The History of Christianity in Asia

Christianity was born in Asia. But it never became the predominant religion of the continent as it did in Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Americas. Even so, diverse cultural groups across the Asian landmass encountered the gospel in the early, medieval, and modern periods of its cross-cultural transmission from Asian and European missions. These encounters resulted in the birth and spread of resilient minority Christian communities within the Persian, Indian, Chinese, and Mongolian empires which favoured other sophisticated text-based religious traditions. This survey course explores the origins, achievements, and challenges faced by Asian Christian communities from the first to the twentieth century.