Schism: Seventh-day Adventism in Post-Denominational China

Schism is the first ethnographic and historical study of Seventh-day Adventism in China, exploring how Chinese Adventists have used schism to retain, revive, and recast their unique ecclesial identity in a religious habitat that resists diversity. Based on unpublished archival materials, fieldwork, oral history, and social media research, Christie Chui-Shan Chow demonstrates how Chinese Adventists adhere to their denominational character by recasting the theologies and faith practices they inherited from American missionaries and engaging with local politics and culture. The book locates the Adventist movement in broader Chinese sociopolitical and religious contexts and explores the multiple agents at work in the movement, including intrachurch divisions, growing encounters between local and overseas Adventists, and the denominations ongoing interactions with local Chinese authorities and other Protestants.

Format: Hardback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 15 October 2021
Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press

Schism is a groundbreaking ethnographic and historical study that delves into the fascinating story of Seventh-day Adventism in China. Scholars have been relatively slow to approach Chinese Protestantism from a denominational perspective, which is why Christie Chui-Shan Chow's monograph, Schism, is a significant contribution to the field. This comprehensive work explores how Chinese Adventists have utilized schism as a strategic tool to preserve, revitalize, and redefine their distinctive ecclesial identity within a religious environment that often resists diversity.

Chow's research is based on a wealth of unpublished archival materials, fieldwork, oral history, and social media research, providing a rich and detailed account of the Chinese Adventist denomination from the mid-1970s to the 2010s. Through her meticulous analysis, Chow demonstrates how Chinese Adventists have successfully maintained their denominational character while adapting to the unique challenges and opportunities presented by their religious environment.

One of the key aspects of Schism is how Chinese Adventists have reinterpreted and reshaped the theologies and faith practices that they inherited from American missionaries in the early twentieth century. Chow highlights how these Adventists have creatively blended their inherited traditions with local customs and cultural norms, creating a distinctive Chinese Adventist identity that is both deeply rooted in their heritage and relevant to the contemporary Chinese context.

In addition to exploring the theological and cultural dimensions of the Adventist movement in China, Chow also examines the broader sociopolitical and religious contexts in which it operates. She explores the internal divisions among Adventist believers, the growing interactions between local and overseas Adventists, and the ongoing interactions between the denomination and local Chinese authorities and other Protestant groups. This nuanced analysis sheds light on the complex dynamics and factors that shape the Adventist movement in China.

One of the most intriguing findings of Schism is that global Adventist theology and practices continue to inform the Adventist movement in China today. Chow demonstrates how Chinese Adventists have adapted and incorporated these global trends into their own religious practices and beliefs, creating a dynamic and evolving denomination that is both deeply rooted in its historical roots and responsive to the changing needs of its members and the broader Chinese society.

Schism is a must-read for scholars and students of Chinese history and religion, global Christianity, American religion, and Seventh-day Adventism. It offers a fresh and insightful perspective on the history and development of the Adventist movement in China, challenging existing interpretations and providing new insights into the complex dynamics of religious change and adaptation in a rapidly evolving society.

In conclusion, Schism is a groundbreaking work that sheds light on the fascinating story of Seventh-day Adventism in China. Through its comprehensive analysis and rich data, Chow provides a valuable contribution to the field of religious studies and offers a deeper understanding of the ways in which religious movements adapt and evolve in response to changing social and cultural contexts. This book will interest scholars, students, and anyone with an interest in the history, theology, and culture of China and global Christianity.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780268200527