Religion, ethnicity and race : the mission of the Otago Church to the Chinese 1860-1950
Chivers, Susan Lee

View/ Open
Cite this item:
Chivers, S. L. (1992). Religion, ethnicity and race : the mission of the Otago Church to the Chinese 1860-1950 (Thesis, Master of Arts). University of Otago. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/336
Permanent link to OUR Archive version:
http://hdl.handle.net/10523/336
Abstract:
The influx of Chinese goldminers into the Otago province during the 1860s presented a challenge to the European church, in that the opportunity for evangelistic outreach could not be ignored. Moreover, as the "heathen Chinee" allegedly posed a threat to religious and social mores, conversion to Christianity appeared to be the best means of combatting this danger.
This thesis seeks to explore the struggle between religion, ethnicity and race: the conflict between Christianity, with its associated social values, and traditional Chinese culture. It examines the nature of the Chinese experience in New Zealand, particularly with regard to public and parliamentary hostility. Against this background, the efforts of various denominations to confront the Chinese challenge are investigated. As the Presbyterian Church and their missionary, Reverend Alexander Don, were at the forefront of their Mission, their contribution is the main focus.
A formidable number of obstacles, posed largely by Chinese culture, severely hindered the effectiveness of evangelistic outreach. I examine these obstacles, as well as the charge that Don was a racist. The answer to the latter is a qualified one. While not without his prejudices, the missionary gradually learned to appreciate many aspects of Chinese culture. He also criticised the racism prevailing within European society, tirelessly defending Chinese rights. In return "Teacher Don" earned more trust and respect for New Zealand's Chinese community than almost any other European of his time. Although in terms of his own evangelistic aims the Mission might be judged a failure, as few Chinese were converted, in terms of this wider perspective Don's efforts proved to be more successful.
Date:
1992
Advisor:
Stenhouse, John
Degree Name:
Master of Arts
Degree Discipline:
History
Publisher:
University of Otago
Keywords:
Don, Alexander, 1857-1934; Missionaries New Zealand Biography; Chinese New Zealand Otago History; Gold miners New Zealand Otago History; Chinese Missions New Zealand; Race relations Religious aspects; Chinese New Zealand Otago Social conditions; Otago (N.Z.) Race relations
Research Type:
Thesis
Collections
- Thesis - Masters [3378]
- History [253]