Bridging Cultures and Faith: The Transnational Mentorship of Margaret Barber on Watchman Nee in Twentieth-Century Chinese Christianity

Margaret Emma Barber (1866–1930), a British female missionary of the Anglican Church, and Watchman Nee (Ni Tosheng, 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. Barber’s effect on Nee’s spiritual and theological growth was profound and far-reaching, despite the fact that Barber’s name is not well known in modern debate. The purpose of this paper proposal is to investigate the dynamics of their mentoring relationship and the consequences that each of these dynamics has for the broader narrative of Chinese Christianity.

Focus and Questions: This paper investigates the history of Christianity in early twentieth-century China, focusing on global evangelicalism and the sociopolitical changes that occurred during that time. These changes caused western missionaries to bridge cultures and faith in China. The purpose of this investigation is to gain insights that can help us better understand Chinese Christianity today. The underlying questions are: What were the worldwide evangelistic and socio-environmental elements that shaped Fuzhou, China, in the 1920s, especially with respect to Western missionary activity and indigenous Chinese converts? How did Margaret Barber mentor Watchman Nee, and what particular impacts did Margaret Barber have on Watchman Nee’s spiritual and theological ideas, and how did Nee perceive Barber’s personality and mentorship? What are the larger implications of the mentoring dynamic that Barber and Nee have developed for the story of Chinese Christianity, with a particular emphasis on the role that cultural exchange and mentorship play in shaping the growth of Chinese Christianity across several geographical and cultural boundaries?

Background and Significance: A dramatic time in the history of Christianity in China occurred during the 1920s. This period was characterized by the confluence of Western missionary efforts with the growing indigenous Chinese Christian movement. The city of Fuzhou, where Barber and Nee were based, served as a furnace for the interchange of cultural and theological exchanges. It also provided fertile ground for the investigation of cross-cultural interactions and the influence that these ties have on the formation of theology. Despite this, the mentoring that Barber provided to Nee at this crucial period of time is still relatively understudied in the academic literature. However, their collaboration underscores the complex dynamics between Western missionaries and Chinese converts, highlighting the reciprocal nature of cultural and theological exchange. By shedding light on their connection, the purpose of this study is to deepen our knowledge of the multifaceted interactions that took place between missionaries and indigenous Christians in China in the early twentieth century.

Objectives: The following are some of the goals that this paper hopes to accomplish:

1) Examine the socio-environmental setting of Fuzhou throughout the 1920s, with a particular emphasis on the nature of the relationship between Western missionary activities and indigenous Chinese Christianity.

2) Investigate the particulars of Barber's mentoring relationship with Nee, focusing on the impact that she had on his theological and spiritual viewpoints.

3) Explore Nee’s perception of Barber’s personality and the manner in which she mentors, elucidating the nuances of their relationship.

4) Provide some insights into the broader implications of Barber and Nee’s mentoring dynamic for the narrative of Chinese Christianity, putting an emphasis on the role that cultural interchange and mentorship play in shaping the growth of Chinese Christianity across geographical and cultural borders.

Methodology: For the purpose of shedding light on the dynamics of Barber and Nee's mentoring, this research will use a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on historical sources, personal writings, and contextual analysis. This study will be based on primary materials such as Barber’s letters during her first period (1896–1906) and second period (1906–1930) in China, recollections from Nee, and contemporary descriptions of missionary activities in Fuzhou. These primary sources will serve as the basis for this research. Furthermore, secondary literature on Western missionary attempts in China and the growth of indigenous Chinese Christianity will provide a more comprehensive contextual framework for the application of the analysis.

Importance of the study: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the major connection between Margaret Barber and Watchman Nee, which has been disregarded despite its profound significance, shedding insight on the dynamics of cross-cultural mentoring in China throughout the twentieth century. By uncovering the nuances of their interaction and its broader implications for Chinese Christianity, this study intends to contribute to a greater understanding of the complexity of cultural and theological interchange in the context of missionary activity. Ultimately, the purpose of this study is to highlight the transformative power of mentoring in shaping the trajectory of Christian communities across geographical and cultural boundaries.