Salvation and Revolution: A Twentieth Century Odyssey of the Chinese Protestant Mind

— —

Jesse Zexi Sun (Assistant Professor of History of Christianity, Assistant Professor of History of Christianity, Belmont University)

Salvation and Revolution

A Twentieth Century Odyssey of the Chinese Protestant Mind

Jesse Zexi Sun (Assistant Professor of History of Christianity, Assistant Professor of History of Christianity, Belmont University)

$245.95

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Oxford University Press Inc
08 October 2025

Religious issues & debates; History of religion; Protestantism & Protestant Churches; Christian institutions & organisations

Salvation and Revolution traces the intricate paths of Chinese Protestant intellectuals as they grappled with their Christian faith amidst the upheavals of modern China. Beginning with the fall of the Qing Dynasty and journeying through the tumultuous Cultural Revolution, this book considers the lives of figures like Zhao Zichen, Wu Yaozong, and Cai Yongchun, who strove to align Christianity with the nation's quest for renewal.

Initially championing a ""Liberal Synthesis,"" these intellectuals sought to fuse liberal Christian ideals with patriotic fervor, viewing Christianity as a catalyst for moral progress, social reform, and global solidarity. But as China wrestled with internal strife, the Japanese invasion, and the ascent of the Chinese Communist Party, their theological paths diverged. Wu Yaozong veered toward socialism and embraced the CCP as a vehicle for national salvation and purified Christianity. In contrast, Zhao Zichen and Cai Yongchun adopted more conservative theological positions, emphasizing God's transcendence and pursuing spiritual transformation amid these crises.

In this deeply researched book, Jesse Zexi Sun follows these thinkers' struggles to adapt to the demands of the early People's Republic of China, their efforts to sustain religious expression under intensifying state control, and the profound challenges they confronted during the Cultural Revolution. Despite theological rifts, public denunciations, and personal suffering, these intellectuals remained unwavering in their conviction that Christianity deserved a vital place in China's future.

Salvation and Revolution illuminates the complex interplay between faith and nationalism, revealing tensions between universal religious claims and China's unique context, and how these thinkers sought to navigate them.

By: Jesse Zexi Sun (Assistant Professor of History of Christianity Assistant Professor of History of Christianity Belmont University)
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 239mm, Width: 166mm, Spine: 24mm
Weight: 562g
ISBN: 9780197809884
ISBN 10: 019780988X
Pages: 296
Publication Date: 08 October 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction: Chinese Christian Intellectuals 1: The Liberal Synthesis: Path to National Salvation in Postimperial China 2: From Social Gospel to Socialism: Turning Left to Save China 3: Reclaiming the Supernatural: Resistance and Submission in Wartime China 4: Diverging Visions, Converging Paths: Seeking Salvation in the Chinese Civil War 5: Thwarted Adaptations: Reconstructing Christianity in the Early PRC 6: Surviving the Valley of the Shadow of Death: Protestant Intellectuals in the Cultural Revolution Afterword: Thinking History in the Present

Jesse Zexi Sun is Assistant Professor of History of Christianity at Belmont University. Specializing in the history of Chinese Christianity and its intersections with nationalism and revolutionary movements, he has authored chapters in Visions of Salvation: Chinese Christian Posters in an Age of Revolution (Baylor University Press, 2022) and Modern Chinese Theologies, Vol. 1: Heritage and Prospect (Fortress Press, 2023). His work has also been published in Church History, Studies in World Christianity, International Bulletin of Mission Research, and the Journal of Religious History.