Seeking the Common Ground - Paperback

by Philip L. Wickeri (Author)

This is the most comprehensive treatment ever written of the history of the Protestant Church in China over the last forty years. Philip Wickeri takes an unprecedented look at one of the most turbulent periods in Chinese history--the years from 1949 to the present. Wickeri explicates what Chinese Protestants have been saying about themselves in historical and theological perspective. His interpretation is based on one particular dynamic: how Chinese Protestants have sought to situate themselves in a socialist society within the unifying framework of the united front. After an overview of church, Marxism, and Christianity in China, Wickeri discusses the united front. He focuses on ideology, organization, and religious policy. Wickeri then explores the Three-Self Movement as both a Chinese and a Christian movement. His conclusion: the Three-Self Movement, despite problems, has made Christianity more accessible to the average Chinese and the church more acceptable to Chinese society.

Author Biography

Philip L. Wickeri serves on the staff of the Anglican Province of Hong Kong (Sheng Kung Hui) as Advisor to the Archbishop on Theological and Historical Studies. From 1981-1983 he taught at Nanjing University, during which time he did much of the research on which this book is based.