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Questions remain, however, about what these people really believed. At best they retained the basic teachings of the Nestorian missionaries, which already makes their theology suspect in the West. A remote Christian outpost in the heart of Taoist country would also have been susceptible to syncretism. In its report on Palmer's discovery, U.S. News claims that the "uniquely Chinese brand of Christianity … mixed with Taoism and Buddhism, differed from the Roman church by discarding the idea of original sin, and preaching against slavery and for gender equality and vegetarianism."

That seems like an awful lot of information to glean from a few stone fragments. Obviously more research needs to be done. Perhaps we'll learn that the world's largest mission field, host to more than 8,000 foreign missionaries between 1830 and 1949, had been plowed and ready for planting for more than a millennium.

Elesha Coffman is associate editor of Christian History.

Copyright © 2001 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

The U.S. News report, "Did Christianity thrive in China? | Digging for evidence in an ancient church," is available online.

More information about the Nestorian stone is available from the Assyria Awareness site.

A photo of a replica of the Nestorian stone is available online as well.

For some reason, much information on Chinese Christianity can be found at a site for promoting board games,

CH covered Nestorianism in issue 51: Heresy in the Early Church. We covered missions to China in issue 52: Hudson Taylor.

Christian History Corner appears every Friday at ChristianityToday.com. Previous Christian History Corners include:

Food for the Soul? | Lenten traditions range from fowl-turned-fish to pretzels. (Mar. 2, 2001)

The Radical Kirk | The Church of Scotland has a long history of intense reforms. (Feb. 23, 2001)

Marching to Zion | The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church celebrates its 200th anniversary today. (Feb. 16, 2001)

Innovating with the Flow | John and Charles Wesley harnessed the momentum of their time. (Feb. 9, 2000)

Dangerous Myth-Conceptions | A new book traces the origins of historical misunderstandings about Christianity. (Feb. 2, 2001)

1,700 Years of Faith | Armenian Christians celebrate their heritage and look to their future. (Jan. 26, 2001)

This Is Your Life | Exploring the "well-worn sawdust trail" between fundamentalists and evangelicals. (Jan. 19, 2000)

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God | Like Paul, Galileo believed that God made himself known through creation. (Jan. 5, 2000)

Festive Flora | Deck the halls with boughs of pagan significance, falalalala, lalalala. (Dec. 22, 2000)

Peace on Earth? | Christmas Carols and the Civil War (Dec. 15, 2000)

Why December 25? | The month and day of Christ's birth have been hotly disputed for centuries. (Dec. 8, 2000)

The Book Everyone Should Buy | Or at least know about, anyway. (Dec. 1, 2000)

The Saga of St. Chad | A tale of political maneuvers and positioning. Sound familiar? (Nov. 22, 2000)

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March (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45