Waves of Influence across the South Seas: Mutual Support between Protestants in Minnan and Southeast Asia

Abstract

This article looks at the extensive connections between the Protestant church in Southern Fujian (Minnan) and Southeast Asia. The centuries-old practice of those from Minnan traveling to Southeast Asia formed networks that were also utilized by Chinese Christians. When Protestants from Minnan traveled to Southeast Asia, they did not only rely on natal and ancestral ties, but also relied upon church relations in securing employment and adapting to their new environment. Likewise, churches in Southeast Asia were supported by evangelistic workers trained in Minnan. In return, beginning in the early twentieth century, Minnan churches received financial contributions from Protestant communities throughout Southeast Asia. The biographical vignettes presented in this article paint a picture of mutual support between the Protestant communities in Minnan and Southeast Asia.