The History of Christian Missions in Guangxi, China

Book excerpt: The History of Christian Missions in Guangxi, China describes the fascinating history of Catholic and Protestant missions in bandit-infested Guangxi from the seventeenth century to the present. Included is an overview of Guangxi’s historical context and its development throughout the twentieth century. Particular attention is given to the missionaries through abundant quotations and several short biographies. Other chapters include: •an examination of the relationships between mission societies and the missionaries that served in Guangxi •a detailed history of outreach to Guangxi’s minorities, including the Zhuang, Yao, Dong, and Miao •an analysis of the missionary methods and ministries of compassion •a breakdown of the costs and challenges faced by the missionaries, including martyrdom and death •an evaluation of the receptivity levels and results in Guangxi over time The book ends with an appendix of missionary quotations on life in Guangxi, to which contemporary missionaries in South China could easily relate. Although this is a regional study, readers will gain a much clearer picture of nineteenth- and twentieth-century missions and be spurred on to sacrificially make Christ known in the least reached parts of the world.