A Historical Study Of Christian Missionary In Shandong During Modern Times (1860-1937)

In light of the unequal treaty series after the Second Opium War, the Western Christian churches flooded into Shandong by building churches, recruiting followers and undertaking sermons, health care, education and so on there. Besides their missionary work, they in the meantime, introduced the advanced western medical and educational notions, which was helpful not only to a large number of poor farmers, but a quantity of technical personnel in China. The author, in this paper, made an elaborate exploration into and an objective assessment of the activities projected by Christian missionaries in Shandong on the basis of abundant English and Chinese information.This paper is divided into four chapters: The first chapter introduces the temporal background of the Christian missionaries in China. Internationally, colonization and evangelicalism prove the root and driving force of its popularity in the modern times. Domestically, the "tolerant policies" and comparatively friendly attitude of the central and local governments promoted its development.The second chapter, the development of Christianity in Shandong, is composed of four parts: First, the unique geographical advantages of Shandong helps Christianity missionary. Second, Christianity was introduced to Shandong. Third, its tortuous development process is described. Last, is about some mass-versus-church cases in Shandong.The third chapter, concerning Christian missionaries in Shandong, elaborates on the following four aspects: First, evangelistic activities, hard sermon activities in towns and villages, in cities and the sermon thoughts of Lottie Moon. Second, educational activities, including brief introduction of some schools built by missionaries. Third, is about medical care activities, including the then medical situation in China and why and what medical activities were projected. Fourth, is about translations and writings of missionaries in Shandong.The fourth chapter sketches the exertions made by the Christianity missionaries to the social development in Shandong. It consists of two parts which includes their efforts to education, medical care and household harmony and historical limitations. The missionaries are marked by their religious nature, but it is worthwhile to mention their contributions to the development of the social life in Shandong.