The Church As Safe Haven. Christian Governance in China

Leiden, Boston: Brill. Very Good with no dust jacket. 2018. Hardcover. 9004383735 . Xv, 330 pp. Index. Octavo. Dark red hardcover with image of a Chinese temple. Small bit of minor shelf wear, interior tight and clean, appears never read. In English with occasional Chinese. Conceptualizes the rise of Chinese Christianity as a new civilizational paradigm that encouraged individuals and communities to construct a sacred order for empowerment in modern China. Once Christianity enrooted itself in Chinese society as an indigenous religion, local congregations acquired much autonomy which enabled new religious institutions to take charge of community governance. Our contributors draw on newly-released archival sources, as well as on fieldwork observations investigating what Christianity meant to Chinese believers, how native actors built their churches and faith-based associations within the pre-existing social networks, and how they appropriated Christian resources in response to the fast-changing world. This book reconstructs the narratives of ordinary Christians, and places everyday faith experience at the center. ; Studies In Christian Mission; Vol. 55; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 348 pages .