Margaret Emma Barber (1866–1930), a British female Anglican missionary, and Watchman Nee (1903–1972), a prominent leader of the churches in China, had a significant, yet largely unexplored, cross-cultural mentoring relationship in the early twentieth century. Despite Barber’s relative obscurity today, her profound influence on Nee’s spiritual and theological development warrants investigation. This paper aims to examine their mentoring dynamics and the broader implications for Christianity in China.
This study investigates the history of Christianity in early twentieth-century China, focusing on global evangelicalism and socio-political changes that caused western missionaries to bridge cultures and faith in China. It seeks insights into the evangelistic and socio-environmental factors shaping Fuzhou, China, in the 1920s, as well as Barber’s mentorship of Nee and its impacts on his spiritual and theological ideas. The study also explores Nee’s perception of Barber and the larger implications of their mentoring dynamic for Christianity in China.
The 1920s marked a critical period for Christianity in China, characterized by the convergence of Western missionary efforts and indigenous Chinese Christian movements. Although Fuzhou served as a hub for cultural and theological exchanges, Barber’s mentoring relationship with Nee during this crucial period is still relatively understudied. Their interactions highlight the complex dynamics between missionaries and Chinese converts, enriching our understanding of cross-cultural interactions.
The underlying questions are: What were the global evangelistic and socio-environmental factors that shaped Fuzhou, China, in the 1920s, particularly with Western missionary activity and indigenous Chinese converts? How did Barber’s mentorship of Watchman Nee impact his spiritual and theological ideas, and what were the implications of this mentoring dynamic for Christianity in China? The study examines the role of cultural exchange and mentorship in shaping its growth across geographical and cultural boundaries.
This research adopts a multidisciplinary approach, utilizing historical sources, personal writings, and contextual analysis. Primary materials include Barber’s letters during her first period (1896–1906) and second period (1906–1930) in China, Nee’s recollections, and contemporary descriptions of missionary activities in Fuzhou, supplemented by secondary literature on Western missionary efforts and Christianity’s growth during that era.
This first part of the paper outlines Fuzhou’s socio-environmental context in the 1920s, focusing on the relationship between Western missionary activities and the rise of indigenous Chinese converts. Then, in the second part, the paper investigates Barber’s mentoring relationship with Nee, examining its impact on his theological and spiritual perspectives. The third part delves into Nee’s perception of Barber’s personality and her mentoring style. The paper concludes by discussing the broader implications of this dynamic for the narrative of Chinese Christianity, emphasizing the role of cultural interchange and mentorship in shaping its growth across geographical and cultural boundaries.
By uncovering the overlooked connection between Barber and Nee, this study sheds light on cross-cultural mentoring in Christianity in China. It contributes to our understanding of cultural and theological interchange in missionary contexts, highlighting the transformative power of mentorship across geographical and cultural boundaries.