Modern Chinese Theologies, Volume 2: Independent and Indigenous , edited by Chloë Starr

Chloë Starr, professor of Asian Christianity at Yale Divinity School, offers in Modern Chinese Theologies: Volume 2—Independent and Indigenous (2023) the second volume of her trilogy on modern Chinese theology. Moving beyond the mission-founded, Western-shaped leaders examined in volume 1, this book highlights the Indigenous voices of China’s independent or “house” churches. Its purpose is to shed light on theological currents that, though shaping the majority of Chinese Protestant life in the past century, have received little scholarly attention. Starr frames the volume as a corrective to this neglect, underscoring how theology in these unregistered congregations emerges as embodied practice, deeply contextual and locally grounded rather than derivative of imported traditions.The volume opens with four chapters tracing theological trajectories from the early twentieth century to today. Chapter 1 examines the Spiritual Gifts Movement of 1930s Shandong, an Indigenous revival that, through exuberant worship, left a lasting mark on rural congregations. Chapter 2 turns to Hong Kong’s Pentecostal Mission, where David K. H. Tai challenges the assumption of syncretism with Chinese folk religion, showing instead that its theology and practice were direct inheritances of the Azusa Street Revival—“a legacy of American Holiness Pentecostalism” rather than a hybrid faith (46). Chapters 3 and 4 explore contemporary trends: The spread of Reformed theology reshaping leadership patterns in house churches, often limiting women’s roles, and XU Ximian’s study of Wenzhou, which urges a more critical retrieval of Dutch Neo-Calvinism to contextualize Calvinism for China’s setting. Together, these essays reveal the tension between Indigenous revivalism and imported traditions.Chapters 5–9 focus on Watchman Nee (NI Tuosheng 柝聲, 1903–72). Xie Wenyu unpacks Nee’s anthropology of spirit, soul, and body, grounding his theology of Christian life. Sun Yi compares Nee’s The Normal Christian Life with Calvin, showing how Reformed rigor mingled with Pietist spirituality. Brian Chiu brings Nee into dialogue with the theologian Jia Yuming 賈玉銘 (1880–1964), highlighting their success in bridging reason and experiential faith for a Chinese audience. Liu Ping offers perhaps the most striking insight: eight prison letters in which Nee forged a “unique Chinese political theology” through two decades of incarceration, embodying joyful obedience in resistance (177). Finally, Yan Zheng examines the local church’s doctrine of theosis, controversial for its language of “man becoming God,” but significant as a creative appropriation of global theology into a Chinese key.The final part, “Inspiring the Church,” profiles Wang Mingdao 王明道 (1990–91), Samuel Lamb (Chin. Lin Xiangao 林獻羔, 1924–2013), and Yang Shaotang 楊紹唐 (1898–1969). Zaho Pan argues that Wang’s biblical yet Confucian-influenced moral philosophy shaped his theology and uncompromising defiance of state control: “Morality was one of the primary concerns in his life and theology” (213). Liu Shibo highlights Samuel Lamb’s emphasis on faith under persecution and Scripture’s primacy, a legacy formed in imprisonment and house-church resilience. He Aixia presents Yang Shaotang, a mediating figure caught between state affiliation and fundamentalist convictions, who nevertheless articulated hopes for the church’s future. This section also considers Catholic responses to Vatican II reforms, underlining that the dynamics of Indigenous adaptation extended beyond Protestantism.Modern Chinese Theologies: Volume 2 succeeds admirably in its mission, offering notable strengths. Foremost is the breadth and diversity of material: Starr and her contributors present case studies spanning denominations, regions, and decades, many based on previously neglected sources such as Nee’s prison letters or rare local publications. This scope yields a panoramic view of the independent churches’ theological creativity, filling an important gap in scholarship. Another strength is methodological balance. The essays are rigorously researched yet accessible, providing context for general readers while engaging specialists with doctrinal comparisons, theological debates, and Chinese-language analysis. Above all, the volume demonstrates how theology and faith life are inseparably woven together. By portraying revival meetings, house-church worship, witness under persecution, and the embodied practices of repentance and healing, the book reveals theology as lived reality rather than imported abstraction. This emphasis on embodied, contextually grounded faith provides the collection with coherence and resonance.The book is not without limitations, mostly due to its ambitious scope. Some influential figures and movements inevitably receive scant attention, a selectivity that may frustrate readers seeking comprehensive coverage. Moreover, the richness of detail sometimes eclipses cross-references between chapters; a more synthetic conclusion might have linked Pentecostal revivalism to later house-church leaders, or contrasted Nee’s and Wang’s approaches to state authority. Such analysis would have underscored shared themes and divergences more clearly. Yet these shortcomings are minor compared to the achievement. The thematic unity of “independent and indigenous” churches, supported by Starr’s framing, ensures cohesion. In the end, the book’s originality, range, and portrayal of theology-in-action far outweigh its gaps, making it a significant contribution that challenges monolithic portrayals and highlights the dynamic plurality of Chinese theology.This volume will most benefit scholars and students of world Christianity, Asian theology, and modern church history, who will value its meticulous scholarship and rare primary-source insights. Yet its accessible style makes it equally suitable for pastors, seminarians, and interested lay readers seeking to understand how Christian thought has flourished in Chinese soil. For all who wish to see how theology is inculturated and lived in contexts far removed from the West, Starr’s book offers an inspiring account of faith as a deeply embodied and Indigenous reality.