Date Approved

10-17-2016

Embargo Period

10-17-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. History

Department

History

College

College of Humanities & Social Sciences

Advisor

Wang, Edward Q.

Committee Member 1

Morschauser, Scott

Committee Member 2

Wiltenburg, Joy

Keywords

China, Christianity, May Fourth Movement, Missionary, Republic of China, United States

Subject(s)

Christianity--20th century; China—History—Republic, 1912-1949; Missionaries

Disciplines

Asian History | Christianity

Abstract

This thesis investigates the beliefs and practices of Chinese Christians and their American missionary counterparts in the Republic of China (1912-1949). Between the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the rise of the People's Republic, the Chinese people seriously reexamined politics, religion, and their relationship with the West. Many scholars claim that Chinese people could not completely understand and accept Christianity due to insurmountable cultural differences. I would argue religious misunderstanding did not befall our historical subjects the Chinese Christians; rather misunderstanding has plagued the modern scholar. Misunderstanding did not arise from a centuries old cultural mindset. Instead, Sino-Christianity conformed to the relatively new paradigm of the Republic. This study argues two central things: Sino-Christians, through scholarly pursuits, formed a religion and a Jesus that best suited nationalistic needs. Secondly, American missionaries, either passively or actively, encouraged native Chinese Christians to interpret religion for themselves. Through Sinification, biblical reading blended with the Literary Revolution, the May Fourth Movement redefined Christ's divinity, Confucianism merged with Christian concepts, and Jesus became a KMT revolutionary. Basically, Sino-Christians of the Republic were trying to find a Chinese Jesus.

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