Christianity has become the most practiced religion among the Chinese in America; but very little solid research exists on Chinese Christians and their churches. This book is the first to explore the subject from the inside; revealing how Chinese Christians construct and reconstruct their identity—as Christians; Americans; and Chinese—in local congregations amid the radical pluralism of the late twentieth century. Today there are more than one thousand Chinese churches in the United States; most of them Protestant evangelical congregations; bringing together diasporic Chinese from diverse origins—Taiwan; Hong Kong; mainland China; and Southeast Asian countries. Fenggang Yang finds that despite the many tensions and conflicts that exist within these congregations; most individuals find ways to creatively integrate their evangelical Christian beliefs with traditional Chinese (most Confucian) values. The church becomes a place where they can selectively assimilate into American society while simultaneously preserving Chinese values and culture.Yang brings to this study unique experience as both participant and observer. Born in mainland China; he is a sociologist who converted to Christianity after coming to the United States. The heart of this book is an ethnographic study of a representative Chinese church; located in Washington; D. C.; where he became a member. Throughout the book; Yang draws upon interviews with members of this congregation while making comparisons with other churches throughout the United States. Chinese Christians in America is an important addition to the literature on the experience of "new" immigrant communities.
#1983770 in Books 2009-10-29Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.00 x 6.00l; 1.10 #File Name: 0268026025344 pages
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Church and State in Early AmericaBy Mhall"This collection of well-crafted essays probes the `religion and the founding' question from a fresh angle. Its concentration on the second rank of founders pays rich dividends; since this focus uncovers more variety on religious issues than appear when looking only at the `Big Six' of Washington-Franklin-John Adams-Madison-Hamilton-Jefferson. The pay off is to show not only how deep but also how various were the founders' religious commitments. Historians; but also those concerned about religion in contemporary American politics; should take note--the editors have done a very fine job." -- Mark Noll; University of Notre Dame"There is no book comparable to The Forgotten Founders on Religion and Public Life. It is a collection of eleven essays on the many neglected figures or; in some cases; the neglected church-state views of duly appreciated figures. The book's appeal goes beyond the realm of constitutional doctrine. In addition to constitutional lawyers; constitutional historians; historians of religion in America; and those who study American political thought will all welcome and value the book." -- Gerard V. Bradley; University of Notre Dame Law School2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A surprisingly cosmopolitan meshing of differing viewsBy Midwest Book ReviewThe Forgotten Founders on Religion and Public Life is an anthology of writings by learned authors seeking to bring full insight into the views of religion and the public space among a diversity of America's founders - not just the few that popular culture tends to focus on (due to a paucity of historical records or even the founder's individual efforts of self-promotion). Individual writings include "The Way of Duty: Abigail Adams and Religion"; "John Jay and the 'Great Plan of Providence'"; "Benjamin Rush and Revolutionary Christian Reform"; "Mercy Otis Warren on Church and State"; and many more. A surprisingly cosmopolitan meshing of differing views (including contrasting opinions on just how much of a role religion should have in the public domain) evolves; in this excellent effort to assemble a depth and breadth of thought to reveal precisely how America's founders viewed the church and the state. Highly recommended; especially for public and college library American History shelves.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Brilliant....By trenchantDreisbach is a historian's historian. His attention to historical detail and deep understanding of events makes him an expert in this field. We can clearly see that the superficial advocates who maintain that America was founded by rationalists; deists; etc. are rooted in mid-air; i.e.; they have presuppositions unsupported by the factual evidence.
