The Activities Of American Southern Baptist Convention In South China (1836-1912)

The history of missionary activities conducted by the American Southern BaptistConvention (SBC) in southern China could be traced back to 1836 when Rev. Shuckscame to Macau to missionize in local society. Of the SBC missionary activities inChina, the most flourishing one could be seen in Liangguang or the provinces ofGuangdong and Guangxi. This dissertation examines the establishment anddevelopment of Southern Baptist Convention in China from 1836 when Shucks cameto Macau to 1912, with a focus on Liangguang. This study would deal with themissionary course of the South China Southern Baptist Convention including its earlyactivities in Macau and Hong Kong, its development in Guangzhou and its extensionin Guangxi province. The history under discussion would involve several importantmissionaries sent to China by SBC, the development of its missionary, medical,educational, publishing and charity undertakings, changes of the leadership, itspromotion to the Chinese independent movement, famous Chinese missionariestrained by SBC itself, and the influence and impact of Christianity on the south Chinasociety in the late Qing Dynasty. The dissertation also attempts to analyze themissionary work of SBC in a particular region of China from an empirical perspective,thus revealing the multi-angled and multi-faceted interaction between missionariesand Chinese society of the period. It would try to interweave time with importantChristian characters and historical events while observing the development ofSouthern Baptist Conversion and thus provide readers with a sectional and regionalhistorical account on SBC's activities in South China.