From “Franciscans in China” to “Chinese Franciscans”: Franciscan Missionaries and Chinese Assistants, Priests, and Bible Translators
The Franciscan presence in China is one of the first expressions of the Chinese encounter with Christianity. Despite the significant number of preserved documents and archives, research on the Franciscans in China is still limited. Furthermore, previous studies have predominantly focused on the text...
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| Published in: | Religions |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Articles |
| Language: | en |
| Published: |
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
2025-02-19
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/2/263 |
| _version_ | 1877638128408199168 |
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| author | Gruttola, Raissa De |
| author_autocomplete | Gruttola, Raissa De |
| author_browse | Gruttola, Raissa De |
| author_facet | Gruttola, Raissa De Gruttola, Raissa De |
| author_sort | Gruttola, Raissa De |
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| container_title | Religions |
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| description | The Franciscan presence in China is one of the first expressions of the Chinese encounter with Christianity. Despite the significant number of preserved documents and archives, research on the Franciscans in China is still limited. Furthermore, previous studies have predominantly focused on the texts and activities of foreign missionaries, often neglecting the role of their Chinese collaborators and converts. The purpose of this paper is to examine the interactions between Franciscans and Chinese people from a diachronic perspective, starting from the first phases of the Franciscan presence in China during the Yuan dynasty and tracing its development through the centuries up to the 20th century. Analyzing the transformation of these interactions, this paper will outline the long and gradual evolution of Franciscan foreign missions into expressions of a local church, detecting unexplored issues such as the establishment of institutes for the local clergy or the shift in the assignment of significant tasks in the Order to Chinese members. The preliminary findings of this research underscore the necessity for further studies to fully address these complex dynamics. |
| doi_str_mv | 10.3390/rel16020263 |
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| spelling | From “Franciscans in China” to “Chinese Franciscans”: Franciscan Missionaries and Chinese Assistants, Priests, and Bible Translators The Franciscan presence in China is one of the first expressions of the Chinese encounter with Christianity. Despite the significant number of preserved documents and archives, research on the Franciscans in China is still limited. Furthermore, previous studies have predominantly focused on the texts and activities of foreign missionaries, often neglecting the role of their Chinese collaborators and converts. The purpose of this paper is to examine the interactions between Franciscans and Chinese people from a diachronic perspective, starting from the first phases of the Franciscan presence in China during the Yuan dynasty and tracing its development through the centuries up to the 20th century. Analyzing the transformation of these interactions, this paper will outline the long and gradual evolution of Franciscan foreign missions into expressions of a local church, detecting unexplored issues such as the establishment of institutes for the local clergy or the shift in the assignment of significant tasks in the Order to Chinese members. The preliminary findings of this research underscore the necessity for further studies to fully address these complex dynamics. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Religions Articles 2025-02-19 Catholic missions in China Chinese Christianity Franciscan missionaries Franciscans in China indigenization of Catholic Church Gruttola, Raissa De |
| spellingShingle | From “Franciscans in China” to “Chinese Franciscans”: Franciscan Missionaries and Chinese Assistants, Priests, and Bible Translators Gruttola, Raissa De Catholic missions in China Chinese Christianity Franciscan missionaries Franciscans in China indigenization of Catholic Church |
| title | From “Franciscans in China” to “Chinese Franciscans”: Franciscan Missionaries and Chinese Assistants, Priests, and Bible Translators |
| title_autocomplete | From “Franciscans in China” to “Chinese Franciscans”: Franciscan Missionaries and Chinese Assistants, Priests, and Bible Translators |
| title_full | From “Franciscans in China” to “Chinese Franciscans”: Franciscan Missionaries and Chinese Assistants, Priests, and Bible Translators |
| title_fullStr | From “Franciscans in China” to “Chinese Franciscans”: Franciscan Missionaries and Chinese Assistants, Priests, and Bible Translators |
| title_full_unstemmed | From “Franciscans in China” to “Chinese Franciscans”: Franciscan Missionaries and Chinese Assistants, Priests, and Bible Translators |
| title_short | From “Franciscans in China” to “Chinese Franciscans”: Franciscan Missionaries and Chinese Assistants, Priests, and Bible Translators |
| title_sort | from “franciscans in china” to “chinese franciscans”: franciscan missionaries and chinese assistants, priests, and bible translators |
| topic | Catholic missions in China Chinese Christianity Franciscan missionaries Franciscans in China indigenization of Catholic Church |
| topic_autocomplete | Catholic missions in China Chinese Christianity Franciscan missionaries Franciscans in China indigenization of Catholic Church |
| topic_facet | Catholic missions in China Chinese Christianity Franciscan missionaries Franciscans in China indigenization of Catholic Church |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/2/263 |
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