The Archives on the History of Christianity in China was established in 1996 to serve as a research center in Asia for researchers and scholars. Regardless of denomination or nationality, the collection covers both primary and secondary English and Chinese language source materials concerning Chinese Christians, missionaries stationed in China, church history, and other materials pertaining to the history of Christianity in China. Current holdings of the Archives include over 3,400 volumes of correspondence, diaries, manuscripts, monographs and serials. In addition, we also have over 31,000 microform items.

The growth of the Archives was greatly due to the strong support of the Henry Luce Foundation and other donors such as Rev. Carl T. Smith. Rev. Carl T. Smith gave the Archives over 300 manuscripts and monographs including yearbooks and anniversary reports of some Christian churches and organizations in Hong Kong and China, as well as biographies of Christian leaders and missionaries. The rich microform collection and quality equipment in the reading room are being acquired with a generous three-year grant of US$120,000 from the Henry Luce Foundation.

     Collection

There are hundreds of biographies and memoirs in the Archives. Some titles describe the life of prominent missionaries such as Hudson Taylor, James Outram Fraser, Karl Ludvig Reichelt, David Abeel and John Leighton Stuart in China, while others are about influential Chinese preachers and church leaders such as 王 明 道, 倪 柝 聲. These biographies and memoirs are important research materials for the study of evangelism as well as the life of Chinese Christians and missionaries in China.

For those who are interested in the history of Christianity in China between 1950 and 1970, our newspaper clippings on the history and development of religions in China may be very useful. These clippings, which were collected from newspapers published in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, contain a treasure trove of information on Chinese government policy on religions, the Three-self Movement, and the development of churches and seminaries in China for a period of 20 years.

The collection of annual, special and anniversary reports of Hong Kong Christian churches and organizations, which documents their history and various evangelistic activities, provides a systematic overview of the history of Christianity in Hong Kong.

The Archives' growing collection of microform materials includes newspapers, bulletins, monographs, and periodicals published by Chinese churches and Christian associations, as well as archival records of various American and European mission boards, including Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (London) Archives, Church Missionary Society Archives and London Missionary Society Archives, etc. Some titles are: Nineteenth Century Books on China, Archives of the Council for World Mission, 1775-1940, Chinese Christian Yearbook, China Millions, West China Missionary News, American Theological Library Association Serials.

     Digitization project

The Section has created the "China Through the Eyes of CIM Missionaries" database. This database contains 225 lantern slide and glass plate negative images of portraits, landscapes, scenery and architecture in China as well as shots documenting the socio-economic activities of the Chinese from the 1900s to the 1930s.

The "Christianity in Contemporary China Clippings Database" contains indexes and full-text images of newspaper and periodical clippings originally collected by the Union Research Institute from approximately 123 Chinese and English language newspapers and periodicals, published in 9 countries or regions. These clippings focus on the development of Christianity and government policies in China from 1950 through 1976. Topics of special interest include "Three-self Movement", the development of churches and seminaries, trials of some Christians and Catholics such as 龔品梅 in China.

HKBU Honours Project Database contains a subset of HKBU final-year students' Honours Projects on the history of Christianity in China. Full-text of some Honours Projects, recommended by faculty members are also available online with the authors' consent.

     References

1) Collection in the Archives on the History of Christianity in China : Printed materials / Microform

2) Selected articles from ＜基督教在華發展史文獻部十週年紀念特刊(1996-2006)＞ Special issue for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Archive on the History of Christianity in China (1996-2006). Printed copy available at Library, call no. AHC 023.5 4424 2006

3) Bibliography of postgraduate dissertations on the history of Christianity in China submitted to universities and seminaries in: China , Hong Kong , Taiwan

4) 李金強 : <香港浸會大學的中國基督教史研究> (2002)
Revision of a conference paper that Dr. Lee Kam Keung presented at the Symposium on "Christian Studies and University", Hong Kong Baptist University, December 19-21, 2001.

5) 李金強 : <第三屆近代中國基督教史研討會紀要－香港基督教史的研究> (2003)

6) 李金強 : <香港浸會大學舉行的「第四屆近代中國基督教史研討會」誌記> (2005)

7) Journal of the History of Christianity in Modern China 近代中國基督教史研究集刊
Department of History, Hong Kong Baptist University began publishing this journal in 1998.
Vol.1 | Vol.2 | Vol.3 | Vol.4 | Vol.5 | Vol.6 | Vol.7

8) Chan, K.S. Kylie
The Archives on the History of Christianity in China at Hong Kong Baptist University Library: Its Development, Significance, and Future
The International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 2005 (vol. 29, no.1): 32-34.

9) 中國新方誌中的基督宗教資料

10) Useful links to websites related to the study of Christianity, missionary and church

11) How to set up a church archives
In February 2000, HKBU Library invited Mr. Paul A. Ericksen, Associate Director of Billy Graham Center Archives, Wheaton College, to host a one-day archives management workshop. This workshop was sponsored by Hong Kong Chinese Christian Churches Union. Included here are the guidelines and handouts used at the workshop. For the full text of the presentation, please click Preserving Your Church Archives: Workshop 2000.

12) Sources of help and advice for your church or synagogue archives
Included is a list of useful resources including bibliography and web sites, etc. prepared by Billy Graham Center Archives for those involved in preserving their congregation's history.

13) Online training materials
Yale Divinity School Library provides useful online training materials for archives management. Both Chinese & English versions of The Rescuring the Memory of Our Peoples Archives Manual compiled by Martha Lund Smalley and Rosemary Seton are available.