True son of heaven: How Jesus fulfills the Chinese culture

by David B. Marshall

Does the Gospel fulfill the deepest truths of the ancient, endlessly fascinating Chinese culture? When first published, David Marshall's micro-classic kicked up a small cloud of controversy, as... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1883893364
• ISBN13: 9781883893361
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Kuai Mu Press
• Length: 182 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Enchanted, enthralled and enlightened

As a Chinese Christian, I am grateful to David Marshall for sharing with us his passion for Christ and China, evident on every page that I read. I am humbled by the realisation that someone not from my own country has done such extensive research in Chinese language, culture, traditional teachings and philosophies to bring us this book. I am also amazed by the revelation that God's fingerprints on my country can be found over thousands of years of history if we care to look for them. I do think though, that someone who may not know China too well or who may not have a great interest in Chinese culture may find this book confusing and hard to understand. On the other hand, Chinese people who have negative feelings towards Christianity because of its association with imperialism, colonialism and Western superiority may find this book an eye-opener if they are open-minded enough to check it out. I wonder if there is a Chinese translation available for those who cannot read English? After reading this book, one may ask: if God has been watching over China all along, even inspiring Confucius to write words of wisdom that have woven the moral fibre of most Chinese households, why was Christianity kept outside of China's door throughout the centuries? Looking at the miracles and conversions taking place in China today, one can see that 'the fields are now ripe for harvest'. State-sanctioned churches are packed every Sunday with locals responding to ongoing prayers praising God with loud 'Amens'. Underground churches thrive. Miraculous healing in the name of Jesus takes place in many rural areas. There is indeed a longing and hunger for that Supreme Being that China has been aware and in awe of, but was too lost and sinful to go near to throughout history. It seems to please God that some of the faithful servants that came from abroad, who give or have given their lives to or for China in the past 2 centuries or so should be the ones to bring millions of Chinese people into the Kingdom of God through Jesus the door. In His eyes, there is no distinction between East and West; He loves us just the same and wants us to love each other the way He does. It must please Him enormously to see us breaking racial and cultural 'walls' to share the love of Christ. Some Christian scholars have predicted that Chinese brothers and sisters will be the ones taking the gospel back to Jerusalem, where it all began, so that Israel's true redemption will be complete! Can Mr Marshall consider writing a book to shed some light on that?

A response.

Skeptics below call the author of this book (myself) a "fundamentalist," and complain of "blatant bigotry" and "wholesale distortion of reality." A Christian, on the other hand, warns of "syncretism." As thrilling as it is to be shot at from both sides at once, some response seems in order. One critic, reading the first edition, comments, "The concept of Heaven or God in Chinese intellectual history has always connoted the totalistic relationship of the universe . . . rather than the Christian concept of a personal, monotheistic deity." I am grateful for the challenge. The new edition includes quotes from leading China scholars, both Christians and skeptics, Chinese and Western, along with quotes from Chinese philosophers, popular proverbs, and the ancient classics. All show that the Chinese (including such great leaders as Confucius, Mencius, and the Kang Xi emperor) were often aware of a Supreme Being who was clearly personal. I also suggest that anyone who doubts that the Chinese once had a concept of a personal God, read China's earliest books, the Book of History and the Book of Odes, carefully observing how the authors speak of "Heaven" or "God," as most translations render "Tian" and "Shangdi." Another skeptic says my idea that Jesus "exists" in the Temple of Heaven, built (he thinks) before Christianity took root in Europe, makes no sense. It sure doesn't, put that way! The Beijing Temple of Heaven was built in 1421, long after Christianity came to most of Europe. My point is rather that Chinese emperors worshipped God at the Temple of Heaven, (a custom that goes back thousands of years), and that the symbolism and purpose of the building and the ceremony held in it point in a remarkable way to the sacrifice Jesus made for mankind on the cross. The complaint that I am not Chinese, and therefore can know nothing about China, is silly. The strength of an argument does not depend on the racial background of the person making it. If I have made mistakes, I welcome informed correction. The Christian who accuses me of syncretism enjoys criticizing my book so much, she does it twice. In some confusion, however. No, I do NOT claim a Han astronomer was one of the wise men who visited Jesus. I tell a story for the purpose of illustration; thus begin that section with the word "suppose." I do NOT surmise that the tourists who were murdered in the park were denied beds in the same hotel as me. I do NOT suggest that Jesus is a Guan Yin myth; my point is exactly the opposite. The Gospel story is not a myth at all. True, Lee Strobel gives a more thorough argument for the historicity of the Gospels than I do here. I argue for the Gospels by analogy to the Analects of Confucius in one chapter, while Strobel summarizes traditional Western arguments in a series of books. Certainly, if you want the summation rather than a new approach to the same subject, go to Strobel -- or better yet, Gary Habermas or N. T.

A bit of fairness to the author, please...

Having read this and other books by Marshall, as well as having corresponded with him directly for some time, I can vouch that this man is _not_ the 'fundamentalist' he is accused of being in some other reviews. For one thing, as I know from long personal experience, a true fundamentalist would never dream of giving the Chinese any credit for having gotten something right religiously.Not being an expert on Chinese history and philosophy, I cannot comment on his presentation further than to say that his reasoning is consistent with the data he gives (others will have to comment on the accuracy of his data); and that his attitude is very charitable and appreciative toward Chinese culture, both in general and in particular details.Also, he provides a wide range of data from sources, including ones not necessarily favorable to his own evangelical concerns. The updated version of his book provides source references from non-Christian scholars regarding the history of religion in China, for instance.Marshall is a rather more interesting character than any fundamentalist I have ever met. He was, and is, a student (and scholar) of comparative religion--who actually gets some 'religion' through the process! And I think his book should be shown respect by other people who respect and love China; even if they disagree with particular details. He should be talked with, not dismissed.

A most enjoyable book to read.

While I'm not Chinese, my taiji teacher for the past 30 years who is 81 years old and originally from Shandong Province, clearly is. He was also raised a Christian while growing up in Shandong, and was one of the first Chinese to help establish churches in Taiwan after the Communist takeover of the mainland.Much of the flavor of the stories and anecdotes my taiji teacher has told over the years describing China both to me and to the rest of his students resonates throughout this book. While I'm sure many Chinese readers will not like or appreciate the author's views, at the same time I'd have to say he's been very sensitive to the overall culture of China. The author is clearly a man who loves China.It seems these days that when someone disagrees with what someone else says or thinks, it is fashionable to charge that person with bigotry or insensitivity. There are countless books in the West describing both Confucianism and Taoism, which also describe parallels between these philosophies and with Christianity. Are those authors who support Confucious or Lao-tzu being "bigoted" or "insensitive" in regards to Christianity? If not, why should a Christian who finds Christianity in core Chinese cultural ideas be smeared with these accusations? Frankly, given my extensive past readings of Lao-tzu, Kung Fu-tzu, Chuang-tzu and others, I doubt they themselves would be "outraged" at the author's Christian assertions.On the other hand, there are some individuals so clearly afraid that China is on the verge of losing its national identity to the forces of modernization that they feel they must attack anything which in their view departs from the party line concerning traditional China. I would say to them, relax: China is not going to disappear into a giant McDonalds parking lot simply because some individuals view it from a Christian perspective or some Chinese convert to Christianity. My taiji teacher's taiji teacher-- a direct student of Yang Ben Hou, by the way-- always told his students "the secret to mastering taijiquan was Jesus Christ". That assertion wasn't enough to make many of his Chinese students convert to Christianity. Master Liu was a very traditional Chinese gentleman who also happened to be a Christian. The Chinese world didn't fall apart because of Sifu Liu's beliefs, nor will it fall apart now simply because the author sees Christ in some very old and traditional Chinese symbols.I most highly recommend this book, both to Christians who want to understand Chinese culture on a more familiar level than the academic descriptions so prevelant out there, and also to those Chinese who are curious about Christianity and would like a bridge to understand it from a more Chinese perspective. I don't think the book "forces" any person, Chinese or otherwise, to embrace Christianity against their will. It simply expresses the author's love of both China and of Christ. The book is well written and has a poetic flavor to its stories, which I appreciated.

Altering Viewpoints!

After reading 'True Son of Heaven' my mind came alive with the pictures presented by Mr. Marshall about the people of Asia and their search for a savior. I was facinated by the truths he shared. Having been one of the prejudiced believers that all the people of Asia are heathens bent on serving worldly idols, I was refreshed by this new and exciting perspective. I now see Asia as a truly compassionate country that stands apart from the rest of the world through their devotion to tradition and their longing to find peace and elightenment. I hope that as others read this book, they too will understand the importance of bringing the truth of the 'True' Son of heaven to Asia and her people.