Customer Reviews

Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity Is Transforming China And Changing the Global Balance of Power

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Veteran correspondent Dr. Advid Aikman has given us the fruit of many years of academic study, living in China, extensive travel, and wide-ranging interviews to produce what is possibly the most useful book on the church in China available today.

He maintains the high standard set by writers such as David Adeney (China: The Church's Long March) and Tony Lambert (The Resurrection of the Chinese Church; China's Christian Millions), achieving both objectivity and appreciation in a careful balance.

After an appetizer-introduction, he traces the history of Christianity in China from the earliest missionary endeavors in the Tang Dynasty to the most current developments. His wide knowledge of history enables him to place each stage of the shurch's story in its larger context.

Lively writing, minute detail, arresting stories of many heroic individuals, and strategic insights make a potent combination; the book is hard to put down!

We come away with a deep respect for men and women who have risked all, and suffered much, to follow Christ, especially since the Communists took over in 1949. Widespread persecution, often marked by brutal, even barbaric, torture, has brought Chinese Christians through the refining fire that could not quench their zeal.

Though he concentrates upon the house churches, who form the vast majority of China's Christian millions, Aikman also offers a careful analysis of both the Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Movement and the two Roman Catholic organizations in China - one, like the TSPM, controlled by the government, the other loyal to the Vatican. He gives credit to those who have chosen to work within the confines of Communisty Party restrictions, but does not cover over the evidence for complicity in offical action against innocent believers by state-sponsored "church" leaders.

Perhaps the most arresting chapter highlights the growing role of Christians among the educated elite - artists, writers, intellectuals, even Party members. Such a large number of these talented people are becoming Christians that Aikman thinks they will eventually influence both domestic and foreign policy.

He could be right, for Chinese believers think that within a few years they will comprise 20 - 30% of the total population. Would such a critical mass tilt China towards America in the war on terrorism? It is possible, though the author also concedes that China could lurch back into rabid anti-Americanism, especially in a conflict over Taiwan.

As he began with missionaries from the outside, so Aikman does not neglect the current role of foreigners who teach English, do business, or even evangelize and educate house churches clandestinely (though certainly not without police cognizance).

Some think Aikman tends toward the optimistic, which is true, but he has reasons for his optimism, even if it needs tempering with inevitable realities to be found among Christians elsewhere, such as factions, division, abuse of authority, and neglect of family by many evangelists.

But whoever said Christians were sinless? Didn't Jesus die for sinners?

No book on Christians in China can be complete or perfect. Aikman could have said more, and does have his own preferences (as for the "charismatic" expression of Christianity, for example). But, all in all, he includes most of what we need to know, and leaves us with a thirst to know more.

"More" can be had in the books mentioned at the beginning of this review, as well as in others on sale, such as The Heavenly Man.

A first-rate book.

G. W. Doyle, Ph.D.
China Institute
Charlottesville, VA

This wonderful new book on the Christian role in China is written by a former Beijing bureau chief for Time magazine. He begins by looking at the history of the Christian church in China, its roots in Protestant and Catholic missionaries. Throughout he reveals the stories and turning points of the growth of the Chinese church. This dynamic group of men and women stood against all odds to bring the word of Christ to the people of China. The author then explores the quick growth and sad repression of Christianity. In many ways he compares it to the relationship between the Christians and Rome. Although they were suppressed they finally came to dominate the Roman empire in less then 500 years. Missionaries have been China for 400. The author forecasts a massive exponential growth of Christianity, showing how once it becomes 10% of China its rise will be unstoppable. The final conclusion of the author is that China will become a key ally of the west against militant Islam and that the commitment China have to Christianity will help renew the faith in the west, where church attendance is down dramatically. A very interesting work. The author helps to remind us that John Birch, who gave his name to the right wing society, was actually a missionary in China before being murdered by the communists.

Seth J. Frantzman

"Jesus in Beijing" is a quick summary of the events, leaders, and movements behind the explosion in Christianity in China over the past few decades. Aikman breaks his book up into several sections devoted to topics such as the Chinese church patriarchs, the slightly less influential but still very important church "uncles," famous Chinese Christian women, the roots of Christianity in China, how Christianity is influencing different artists, musicians, and others contributing to present-day Chinese culture, and most controversially, the debate between the government-approved churches of the Three Self Patriotic Movement and the "underground" house churches.

While Aikman is clearly more favorable to the side of the house churches and their leaders, I do believe he was fair to Bishop Ding, the leader of the government's Three Self Patriotic Movement. While it can be argued that Ding has done much to advance Christian freedom in China, Ding also made statements in the past that go beyond simple respect for Chinese law... statements that were clearly pro-Communist. Ding also at times has professed a theology that is beyond liberal to a point that is simply not Christian. Ultimately, it is somewhat telling that Ding never spent a minute in prison while so many other Christians during Mao's reign, especially church leaders, were being brutally beaten and imprisoned for years at a time.

Aikman sides at the end of the book with Chinese Christians that are critical of far right American groups (including some Christians) that seem only to want to exploit Chinese government abuses (which are indefensible) in order to shut off US contact and trade with China. He supports the Christians who believe that China is making progress, even if it has a long way to go. He clearly believes with these Chinese Christian moderates that the worst thing the US could do would be to intentionally antagonize and isolate the Chinese government. So Aikman does understand that there is a reactionary element running in some Christian groups, both inside and outside of China, but he also realizes that there is something suspicious about Christians that are too comfortable with what is still a totalitarian, often repressive, Chinese government as well.

This book isn't the most exciting read as there are several typos, and Aikman's writing is fairly dry. But he has done his homework, he clearly cares about the people of China, both Christian and non-Christian, and he does a good job here of introducing the key players and laying out the background behind a fascinating movement occuring in a country that could very well dominate the 21st century, for good or bad, as much as America dominated the last century.

Jesus in Beijing is a well written account of the history of Christianity in China from 600 A.D. to the present. Most of the book deals with the 20th Century. In the early 1970's, after the oppression and persecution of Mao's Cultural Revolution some western observers wondered if Christianity still survived in China. As it turned out, the church was alive and well. In spite of persecution of varying intensity throughout the reign of the Communist Party in China, the church has grown from about three million to approximately seventy million people today. One of the most surprising things about this rapidly growing church is its response to the increasing affluence of freedom within China today. Instead of focusing on material pleasures and toys, much of the church is dreaming of evangelizing the predominately Muslim lands between China and Israel. They reason that the Chinese church already knows how to suffer poverty and persecution and feel that they are prepared to pay the price for spreading the Christian message in Muslim countries. The author's speculation about the impact of Christianity on China's geopolitical future are also very interesting. While the possibility of the emergence of China as a belligerent, adversarial superpower exists, the author feels that the influence of Christianity on China may lead to a future in which China and the United States may in fact become allies. An interesting, informative book. Highly recommended.

Aikman's text is an excellent field ehtnography of Christianity in China, with a particular bias towards Chinese house churches and the growing evangelical movements in China. This text, however, does not give an unbiased view of Chinese Christianity (it tends at times to be somewhat disparaging of the Three Self Protestant Movement and Bishop Ding), nor does it answer the question about the global transformation of power (my guess is that this was an editorial choice of titles to makimize book sales). What Aikman DOES do, however, is provide a sweeping view of evangelical Christianity in China, giving us a birds' eye view of some of the challenges and problems of China's church today, while documenting major leaders of the autonomous house churches. I heartily reccomend this book for anyone desirous of learning more about evangelical Christianity in China today.

I read with interest the stories and information about Christian brothers and sisters in China. The body of Christ in China has been through, and continues to go through, much travail and persecution. Their faith, and the miracles and healings that occur, make the Chinese Church much like the first century Church under the Romans.
I have lived in China recently and fellowshiped at a Three Self Church in a large central China city. It was a church with a strong evangelical sense. Most worshippers carried their own Bibles, they prayed fervently, sang heartily, and took notes on the sermons. They welcomed foreigners.
Reports of other Three Self Churches in other places were variable, however. There is apparently quite a range of vitality among the Three Selfs, and so a broad characterization of them is not fitting.
Aikman's subtitle -- How Christianity is Transforming China and Changing the Global Balance of Power -- had led me to expect a much greater analysis of transformation and balance than actually occurs in the book. These topics are treated mostly in the last chapter.
Overall an enjoyable, and informative read.

The former Beijing bureau chief for Time magazine more or less accurately describes the state of the Christian Church in China, both underground and communist approved. He particularly invests substantial portion of his book on the Christians in Henan province and accurately portrays the region as one of the centers if not the center of Chinese Christianity. His approach to the research and description of the missionary work is still Western-oriented although he mentions Korean and Korean-American missionaries frequently. His presentation of the late Jonathan Chao as the father of modern Chinese confessional movement who helped draft various Chinese doctrinal confessions is very interesting, although the confessions are obviously a product of Western-educated Chinese rather than a purely indigenous product. Because of this, the faith statements primarily deal with doctrines that interest the Western Church rather than accurately stating what concerns the Chinese Christians the most. The book is about 90% ¡°How Christianity is transforming China¡± and 10% ¡°Changing the Global Balance of Power¡±. His vision for pro-America China is narrow and parochial at best. China must become more than a helper to America in the world stage. A Christian China that leads the world as a true leader would also show leadership in world mission to the rest of the world.

Mr. Aikman has presented an excellent picture of the development of Christianity in China, right up to the present. It is very well written, enjoyable to read, and very informative. Having traveled to China on numerous occasions in recent years, I have found that my experiences have been confirmed by what he writes. This book is the best I have come across if you are looking for a picture of the recent development and situation of the church in China.

As the pastor of a small church for internationals - most of whom are from the People's Republic of China - I read this book with personal interest. It concerns many of my friends and their country - which at times I think of as "my" country.

Let me begin by emphasizing the positive dimensions of the book. Its survey of the history of Christianity in China, its focus on individuals especially of the 20th century and mostly in the house church movement, its (inconsistent!) efforts at balance. It is worth reading, and we need to hear the stories of suffering, courage, faith, and triumph that are found therein.

The book does have flaws which center on three loci:

1) Its persistent bias against the Three Self Patriotic Movement and persons/groups associated therewith,
2) Its casual and uncritical assumption of Christian "orthodoxy" as more or less coequal with conservative evangelical Protestantism [in my opinion its largest and worst flaw],
3) Its hypocritical(?) stance(s) on the relationship between Christianity and politics/capitalism.

1) I have persons who have become Christians while attending TSPM churches, and persons who became Christians through house churches. American Christians should categorically call for full religious freedom in China - no one should have to register with or work through TSPM. But we also need a little more understanding of Chinese Christians who choose to worship/minister "above ground".

2) Aikman uses the word "orthodox" a great deal - and clearly by it he means conservative evangelical Protestant theology. Aikman paints with far too broad a brush "Modernism" as the opposite of authentic Christianity (see pages 147, 156-157 et passim). Not everyone who rejects "conservative evangelical Protestantism" is a modernist, or a liberal, or "not a true Christian". I think Aikman too often presents us with a false dichotomy - either you are a "fundamentalist" and orthodox, or you are a "modernist" and liberal. He needs to allow a bit more room for other faithful and committed understandings of the Christian faith.

3) Aikman loves to criticize those Chinese who try to blend Christianity and politics. Who say, "Make Christianity serve socialism/Communism". Fair enough. Meanwhile notice how much Aikman tries to sell the "benefits" of Chinese Christianity in terms of capitalism, a pro-Western China, a big ally against radical Islam. How often do American evangelicals wed pro-American patriotism to their Christian faith? (If you don't know what I mean, look for cars with stickers that have an American flag draped over the cross. We sing patriotic songs in our churches while some Chinese Christians get in trouble for refusing to do just that.) If Christianity should not be twisted into the handmaiden of Communism, perhaps neither should it become the herald of Western capitalism.

Philip Jenkins has alerted Westerners to the fact that the centers of Christendom are moving from their traditional locations in Europe and North America. Christianity is growing exponentially in Africa, of course, but in China, too, the numbers of adherents continues to grow. Jesus In Beijing speculates that withing the next thirty years, a third of China's population may be Christians, making it one of the largest Christian nations in the world.

David Aikman, former Time Magazine bureau chief in Beijing, has written a winsome account of the history and development of Christianity in a nation with which he is very familiar. His personal contacts with House Church leaders, past and present, and with leaders of the Three Self "State" Church, give the book a clarity not likely to be repeated. It will undoubtedly become a standard reference in years to come. Aikman's style is always well-paced, so the book is a delight both for the scholar and the novice.