The Many Captivities of Esther Wheelwright

A bold and original study of German missionaries in China, who catalyzed a revolution in thinking among European Christians about the nature of Christianity itself.

In this accessibly written and empirically based study, Albert Wu documents how German missionaries - chastened by their failure to convert Chinese people to Christianity - reconsidered their attitudes toward Chinese culture and Confucianism. In time, their increased openness catalyzed a revolution in thinking among European Christians about the nature of Christianity itself. At a moment when Europe's Christian population is falling behind those of South America and Africa, Wu's provocative analysis sheds light on the roots of Christianity's global shift.

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