Rating: 
Summary: Parochial Vision for China
Review: 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 where our work is concentrated 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.
Rating: 
Summary: basic intro to Chinese Christians
Review: This is a recreational read for me. I am interested in China and in Christianity. The book struck me as shallow and superficial from the beginning and despite my best intention to believe it could be more never overcame that first impression. The author is too influenced by his newspaper training, for the book reads like a series of short newspaper articles, it leaves you wondering what it is that you learned and asking for more.Now i don't know how much is available to the Western world concerning what is going on to Christians in China. As a glimpse into this world, via short biographies of the people involved it is just acceptable. He obviously travelled to places and saw people that i can only dream of and i can admire and wish to learn from that experience. But i wonder about the depth of the conversations or the critical judgement of the author if these snippets represent the meetings. They are like the small talk that takes place at a party rather than the deep sharing that ought to take place between brethren in the faith, trying to share the things closest to their hearts. Several places the author leads into big questions: the role of women in the church, pentecostal character of the church, the role of house churches, the relationship of church and state etc. where there was good opportunity to tell us what the people he met thought. But he doesn't go very far, and leads to a complaint of shallowness and superficiality beyond the style of the book. Even with endnotes he doesn't continue the conversation with references or notes to the same phenomena in the west. I definitely feel that he drops the ball and really doesn't tell us very much about these people. Frustrating, i'd love to learn more about what is going on there. I'd love to put down the book believing the church is exploding and will have a cultural influence. But the book doesn't leave me with such ideas, rather i feel like i read a travelogue that introduced me to a few heroic persecuted brethren in China. Now i appreciate this, perhaps as the first book to recommend to someone to pick up for an idea of the faith in China it is barely sufficient. Since it doesn't point to anything past itself, and it doesn't seem to interact with the people or theology at any but the most hello-how-are-you level i'd just have to pass on recommending it except as a newspaper level intro.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great new look at Christianity in China
Review: 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
Rating:
Summary: A Great new look at Christianity in China
Review: 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
Rating:
Summary: Most useful treatment of the church in China
Review: 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
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