China’s Catholics in an Era of Transformation Observations of an “Outsider”

This book features a collection of essays on China’s modern Catholic Church by a scholar of China-West intellectual and religious exchange. The essays and reflections were mostly written in China while the author was traveling by train, or staying in villages or large cities near to Roman Catholic cathedrals or other important historical sites during research trips to the country. It is clear that Clark’s understanding of Catholicism in China evolved from the first entry to the final ones in 2019. The essays included in this compendium were written in disparate contexts and in response to different events. As such, there is no obvious theme or order to the content. However, despite this, the book provides valuable insights for readers wishing to gain a better understanding of the complex topography of Catholic history in China, the contours of which have undergone stark transformations with each dynastic, political, and ecclesial transition. The information presented serves to highlight and explain the lives of Catholic people and the events that have punctuated one of the most significant dimensions of China’s long history of friendship, conflict and exchange with the West.

Anthony E. Clark is professor of Chinese history, director of Asian Studies, and Edward B. Lindaman Endowed Chair at Whitworth University, USA. He is the author of  several books, including China Gothic: The Bishop of Beijing and His Cathedral (2019) and Heaven in Conflict: Franciscans and the Boxer Uprising in Shanxi (2015).