Reflections of a New Missionary - Lutheran Society for Missiology

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100 Missio Apostolica Who better to author this book than Dr. Andrew Hsiao, one among very few Chinese rightfully called "Mr. Lutheran" Born on the China mainland, but living most of his adult life in Hong Kong, Hsiao knows the Chinese Lutheran churchles as well as any person alive. He served as president of Lutheran Theological Seminary in Hong Kong for some 24 years (1971-1995), where he still serves an active ministry as president emeritus. He also served as vice-president of the Lutheran World Federation, which deepened his acquaintance with Chinese churches outside Hong Kong. A few years ago, he wrote a multi-volume Chinese work, Understanding the Lutheran Church, which introduced the doctrines, history, ethos, and practices of the Lutheran Church. The present volume is an extension of the historical section of that work. In three brief chapters, Hsiao provides a reliable, current summary of Lutheran ministry in the Chinese world. In the form of the eccentric Karl Giitzlaff and hls furtive attempts to enter China, Lutheran ministry in China can be said to have begun as early as 1831. In a more prolonged and institutional sense, Lutheran ministry began about 1850 with the coming of missionaries from three German mission societies. Over the coming century, upwards of a dozen other mission societies began ministry, many at the turn of the century, and others, including the LCMS, within another decade or so. By treating each of these in turn, in terms both of the founding mission agency and of the counterpart Chinese churches/synods, Hsiao brings order to a bewildering variety of agencies: Denmark (I), Finnish (I), German (4), Norway (3), Sweden (I), USA (5), mixed (1). His patient retelling of this history (the first chapter, approximately half of the book) documents remarkable dedication by Lutheran Churches to the task of mission in the face of difficult and recurring crises (natural disasters, overthrow of dynasty, foreign incursions, anti-foreign and anti-Christian movements, and civil war). One of the better kept secrets of the history of this era is the fact that by 1951 Chinese Lutheran churches had a membership upwards of 100,000, which represented more than 10% of the Protestant population at that time. One of Hsiao's sub-themes as he recounts this history is the story of the Lutheran Church in China, founded in 1920. Begun as a form of cooperative ministry (e.g. theological education, literature) by many diverse Lutheran societies, the LCC developed ~nto a strong national church. Unfortunately, though the title of this chapter is "Lutheran Churches in Mainland China," the account is focussed exclusively on the Lutheran Church in China. This means that a non-LCC Lutheran church is not part of that story, e.g. the LCMS and its counterpart church. What bits and pieces of that history there are, appear only as historical background in the entry on the Lutheran Church-Hong Kong Synod. The second chapter of Hsiao's survey covers "Chinese Lutheran Churches outside Mainland China." The major part of this chapter presents the history and ministry (structure, evangelism, education, social services, theological education, church cooperation) of the seven Lutheran rnissions/synods in Hong Kong, the six major missionsisynods in Taiwan, and the two major missions/synods in Malaysia-Singapore. Much briefer word is given about Chinese churches in the Western world (Australia, Europe, and North America). This is a much more widely diverse history, difficult to pin
Book Reviews 10 1 down because it is still living and changing. Understandably, this is the section where more minor errors occur, especially in churches that Hsiao perhaps deals with less intimately. For example, in the entry for the China Evangelical Lutheran Church (LCMS partner church in Taiwan), the names of some of the church presidents are wrongly given, as is the attribution of work among Hakka people. Again, the Wisconsin Synodrelated ministry in Taiwan is by-passed, though it has had an interesting history of some fifteen years. If there is one area that needs significant updating (perhaps a separate study!), it is the story of the rapidly expanding Chinese ministry in North America across a range of denominational groups. As much impetus as there was toward united ministry in the mainland era, it seems striking that there has been little similar activity since 1950. Perhaps that history was too fragmented by world and civil wars and by enormous movements of refugees. What cooperative efforts emerged seem to have been channeled in two directions, namely formation of Lutheran councils in various countries, and affiliation with the Lutheran World Federation. The story of the latter is the subject of the third chapter, and it is a fascinating history. The role of the LWF in adopting "orphaned" missions during World War 2, in providing supplies and transport for Lutheran missionaries/churches during that war and the following years of the communist take-over, and in providing haven and care for refugee populations after the take-over can hardly be overestimated. Those early leaders provided heroic, often unsung service. In subsequent years, the LWF has continued to serve the region by providing leadership training and service ministries, including also non-member churches. Surely, the highlight of recent LWF presence in the China region was the convening of its Ninth Assembly in Hong Kong, only weeks after Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty. There is always more that could be told, however, and, as is true of any good presentation, Hsiao's book heightens curiosity and raises a myriad of questions. If there is one underlying, bewildering question, however, it is why the Lutheran tradition in the Chinese dispersion has seemingly not been able to maintain the vigor it had in China, as reflected in 1951 statistic that Lutherans represented upwards of 10% of the Protestant community there. That, however, is the subject of another work. Given the importance of this book, one hopes that a second edition will allow editors to catch the many petty glitches in the book, e.g., typos, inconsistencies in spelling and romanization, contradictory facts (the LCHKS missionary to Australia is listed correctly on p. 103 as Mark Lai, but incorrectly on p. 148 as Titus Lee). In addition, the book would also be well served with an index, as well as with Chinese characters for person and church names, especially given the varying systems of romanization. For anyone interested in the Lutheran chapter of the history of the Christian church in the Chinese world, this is a unique and very helpful resource. We owe deep thanks to our elder brother, Andrew Hsiao, for whom this book is the latest of capstones to a long, gracious, loving ministry in China. Henry Rowold
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