Boxer Rebellion
Yang’s Boxers and Saints is an engaging way to introduce our cohort to the Boxer Rebellion that took place in China in at the turn of the twentieth century.
To be candid, my knowledge of the Boxer Rebellion is virtually now limited to Yang’s perspective. There is much for me to learn of this part of the world. In fact, as I leave with my family for a church camping trip for the next four days, I am looking forward to finishing these books, as I am only about halfway through.
Yang’s graphic novel is emotional and seemingly culturally aware as it tells the story of Bao, the young boy who grows up to become enraged by the injustice he perceives is being pressed upon his village by western imperialism and with it, Christian evangelization. It is a tragic story that has been told of our religious tradition for centuries on nearly every continent around the world.
I am eager to learn more of the Boxer Rebellion. Due to the nature of my schedule, this post is brief. What inspires me is my longing for us in the West, beginning with me, to represent the character and heart of the Jesus of history in my cross-cultural endeavors, whether abroad or at home.
About the Author
Chris Pritchett
4 responses to “Boxer Rebellion”
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Chris,
I hope you have a great church-camp! Praise the Lord for the freedoms, liberties, luxuries, and securities to go camping as a group. Where you are going I believe you do not have to worry about too much human made threats and violence. You will have spiritual threats, and I pray that you and your leadership team and congregants and families will be covered with Christ’s armor of God. You can’t put it on for them, but you sure can show and teach them how to prepare. It is much more than putting on mosquito spray to keep away evil spirits, but I can see come graphic comic images that would fit Yang’s style for your weekend at church-camp.
Stand firm, 站立得住
M. Webb
Chris, our church family camp is next weekend…always a lot of fun singing around the camp fire.
Your last comment is my shared sentiment; I believe the true challenge we face today is showing the world the Church that Jesus started. We have so many revisions and alterations to the biblical image of Christianity that sometimes it is hard to identify God’s people. Everyone thinks the Church is Burger King, and they can have it their way…but that is not how this works. The reality of early Christianity was that it worked…even when its leaders were put to death for their message, the Church grew and spread.
Chris I wrote in my blog that I had my books at a campground and it has been passed around to many people desiring to know more about this topic. Keep reading because I think it is relevant to our current world view.
Chris, I hope your trip went well and you were able to read more from Yang. The texts are some of the only ones I have read cover to cover this year and really enjoyed. I totally understand the perspective of having a limited to Yang view of the Boxer Rebellion though. That’s how I felt too. Reviews helped a little.