Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity Transforming China

Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity Transforming China Changing Global Balance Power 'Jesus in Beijing' is a book authored by Aikman. The book has taken a keen interest on transformation and the changes taking place in the international power balance and a keen eye on the society within China. Aikman has focused on how the religion of Christianity is slowly penetrating deeper into the society under the rule of the government. The book circulates on the most important Christian matter and Christianity itself within the environs of the society.

The book illustrates the idea of churches transforming into socialist protestant, Catholics party sponsored and an array of home-based churches. From this book, home churches are not constitutionally allowed in China. Aikman also censors out that these churches are composed of an assortment of persons believed to be part of the middle class in the society. The author percepts that these modern forms of churches are bound grow at a rate of 20 to 30% of the total Christian population in the future.

It is evident that Aikman is trying to generate an argument that Christianity is likely to play a key role in the making of policies in China (Harper, & Eimer, 2010). Aikman introduces the concept that the Chinese government has not paid attention to accepting the ever-increasing influence by Christianity amongst its population. The book gives a detailed description that no reader can miss the persecution that Christians in China experienced, especially in 1949 when the communist government took authority of the country.

There is no doubt that the Chinese government has put to use mechanism such as torture in order to limit their growth. The book also states clearly that when Mao took over the authority of the country, no foreigner could habit in China. The remaining Chinese Christians had to put up with the wrath of the reigning government of the time while spreading the gospel.

'Patriarchs' highlighted in the book are formed by many pastors who experienced harsh treatments for decades in prison simply because they refused to be part of the three half-patriotic movement churches controlled by the state (Old, 2008). When it came to the point where the possibility of open persecution eroded, the government of that era changed their mechanism and gained full control of the church. China is made up a wide range of Catholic and protestant churches led and controlled by party sponsored communists and evangelists.

This is closely accompanied with the fact that, while foreigners residing in the country for the purpose of teaching English or conducting their businesses are an aspect in the influence of Christianity, intense surveillance of police is suppressed upon them. Another common aspect linked with Christianity in this book is gender discrepancies seen among the Christian populations in China. It is evident in the book that the ratio of women attendance in the church is about seventy percent located in the mainland China.

This same fact is also popular in the affiliates of China like the Island of Taiwan (Aikman, 2007). Aikman has diversified the concentration of his arguments. The first argument that he points out is the ever-continuing growth of Christianity and its tandem with the inflatable economy of China. Another issue of concern in the book is the conflict that exists between the communist party and the Chinese church. The issue of gender disparities in the Chinese church is also another point of focus.

Aikman illustrates this by highlighting the analysis of the church that is rapidly growing, as a group of educated elites has observed it. This comprises of intellectuals, writers, artistes, and even some members who are from the communist party in China. A keen view on this book makes one realize the deep root for freedom by Chinese limited by the government of the day. All around the world, Christianity is very closely affiliated with freedom and a means that many people use to acquire education.

Christianity has to offer the only hope for spiritual and personal freedom that is otherwise not enjoyed in the umbrella of the government of the day in China (Aikman, 2007). On the matter of the government of China, the state conducts crackdowns on the church and governs the institution of churches. The church is not secured in any way and is fearful of the fact that the power from the central command of the government might be shifted to the church.

The book highlights the rapid growth in elite Christian population, who might live up to command an influence in the policies that govern the country. These are closely affiliated with the dealings of China with America and the terror war (Harper, & Eimer, 2010). Based on the issue of gender disparity, Aikman states that women make up the majority of the church in Chinese: they make up about 60-80% of the entire Christian population.

If one closely affiliates this with the actual dynamics of china, this could be an outcome of the number of factors. First, the author has emphasized on the mechanisms that the Christian missionaries used in approaching the Chinese in the era of 19th and 20th century. During this mission, agencies opted for using women as a medium to minister to other women because men owed social customs and were hard to get.

The work performed by female evangelist played a very significant part in Christianity advancement especially during the era when Mao took over in 1949. In Mao's regime, male leaders of the church were either killed or imprisoned. This affected women gaining most of the leadership position in the church (Old, 2008). The other aspect closely related to this is the market reforms that came to the existence in China from 1978.

From the moment these reforms were implemented, men have been out of their homes seeking to find better lives in urban areas for months and years. Outcomes are characterized by increased numbers of women in the rural who have become heads of the.