Clouds of Witnesses: Christian Voices from Africa and Asia

by Mark A. Noll, Carolyn Nystrom

As Africa and Asia take their place as the new Christian heartlands, a new and robust company of saints is coming into view. In seventeen inspiring narratives Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom introduce pivotal Christian leaders in Africa and Asia who had tenacious faith in the midst of deprivation, suffering and conflict. Spanning a century, from the 1880s to the 1980s, their stories demonstrate the vitality of the Christian faith in a diversity of contexts. This kaleidoscopic witness to the power of the gospel will both inspire and educate. Whether for a class in global Christianity or for a personal journey to other times and places of faith, Clouds of Witnesses is a book that tugs at our curiosity and resists being laid down. An engaging traveling companion to Mark Noll's award-winning book The New Shape of World Christianity.

Genres: History, Biography, Christian, Theology, Church History, Religion, Africa

286 pages, Hardcover

First published March 3, 2011

About the author

Mark A. Noll (born 1946), Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame, is a progressive evangelical Christian scholar. In 2005, Noll was named by Time Magazine as one of the twenty-five most influential evangelicals in America. Noll is a prolific author and many of his books have earned considerable acclaim within the academic community. The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind , a book about the anti-intellectual tendencies within the American evangelical movement, was featured in a cover story in the popular American literary and cultural magazine, Atlantic Monthly. He was awarded a National Humanities Medal in the Oval Office by President George W. Bush in 2006.

Reviews

[Caleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I supremely enjoyed reading about brothers and sisters all over the world. It has given me a new view on missionary work, encouraged me about the transformative power for society of the Christian Gospel, and has allowed me to see some of my struggles in some of these figures when it comes to politics. Highly recommended

[Dan Gorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's not a lot of analysis tying together these biographies of Christian leaders from outside the Western world. Noll and Nystrom only draw from English-language sources. The authors want to show the agency of non-white peoples — how they modified their own cultures and Western ideas, creating unique forms of Christianity. Sometimes the emphasis on the Western education of certain leaders undercuts the authors' goal. Still, there's a lot to admire here, even if the total package has its weaknesses. Noll and Nystrom regard these people as modern saints; the authors are evangelicals, not Catholics, so there is no talk of miracles, but the stories told are full of conviction and challenging religious ideas.

[Laura Liana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good introduction to some of the most active missional people in the Non-Western world.

[Scott Kohler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seventeen mini-biographies of Christians from around the world, mostly in the 20th century, though some are from a little earlier. Noll and Nystrom write in a very accessible style, but with Noll's background as a respected historian evident throughout. The various stories are helpfully divided into regional sections--Southern Africa, West Africa, East Africa, India, Korea, and China--which gives the book the feel of a geographical tour, not only a historical one.

The biographies will be really eye-opening for any reader whose familiarity is mostly with the outlooks of western Christianity. They were for me. Customs and approaches to faith vary significantly from one subject to the next, which makes it hard to dodge questions about context: how much of "the way we do things" is less about the Bible or Jesus than it is our cultural inheritance?

Here are believers whose lives led them to courageous sacrifice as well as those whose Christian faith looked a bit like mental illness (more of the former than the latter, thankfully). One of the most interesting themes of the book is its exploration of the relations between Christianity and political systems. Nowhere is this more evident than in the lengthy section on Christians from 20th century China, whose approaches to Mao, the Communist Party, and the Three-Self Patriotic Movement churches could not have been more different.

I learned a lot about recent world history in Clouds of Witnesses, and I learned a lot about the power of Jesus at work in everyday lives, a living power that, I trust, is still active in my life and the lives of fellow followers of Jesus. I'm looking forward to digging deeper into some of these figures sometimes in the future.

[Jory Bayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love reading about these oft neglected heroes of the faith from Africa and Asia. Without some prior understanding to the history and cultures of countries in Africa and Asia you may feel confused at times, but still a good and thought provoking read.

[Tanner Hawk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate how the 17 biographies presented in this book aren't just a collection of squeaky clean saints but include several figures who are also tinged with controversy. Either way, this is a good book to read to learn about non-Western people that have made significant impacts on the Church, not just in Africa and Asia but across the globe. I was inspired in some way by each person featured in this book, and I thank God for their faithfulness!

[Ken Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite not knowing this book existed until just months ago, my reading of this book feels long overdue. I’ve long had a passion for global missions, but I can’t deny that I’ve long viewed it almost exclusively from a Western perspective. So it felt both refreshing and encouraging to read about such a culturally diverse collection of heroes of the faith from so many nations of the world. I can’t say I felt equally enthusiastic about every character described in this book, but I’m still grateful for how every story expanded my awareness of how God has advanced his kingdom in this world. The stories were all well told, and for the many characters in this book who I can applaud enthusiastically, their tenacity in the faith and their zeal for Jesus is an inspiration, and well worth remembering.

[Dennis Henn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminded me of the book More Than Conquerors in its short biographical sketches of renowned Christian leaders. Clouds of Witnesses focuses on Christians from Asia and Africa and not on Western Christians sent to those areas. That focus is invaluable to me. I had only heard of Sundar Singh and knew nothing of the 1907 revival in Uganda or the walking prophet William Wade Harris of Western Africa. I knew about the Westerners who brought and spread Christianity in China but not the Chinese who kept it going when the communists kicked out the "imperialists." A very rich book, written well.

[Matthew Richey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of this book I like very much, but I did not particularly enjoy the execution. Part of the problem may be that the source material for some of these men and women was lacking, making a compelling and interesting life difficult to produce. I did find some of the struggles these African and Asian Christians faced very interesting and caused me to be introspective as to the cultural and contextual issues that I may not even realize I face (or that I am increasingly realizing that I face).

[Paul Heidebrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

17 biographical sketches of significant African and Asian Christians, mostly from the 19th century but some in the 20th, all who played key roles in establishing the church in their nations. If you want to be a globally-minded believer, you have to know stories like these. These men and women demonstrate what non-Western Christianity looks like. (Sorry to finish this book before you, Dennis).

[David Rollins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good read for expanding your understanding of the growth of the Church in Africa and Asia in the last 2 centuries. I especially thought the interplay between the US, Britain, Europe, and all the lands of new Christians in Africa and Asia, to be fascinating, encouraging and depressing at the same time.

[Ben K · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1900, more than four-fifths of the world’s Christian population lived in Europe and North America. A century later, about two-thirds live outside those continents. Christianity is quickly moving away from the West, and this shift has already produced many influential voices that most of us in the West have never even heard of. This book is a collection of 17 portraits of notable Christians from Africa and Asia who lived in the last century or so. It is an eclectic mixture of martyrs, political activists, eccentric prophets, and faithful servants. Many of these stories may provoke strong reactions from Westerners. These figures led armed uprisings, aligned themselves with communism, and reported mystical experiences. But Noll and Nystrom resist interpretation. They present the bare story (mostly) to let the reader wrestle with the cultural complexities on display. This book will not only challenge the readers’ cultural symptoms, but will encourage their hearts as the gospel and its advance in the world is clearly on display.

[Denise Kettering · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to a variety of key figures in Christianity in Africa and Asia. The sketches illustrate the variety of different ways that men and women in various parts of Africa and Asia adopted and adapted Christianity. A key theme is that many of these persons suffered in some way for their beliefs, although even that is not a completely unifying theme, as some of the characters present more controversial chapters in the life of Christianity. These biographical sketches can be read as a whole or as select chapters to highlight different aspects of Christian life and the tradition. This book is clearly an introduction that can then point readers in different directions based on interest. Overall, a solid introduction to the lives of several influential Christians in Africa and Asia.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a compilation of biographies of Christian leaders from outside the Western world, mostly from different parts of Africa and Asia (including India, China, and Korea). I gave it four stars because I think it is important to introduce such leaders to Western readers (who are often unfamiliar with them, while having a general sense of the growth of Christianity in the majority world). However, I found the writing dry, and I wish the authors would have included some writings by at least some of their subjects, rather than just biographies. That said, it is an excellent introduction, providing background on these individuals' lives and unique challenges. I was surprised by the number of revivals that occurred in 19th and early 20th century Africa and Asia.

[Brian Langford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I wanted to learn church history from non western brothers and sisters. The lives written about are amazing and inspiring. It was helpful seeing the damage that can happen if you try to tie the gospel too closely to your cultural expression of faith. It was also encouraging to hear stories of faith from the majority world where Christianity is growing. I only gave it 3 stars because the stories did not flow well even though the subject matter was fascinating.

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some great historical reflections and overviews of remarkable Christian leaders throughout the world. I appreciate the global context immensely. Just felt like it didn't find its proper balance between broad overview and deep detail - sort of an in between that provided reasonable insight but landed without an identity. Still, found a few highlights in each chapter.

[Matthew Loftus · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful introduction to important but not well-known Christians from Africa and Asia who shaped Christian faith and practice in those regions over the last 2 centuries. I was required to read this book for my church history class and learned so much!

[Alex Etheridge · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely Benjamin Button-ed my way through this book, reading it chapter by chapter backward. I had to do something to spice up some dry, very wide-sweeping history. From Japanese occupation of Korea to colonialism's impact on Christianity in Africa, it required a lot of background knowledge of world history. To be sure, the stories of faith are inspiring.

[Tim Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique book that introduces the reader to 17 leaders in the church from Sub-Saharan Africa, India, Korea, and China. Many of these leaders faced harsh opposition—a few were imprisoned for their faith.

[James Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would highly recommend this book. I was challenged in ways I didn't expect from the eclectic group of "witnesses" chosen. Ranging from Protestant to Catholic, from mystics to conservatives to those who believe the main message of Jesus was a social gospel, these stories challenged me and caused me to ask questions that I am still processing. William Wade Harris will cause us to ask "How far is too far? How far off can someone's theology be and God still work through them or is He working despite them? Was Sundar Singh a liar or a model in dependence on God worth following? How and when do we link arms with people different from us and when do we take a Philippians 1:17-18 stance? How do Christians interact with the government? Do we use it or work around it?

But interspersed in the chapters that challenged were chapters that brought incredible encouragement and fellowship from their holy lives and similar passions to my own: Wang MingDao, Dora Yu, V.S. Azariah, and Byang Kato. These men and women loved God and shaped the world for His glory and I am thankful for having been introduced to them.

The authors for their part do a great job giving each life a fair chance to challenge the reader even if you disagreed with how they lived their life or their theology, but in finishing the book I have two major thoughts. The first, an encouragement to my soul: We have an incomparable, sovereign God who uses whoever He sees fit to bring about His plans and glory. The second, an idea I am excited to explore more: The role of group confession and repentance in revival and normal church functions.