Take Dominion of China: Christian Reconstructionism in Chinese Christianity

The new generations of Chinese urban elite Christians have been searching for an intellectually robust political theology to guide their cultural ambition and their reformist drive. Some of their recent discourse, for example their endorsement of American Christian nationalism, their hostility toward the ordination of women, and their rejection of separation of church and state, calls into question what kind of political theology that had influenced them the most. For some influential and outspoken Chinese Christian leaders of the 21st century, the answer is clear. They adopted Christian Reconstructionism, sometimes also called theonomy, of American fundamentalists such as Rousas Rushdoony and Gary North. This paper traces the historical contingencies through which Christian Reconstruction theology made its way across the globe to China, and came to be favored by many Chinese Christians.