Catholicism in China, 1900-Present : The Development of the Chinese Church

The Chinese Catholic Church, with its complex history and remarkable longevity, has continued to attract the attention of China watchers. Historians, political scientists, and theologians have been exploring different aspects-the Church's development in the modern era, the issues of contention between the Vatican and Beijing, and the implications of a universal Catholic Church. In fact, Chinese Catholics belong to either the government-approved Church (open Church) or the unregistered Church (underground Church). Despite their differences, the Vatican and Beijing have regarded the Chinese Catholic Church as a single body. The Vatican has long refuted the existence of schism in the Catholic Church in China. For other reasons, Beijing has wanted to see the Church as one entity. Both the Vatican and Beijing have found the idea of a schismatic Church to be totally unacceptable. How will it be possible for people from all sidesinside and outside the Church and the country and the Vatican-to perceive the Chinese Catholic Church as one whole? The answers to this contemporary question are rooted in issues and events reaching back many decades (and even centuries). The chapters in this book covering the church from 1900 to the present trace the development of the Church in China from many historical and disciplinary vantage points, and shed light on the way forward. This edited volume is the product of scholars of various backgrounds, specialties, and agendas bringing forth their most treasured understandings and findings regarding the Chinese Catholic Church. I would like to thank the authors for their cooperation and enthusiasm in making this publication possible. I am also grateful to Burke Gerstenschlager of Palgrave Macmillan for his constant support throughout the book project. I am particularly appreciative of the expertise, thoughtful comments, and conscientious efforts of Mary ## Preface xii Child, who painstakingly read through the chapters many times. In the past 12 years, I received much encouragement and guidance from Maryknoll Sister Rose Duchesne Debrecht, who recently passed away. She was a missioner of humility, generosity, and great devotion to her vocation. Sister Rose Duchesne remains an icon of the Maryknoll heritage in Hong Kong. This edited volume is specially dedicated to her. In addition, I would like to thank Maryknoll Sisters Betty Ann Maheu and Anne Reusch, who have taught me so much about the Chinese Catholic Church. It is always a delight to see a new publication, which would hopefully lead to more similar endeavors in future. This is particularly important considering the recent change of leadership of both the Vatican and China. Cover -1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents -1 List of Figures 10 Preface 12 Dates for Chinese Historical Periods and Events 14 Vatican History 16 Editor’s Notes 18 INTRODUCTION The Church in China since 1900 -1 CHAPTER ONE Chinese Catholicism: An Overview -1 CHAPTER TWO Writing the History of the Catholic Church in China: -1 PART 1 Catholic Missions in Local China -1 CHAPTER THREE American Jesuits and the China Mission: The Woodstock Letters, 1900–1969 -1 CHAPTER FOUR Out of the Ashes: -1 CHAPTER FIVE Vincentian Missionaries in Jiangxi Province: Extending an American Catholic Community to China, 1921–1951 -1 PART 2 Religion, Politics, and Culture: -1 CHAPTER SIX Ending Civil Patronage: The Beginning of a New Era for the Catholic Missions in China, 1926 -1 CHAPTER SEVEN Catholic Bible Translation in Twentieth-Century China: An Overview -1 CHAPTER EIGHT Indigenizing Catholic Architecture in China: From Western-Gothic to Sino-Christian Design, 1900–1940 -1 PART 3 Catholicism and Politics in the Post-Mao Period -1 CHAPTER NINE China and the Vatican, 1979–Present -1 CHAPTER TEN Taiwan’s Role in the Chinese Catholic Church: -1 CHAPTER ELEVEN Sino-Vatican Relations under Pope Benedict XVI: From Promising Beginnings to Overt Confrontation -1 CONCLUSION The Church in China Today and the Road Ahead -1 CHAPTER TWELVE The Catholic Church’s Role in the African Diaspora in Guangzhou, China* -1 CHAPTER THIRTEEN The Task of Religion in Secular Society: The Challenges Ahead for Christianity in China -1 About the Authors 261 Index 268 dummyBlankPage.pdf -1 Cover -1 Contents -1 List of Illustrations -1 Series Editor’s Foreword -1 Preface -1 Acknowledgments -1 1 Muted Everyday Disasters -1 2 Soils and Their Classification: Ecological Processes and Social Struggles -1 3 Soil Properties and the Political Aspects of Soil Quality -1 4 Soil Degradation: Overview and Critique -1 5 Capitalism-Friendly Explanations of Soil Degradation -1 6 Leftist Alternatives and Failures -1 7 Toward an Eco-Social Approach to Environmental Degradation -1 Notes -1 Bibliography -1 Index -1 Introduction The Church In China Since 1900 -- Chinese Catholicism: An Overview / Cindy Yik-yi Chu -- Writing The History Of The Catholic Church In China: Historiography, 1900-present / Patrick M. W. Taveirne -- Part I Catholic Missions In Local China -- American Jesuits And The China Mission: The Woodstock Letters, 1900-1969 / Mark Destephano -- Out Of The Ashes: Remembrance And Reconstruction In Catholic Shanxi, 1900-present / Anthony E. Clark -- Vincentian Missionaries In Jiangxi Province: Extending As American Catholic Community To China, 1921-1951 / John Harney -- Part 2 Religion, Politics, And Culture: Cross-cultural Issues In The Chinese Catholic Church -- Ending Civil Patronage: The Beginning Of A New Era For The Catholic Missions In China, 1926 / Sergio Ticozzi -- Catholic Bible Translation In Twentieth-century China: An Overview / Daniel K. T. Choi And George K. W. Mak -- Indigenizing Catholic Architecture In China: From Western-gothic To Sino-christian Design, 1900-1940 / Thomas Coomans -- Part 3 Catholicism And Politics In The Post-mao Period -- China And The Vatican, 1970-present / Cindy Yik-yi Chu -- Taiwan's Role In The Chinese Catholic Church: The Bridging Endeavor / Beatrice Leung And Wen-ban Kuo -- Sino-vatican Relations Under Pope Benedict Xvi: From Promising Beginnings To Overt Confrontation / Jean-paul Wiest -- Conclusion The Church In China Today And The Road Ahead -- The Catholic Church's Role In The African Diaspora In Guangzhou, China / Shanshan Lan -- The Task Of Religion In Secular Society: The Challenges Ahead For Christianity In China / Ambrose Ih-ren Mong. Edited By Cindy Yik-yi Chu. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xviii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Chinese Catholicism: An Overview....Pages 3-12 Writing the History of the Catholic Church in China: Historiography, 1900-Present....Pages 13-24 Front Matter....Pages 25-25 American Jesuits and the China Mission: The Woodstock Letters, 1900–1969....Pages 27-46 Out of the Ashes: Remembrance and Reconstruction in Catholic Shanxi, 1900-Present....Pages 47-65 Vincentian Missionaries in Jiangxi Province: Extending an American Catholic Community to China, 1921–1951....Pages 67-83 Front Matter....Pages 85-85 Ending Civil Patronage: The Beginning of a New Era for the Catholic Missions in China, 1926....Pages 87-104 Catholic Bible Translation in Twentieth-Century China: An Overview....Pages 105-123 Indigenizing Catholic Architecture in China: From Western-Gothic to Sino-Christian Design, 1900–1940....Pages 125-144 Front Matter....Pages 145-145 China and the Vatican, 1979-Present....Pages 147-167 Taiwan’s Role in the Chinese Catholic Church: The Bridging Endeavor....Pages 169-187 Sino-Vatican Relations under Pope Benedict XVI: From Promising Beginnings to Overt Confrontation....Pages 189-216 Front Matter....Pages 217-217 The Catholic Church’s Role in the African Diaspora in Guangzhou, China....Pages 219-236 The Task of Religion in Secular Society: The Challenges Ahead for Christianity in China....Pages 237-251 Back Matter....Pages 253-264 The Chinese Catholic Church, with its complex history and remarkable longevity, has continued to attract the attention of China watchers. Historians, political scientists and theologians have been exploring different aspects -- the Church's development in the modern era, the issues of contention between the Vatican and Beijing, and the implications of a universal Catholic Church. This edited volume is the product of scholars of various backgrounds, specialties and agendas bringing forth their most treasured understandings and findings regarding the Chinese Catholic Church. The chapters in this book covering the church from 1900 to the present trace the development of the Church in China from many historical and disciplinary vantage points, and shed light on the way forward