JEAN UY UAYAN is Professor in Church History at the Biblical Seminary of the Philippines, Valenzuela City and has been with the institution for nearly forty years, as well as the Head of the Library and English editor of the seminary newsletter. She gained her PhD in Church History from Asia Graduate School of Theology, Quezon City, Philippines. Her academic career has seen her articles feature in various publications and she has written and edited books in English and Chinese. Uayan's extensive academic studies include Middle Eastern Studies at Jerusalem University College.
Since its birth two thousand years ago, Christianity has been in
large measure a religion of diasporic communities. Just as the
early disciples found a receptive audience among the God-fearers of
the Roman Mediterranean and the Jews of Persian Mesopotamia, today
the gospel message has borne an abundant harvest among the Chinese
scattered across Southeast Asia - in the Philippines, Indonesia,
Malaysia - and elsewhere. Though the field of diasporic studies has
burgeoned in recent decades, the study of diaspora religion, and
especially of religious change among men and women uprooted from
their ancestral homelands, is still in its infancy. Jean Uayan's
pioneering book on the early days of Protestantism among Chinese
Filipinos shows what diligent research and the careful weighing of
evidence can accomplish. Her work sheds light on the spread of
Reformation Christianity among Chinese Buddhists in the Catholic
Philippines, deepening our understanding of the emergence of what
Philip Jenkins has dubbed "the next Christendom." It has my highest
recommendation.
George W. Harper, PhD
Program Director, Theological Studies and Church History, Asia
Graduate School of Theology, Quezon City, Philippines
Dr Jean Uayan's book is another important addition to
historiography of religion of the Chinese-Filipino community in the
Philippines. ere has been erstwhile little known information and
data on the emergence and evolution of Protestant Chinese churches
in the Philippines, which is a vital institution in the Tsinoy
community then and now. How the six churches emerged in the
predominantly Catholic Philippines, how the membership and
leadership were formed and how they related to the Christian
missions of early years, and how the churches resolved issues and
challenges, enlighten the readers and fill a serious gap in the
body of literature on the study of the Chinese Filipinos.
Teresita Ang See
Former President, International Society for the Study of Chinese
Overseas
Former President, Philippine Association for Chinese Studies
This book is a comprehensive account of the emergence and early
development of Chinese churches in the Philippines. The focus is on
the individual stories of the churches but the stories are examined
within their historical, social, and religious setting. Thus, it
includes the history of the Chinese in the Philippines and the
histories of the cities where the churches are situated. It also
describes the history of early Christianity in the Philippines and
China. Dr Jean Uayan is to be commended for her hard work and
careful research.
In a recent gathering of theological educators in Asia, a church
history professor lamented, "There is a dearth of materials on
Asian Church History, we need local textbooks, please write about
the history of Christianity in your country." This book meets such
a need!
Theresa Roco Lua, PhD
General Secretary, Asia Theological Association
This is a great and significant work on the history of Chinese
churches in the Philippines. The author has critically researched,
studied and evaluated primary resources and come up with this
history. Aside from helping the existing Chinese churches in the
Philippines to go back to see God's graciousness in establishing
his church, the book can be a tool for critical researchers, church
historians, and church pastors to study and plan on how to
establish new churches in Asia and beyond. Reading this book gives
us missional principles on church growth, the proper relationship
between mission and local churches.
Joseph Shao, PhD
President, Biblical Seminary of the Philippines
Board member, Chinese Congress on World Evangelism International
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