Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong

In recent years, cultural archaeology has broadened its scope to include churches and seminaries, leading to groundbreaking discoveries in North China that uncover evidence of missionary activities and Christian communities. Church records — comprising extensive land and property deeds, along with economic and business documents — serve as invaluable primary sources, challenging traditional narratives and offering new insights into China’s social and economic history. Additionally, recent scholarship has increasingly focused on the Cold War era, exploring the complex relationship between Christianity, the state, and political ideologies. The evolving dynamics between church and state during this period are central to understanding the role of religious institutions amid political upheaval in 20th-century China. This talk will discuss these recent developments, which open new avenues for interdisciplinary research, enabling scholars to craft a more nuanced history of Christianity — highlighting its enduring significance in shaping modern Chinese society and ideological trajectories.