Figure 1.--This photograph was taken in Hong Kong during 1926. We see a Catholic priest with his students. It was a school fonded by the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America.

China was loosly connected to Europe at the time of Christ by the famed Silk Road. And more than silka bd other luxury goods were transported over the Silk Road--ideas were also transported. And of course the Silk Road was a two way flow. Thus Christian ideas flowed East along with countless other religious and philosophical ideas. Syrian missionaies seem to have been active (8th century). These churches seem to have disappared with a Tibetan invasion and a Buddhist revival. With the rise of the Mongols there are again reports of Christians in the East, including China (13-15 centuries). These reports include minor kings, mothers and wives of Chinese emperors, but no emperor ever converted. Central Asian tribes like Keraits and the Uyghurs were at times known as Christian. Kublai Khan even asked the Pope for 100 missionaries, but none were never sent. Mark, a Kerait or Uyghur, traveked West and became Patriarch of the whole Church of the East as Yaballahe III (1281). His companion, Sauma, traveled further West to Rome and London. He oversaw Holy Communion to King Edward I. While Christianity reached the East, unkike Budhiam and Islam, it never had a major impact until modern times. Even so, a the legend of Prester John developed. Stories about St. Thomas, the Patriarch who traveled East. This led to accounts about Prester John which became popular in Europe (beginning in 12th century). They told of a Christian (Nestorian) patriarch and king who ruled over a Christian nation lost amid the Muslims and other pagans in the East. These accounts only ended after Europeans reached India, China, and other EEastern lands where Prester John was believed to have been located. Chistian missionary activity began in Asia with the Europen maritime outeach (16th century). The Spanish and Portuguese missionaries sought to convert Asian peoples, primarily in China, Japan, India, and Sri Lanka. The two most important early missionaries were Francis Xavier in Japan and Matteo Ricci in China. They and others converted large numbers of people. No one know just what extent the coinverts understood Chrustian theology. But their fervor is well documented. Most understod that they were putting their lives in danger. The Protestants that followed, were less interested in conversion, at least until the 19th century. Throughout Asia, Christians were often viewed as aliens. They were killed in huge numbers during the Tokugawa shogunate (17th century). The were attacked by the Boxers (1900). Even so they played an important role in the moderizatiion effort. They were eradicated Shogun Hideyoshi (16th century). Indian took a more relaxed attitude toward Christinity and Christian missions play an important role im modernization and independence. Protestants joined the missionary effort in the mid-19th century. There was a strong effort in China. Interestingly the Protestant Dutch who had an extensive empire were not particularly active in the missionary effort. Either were the English until the 19th century. We have sevral pages on Christian missionaries in Asia: China.

Created: 8:28 AM 2/18/2021
Last updated: 8:28 AM 2/18/2021