| SPRING SEMESTER 2017 | WED 4:00-6:30 PM | Classroom: Tomlinson 243 | Prof. Jonathan Tan | Office: 243G Tomlinson Hall | (216) 368-6446 | jonathan.tan@case.edu |
This upper division 300-level undergraduate/400-level graduate seminar meets once a week to discuss and evaluate important historical and contemporary aspects of Chinese Christianity. As time does not permit an exhaustive study of all historical periods, this seminar will focus attention on key milestones within Chinese Christianity since the nineteenth century. First, we begin with the historic Taiping 太平 Christian uprising of the mid-nineteenth century, which is central to understanding the emergence of contemporary indigenous Chinese Christianity and the growth of underground indigenous house/family churches (家庭教會 jiating jiaohui). Second, we will turn our attention to Wenzhou 温州 (in southeastern Zhejiang 浙江). Wenzhou is often called “China’s Jerusalem” for the sheer concentration of Evangelical Chinese Christians in that area. We will explore the historical, social, cultural, political, and economic forces behind the emergence and growth of the phenomenon of “boss Christians” (老板基督徒 laoban jidu tu) in Wenzhou Christianity who integrate Christian evangelism and capitalist entrepreneurship. Third, we move on to Chinese Catholics, focusing on the historical emergence and ongoing developments of both the government-sanctioned Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (中國天主教愛國會 Zhongguo Tianzhujiao aiguo hui) and underground Catholics (地下教會 dixia jiaohui) who remain loyal to the Pope in Rome. Finally, we explore the issue of religion and politics, as well as the future of church-state relations in contemporary Chinese Christianity through the lens of Hong Kong Christians’ involvement in the Umbrella Movement (雨傘運動 yusan yundong) against the central government in Beijing.
START HERE FIRST: 
Course Syllabus
NAVIGATE TO: |
Required & Recommended Books
The following books are required for this seminar. As they are not available at the campus bookstore, please order them through these Amazon links below or other online or brick-and-mortar sources. As these books are expensive, do take advantage of the availability of cheap copies on Amazon - click on the "Other Sellers" tab or links to "used" copies):- Carl S. Kilcourse, Taiping Theology: The Localization of Christianity in China, 1843-64 (Palgrave, 2016)
- Richard Madsen, China’s Catholics: Tragedy & Hope in an Emerging Civil Society (California, 1998)
- Nanlai Cao, Constructing China’s Jerusalem: Christians, Power & Place in Contemporary Wenzhou (Stanford, 2011)
- Justin K.H. Tse & Jonathan Y. Tan, eds., Theological Reflection on the Hong Kong Umbrella Movement (Palgrave, 2016)
- Daniel H. Bays, A New History of Christianity in China (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011)
Background Readings & Resources
Historic Christian site found in China: Nestorian Christian site dates back at least 1,200 years (UCA News, 17 January 2014)- "Did Christianity Thrive in China? Digging for evidence in an ancient church" (U.S. News & World Report, 5 March 2001)
- "Ruins of an Old Christian Church on Lao-tzu's Turf" (New York Times, 24 February 2002)
- "Faith in Shangri-La: Catholicism Maintains a Hold in China's Tibetan Communities" (Washington Post, 4 December 2000)
- "China on course to become world's most Christian nation' within 15 years" (The Telegraph, 19 April 2014)
- "The future of Christianity in China: Sino-Theology and the Pope" (CNN, 11 September 2014)
- "Special Report: The bishop who stood up to China" (Reuters, 31 March 2014)
- "Prophet or Judas? Son of China's church founder tackles thorny legacy" (Washington Post, 7 September 2014)
- "Inside China's Secret Churches: How Christians Practice Their Faith Under An Atheist Government" (Huffington Post, 17 October 2014)
Recommended Resources
- TBA
|
ABOUT | Home | Profile | Affiliations
TEACHING | Course Websites | All Things Religion | Religion Web Resources | Religion Links | Academic Research Resources RESEARCH | Publications | Speaking | Radio & Videos BOOKS | Introducing Asian American Theologies | Christian Mission among the Peoples of Asia | World Christianity: Perspectives and Insights | Theological Reflections HK Umbrella Movement | Interreligious Encounters: Opportunities and Challenges MUSIC | Original Compositions/Arrangements | Video Recordings MINISTRIES | Church Music | Cantus Mundi | Youtube |
Revision 1.004. Originally created: 12 October 2016. Last updated: 17 June 2017.