenges they faced. Latourette presents detailed accounts of key figures and organizations while analyzing the political and social factors that influenced their work. The text covers both successful and failed missionary endeavors, including the adaptation of Christian teachings to Chinese contexts and the establishment of schools, hospitals, and churches throughout the country. The narrative incorporates primary sources such as letters, reports, and official documents to reconstruct these historical events. This work stands as a foundational text in understanding the complex relationship between Christianity and Chinese civilization, revealing patterns of cultural exchange and religious transformation that would shape both societies. The book raises essential questions about faith, cultural adaptation, and the nature of cross-cultural religious encounters.

Readers value this book as a detailed reference work documenting Christian missionary activities in China from the 7th century through 1928. They note its comprehensive coverage and extensive bibliography make it useful for research. Liked: - Depth of historical documentation - Coverage of both Protestant and Catholic missions - Inclusion of primary sources and statistics - Balanced treatment of successes and failures Disliked: - Dense academic writing style - Dated perspective (published 1929) - Focus mainly on institutional/organizational aspects rather than cultural impact - Limited coverage of Chinese viewpoints Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (12 ratings) Several academic library catalogs list it as a frequently cited source for China missions research, though few public reviews exist due to its age and scholarly nature. Multiple readers note it remains useful as a factual chronicle despite its age, though it should be supplemented with more recent scholarship for modern analysis.

Christianity in China: A Scholars's Guide to Resources by Samuel Hugh Moffett This reference work chronicles the spread of Christianity throughout China from the 7th century through modern times, with extensive documentation of primary sources and missionary accounts.

The Cambridge History of Christianity in Asia by Daniel Jeyaraj and Samuel Hugh Moffett The book presents a comprehensive examination of Christianity's development across Asia, including detailed sections on China, covering missionary movements, indigenous churches, and cultural interactions.

The Forgotten Christians of Hangzhou by D.E. Mungello This historical study focuses on the Jesuit mission in 17th-century Hangzhou and examines the interaction between Chinese converts and European missionaries.

China's Christians: A History of Protestant Missions by Daniel H. Bays The text traces the evolution of Protestant Christianity in China from the first missionaries through the 21st century, with emphasis on indigenous Chinese Christian communities.

The Catholic Mission in China, 1583-1784 by John D. Young This historical analysis explores the activities and impact of Catholic missionaries in China during the Ming and Qing dynasties, focusing on cultural exchange and religious adaptation.

🔹 Kenneth Scott Latourette wrote this groundbreaking work while serving as a professor at Yale, and it remained the definitive text on Chinese Christian missions for over 50 years after its 1929 publication. 🔹 The book covers nearly 1,300 years of missionary activity in China, beginning with the arrival of Nestorian Christians during the Tang Dynasty in 635 CE. 🔹 Latourette personally served as a missionary in China but had to return to the United States after just one year due to severe eye problems that threatened his vision. 🔹 The research draws from an unprecedented variety of sources in multiple languages, including Chinese historical records, missionary journals, and letters that had never before been compiled into a single historical narrative. 🔹 The work predicted the eventual emergence of an independent Chinese Christian church free from Western control, a development that would indeed take place after the Communist Revolution in 1949.