Rating: 
Summary: A fair summary of the growth of Christianity in China.
Review: "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.
Rating: 
Summary: Dissappointing
Review: AIkman wrote a fair history of of Christianity in China, however he misrepresents what is going on in China today. By far the biggest problem in the Chinese church is poor teaching and abusive practices. This exists almost exclusively in the underground churches.
Aikman wrote a book that caters to the palates of American Christian evangelicals who want to hear exactly what Aikman is telling them. Young "missionaries" who have yet to understand the difference between culture and faith or have even critical thinking will use this book to find inspiration and funding.
As a Mandarin speaking Christian who has spent considerable time in China I was hoping to like this book. If I was not, I would proabably think it was very good.
Rating: 
Summary: House Churches in China
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: House Churches in China
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Misinformed, therefore, radically misleading...and damaging
Review: As a former missionary in China as recently as 2003, I have to say Aikman's assessment is quite off, and quite damaging...I highly DO NOT recommend this book for 3 reasons (2 objective and 1 subjective)
Objectively speaking his book fails on 2 general lines:
He equates "easy believism", "quick coverts", and "cheap grace" as true belief and repetance...Most of the teaching of the gospel in China is quite inept, weak, cheap, and even non-Biblical. Rarely is there a call to true discipleship. This leads to many "decisions", which on the surface look legitimate, but in fact, do not have root and therefore often wither. Aikman equates these "decisions" with true Biblical belief, and therefore exagerates the affects of current mission endeavors in China.
Secondly, he thoughtlessly and wrongly associates and interconnects Christianity with Democracy and Western Ideology. With the rise of one, so the other. This joining together of the church and state is unfortunately (I say again, unfortunately) the majority of the current preaching of the gospel in China. Chinese people want a more affluent, western lifestyle...Christians (affluent westerners in their minds) come preaching a gospel not of self-denial but of "finding happiness", this looks appealing to your average Chinese person. Hence, acceptance of this "American" brand of Christianity is an acceptance of democracy as well (in some form or another). Aikman, perhaps rightly presents these actual findings, but he presents them as something positive and something to be commended. Well, David, this may be good for American politics and world democracy in general, but this is awful for the gospel and true biblical discipleship. Missions and the preaching of the gospel is not about spreading an ideology of democracy and this world's kingdoms [which is alluded to even in Aikman's subtitle "How Christianity Is Transforming China and Changing the Global Balance of Power"], but about spreading the idea of dying to self and living to Christ and coming under the authority and power of the kingdom of God (which will often times look quite different from western democracy and even the western-brand of Christianity). That's the more objective reasons as to my distaste for this book. As to my more subjective reason for disliking this book (I acknowledge that my previous 2 critiques could be labeled subjective as well)...
This book has led to a more severe crackdown on missionaries in China. Post-publication of this book, China officials have radically beefed up their inquiries and investigations into missions work there; this is mainly due to this over-exaggerated and TOO PRO-DEMOCRACY book by Aikman.
These investigations are escalating to such an extent, that it looks as though my close friends doing orphan work, benevolence, and leadership training in China are about to be kicked out.
Aikman didn't even "change the names to protect the innocent". What was he thinking???? He mentioned them by name in the back of his acknowledgements. See articles about this at this web address:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/107/31.0.html Well, American Christians may get teary-eyed from reading Aikman's report about "all that God is doing there in China", but I can tell you for sure, that the missionaries there in China are teary-eyed praying night and day that they won't get discovered, not so they can save their own lives, but so that they can continue to stay in that land struggling and laboring to faithfully administer the word of truth. Aikman didn't do us (and especially not those missionaries) any service here!
Rating: 
Summary: Powerful, and eye opening
Review: As a former professor of Chinese politics, I find this book fascinating for everyone. Akiman is an inspiring writer, who speaks fluent Chinese and has a Phd. Time magazine was lucky to have such a worldly reporter.
Who would have guessed that within the next few decades nearly a third of the population of China will be Christian? That China will be transformed into one of the largest Christian nations? People can not understand the rapidly shifting political stage without reading this compelling book.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting and inspiring - but also flawed
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Great Story of Gospel Spread in Supposed Off Limits Country
Review: Gospel under seige in Communist countries has been narrowed down recently with the breakup of the Soviet Bloc, and now more predominant the oppression in Muslim countries. China has been one of those "iffy" places where publically the government would want us to believe there is religious freedom, but there are real doubts.
This book serves to provide a view of that very thing, with a well documented history and insights into the Far East power, with this well written former editor of Time magazine in China.
The profiles of the key players both from the government's Religious Bureau and the house churches and foreigners is illuminating.
God bless all those that have and are and will take a stand to confess Christ in that place.
Rating:
Summary: A good overview of Christianity in China
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Aikman's Jesus in Beijing superficial and misleading
Review: In David Aikman's book he has continued the 25-year old stories and half-truths that the Three Self Movement in China's Protestant community is a tool of the Communist government. Bishop K. H. Ting, who helped as few others, bring the government in the late 1970s to allow the churches to begin to re-open, is one of the finest scholars and Christians I ever met. Knowing him personally I can assure the reader he is not a fellow traveler or Communist. In May 1989 he wrote the Central Committee in Beijing not to harm the demonstrating students in Tiananmen Square. Noted "house church" pastors hid during that time rather than stand up for freedom. I was in his home in Nanjing when he was writing the letter and in Beijing among the students days before the army came in. Southern Baptists did not begin in the 1980s to do covert work in China as Mr. Aikman writes. We began by working in the open. It was not until the fundamentalist take-over of the Southern Baptist Convention, USA, that covert missionary work began in various ways in China. That was a mistake. Cloak and Dagger missionaries have no place in the ministry of the Prince of Peace. I wish Mr. Aikman, with his skill in writing and his wide experience, had given a broader and more complete picture of Protestant Christianity in China today.
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