Books

My Top 5 Books on China

China: Fragile Superpower: How China’s Internal Politics Could Derail Its Peaceful Rise Susan L. Shirk

A clear-eyed and frightening account of what could go wrong as China rises to economic and military superpower status.

* * *

The Search for Modern China, Second Ed. Jonathan D. Spence

Easily the most lucid, readable, and intelligent account of China’s emergence as a modern society from a traditionalist bureaucracy.

* * *

Faith of our Fathers: God in Ancient China Chan Kei Thong

A fascinating interpretation of China’s ancient culture as being on a trajectory in search of morality and the divine.

* * *

Red China Blues: My Long March from Mao to Now Jan Wong

A moving personal account of a Western Maoist’s disillusionment with the totalitarian pretensions of China during and shortly after the Cultural Revolution.

* * *

China: eople Place Culture History DK Publishing

A useful and beautifully illustrated introduction to ancient and modern China for the non-specialist.

Copyright © 2008 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

David Aikman’s Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity Is Changing the Global Balance of Power is available from Amazon.com and other realtors.

Previous Top 5 lists have featured books on Presidents, World Christianity, Ancient-Future Faith, the Civil Rights Era, Social Justice, Church History, Popular Culture, the Civil War, Apologetics, Atheism, and Sex.

Our recent coverage of China includes “Aiding China’s Shaken Church,” “China’s Great Leap Forward,” “Hungry for Jesus,” “Audio Slideshow: Changing China,” and more.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Our Latest

Public Theology Project

The Star of Bethlehem Is a Zodiac Killer

How Christmas upends everything that draws our culture to astrology.

News

As Malibu Burns, Pepperdine Withstands the Fire

University president praises the community’s “calm resilience” as students and staff shelter in place in fireproof buildings.

The Russell Moore Show

My Favorite Books of 2024

Ashley Hales, CT’s editorial director for print, and Russell discuss this year’s reads.

News

The Door Is Now Open to Churches in Nepal

Seventeen years after the former Hindu kingdom became a secular state, Christians have a pathway to legal recognition.

The Holy Family and Mine

Nativity scenes show us the loving parents we all need—and remind me that my own parents estranged me over my faith.

Why Christians Oppose Euthanasia

The immorality of killing the old and ill has never been in question for Christians. Nor is our duty to care for those the world devalues.

China’s Churches Go Deep Rather than Wide at Christmas

In place of large evangelism outreaches, churches try to be more intentional in the face of religious restrictions and theological changes.

Wire Story

Study: Evangelical Churches Aren’t Particularly Political

Even if members are politically active and many leaders are often outspoken about issues and candidates they support, most congregations make great efforts to keep politics out of the church when they gather.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube