Jesus in Beijing review by Josh

I picked up Jesus in Beijing because I was looking for a history of Christianity in China, and it was the only option available on Audible. There appear to be better alternatives in print - so unless you're illiterate, I’d recommend exploring those instead.

Many of the book’s shortcomings stem from the author’s perspective as a committed Christian. At times, it feels less like an objective historical account and more like an effort to rally the faithful. Aikman clearly views the spread of Christianity in China as a positive development and reflects the traditional Christian hostility toward “godless Communism.”

Official estimates put the number of Christians in China at around 38 million (~3% of the population). That’s far below countries like South Korea (~28%) or the U.S. (~64%), but well above Japan (~1%). Still, it represents roughly a tenfold increase over the past four decades.

Accurate numbers are hard to come by. China’s Christian population includes both members of state-sanctioned Three-Self churches and attendees of unsanctioned house churches. The latter are technically illegal (though enforcement is inconsistent), making reliable counts difficult. Official figures also exclude heterodox sects like Eastern Lightning, which teaches that Jesus has returned as a Chinese woman. Despite being banned as a xie jiao (cult), it is estimated to have 3-4 million followers, with other similar groups adding a few million more—though these numbers are inherently speculative.

Eastern Lightning is widely disliked by the CCP, official churches, and house church leaders alike. Aikman recounts claims from church leaders that members were kidnapped and pressured to convert, and the CCP has accused the group of terrorism. However, he never interviews members directly, so their story is told entirely through the lens of their opponents.

History

Christianity is not new to China. It first arrived in 635, centuries before reaching parts of Europe, and spread for about 200 years before being suppressed under Emperor Taizong as part of a broader crackdown on foreign religions.

Later rulers showed intermittent interest. Kublai Khan invited the Pope to send scholars to prove Christianity’s truth (an invitation declined). Jesuits were later welcomed, though primarily for their scientific knowledge rather than religious teachings. Aikman even suggests that the Kangxi Emperor may have secretly been Christian, though he refused to convert publicly, citing Christianity’s foreign origins.

This idea that Christianity is "foreign" recurs throughout the book. That framing feels odd. Christianity is foreign everywhere except Israel, yet it has taken root globally. I live in Mexico, which is even farther from Israel than China, but Christianity isn’t considered foreign here. Of course, much of the world, including Mexico, was Christianized by force, which was never a viable path in China. Missionaries there had to rely on persuasion.

The closest China came to large-scale Christianization was the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864). Led by Hong Xiuquan - who believed himself to be the younger brother of Jesus - the movement triggered a civil war that killed around 20 million people. This likely included a disproportionate share of China’s Christians.

That legacy may still influence the CCP’s approach to heterodox groups like Eastern Lightning. Christianity can be used to critique the state (as the line goes, Jesus was killed by the state), but it also has a long history of reinforcing authority and social order. As Marx described it, religion can function as the “opiate of the masses” - and populations with access to good opiates tend not to rebel.

During the Cultural Revolution, Christianity was effectively banned as an imperialist tool. Believers were imprisoned, sent to labor camps, or tortured, creating a generation of martyrs. This period also gave rise to the house church movement - initially covert gatherings in private homes.

With Deng Xiaoping’s reforms, overt persecution eased. Today, house churches remain technically illegal but are generally tolerated as long as they stay small and avoid political trouble.

Christianity Today

Aikman argues that Christianity will continue to grow in China, a view shared by many of the believers he interviews. Some even believe China has a special role in spreading Christianity globally, particularly to Muslim countries. There are seminaries dedicated to training missionaries for this purpose, based on the belief that Chinese evangelists may be more effective than Western ones.

Interestingly, a large majority of Chinese Christians, sometimes estimated as high as 75%, are women. This creates a mismatch in the dating pool, with some attributing the gender imbalance to men prioritizing career and financial success over religion.

Another explanation is that religion appeals more strongly to those with fewer opportunities for advancement. If that’s true, efforts to suppress Christianity b