Chinese Translation Ministry
From The Forum Magazine, Winter 2015 - view the full issue here
Walk into any major bookstore in Shanghai, China, and with a little help you may find a copy of Letters to a Young Calvinist by James K. A. Smith, translated into Chinese by Jin Li and Mary Ma. This husband and wife team began translating academic texts from English to Chinese seven years ago, but it is one of their newest translations, Letters to a Young Calvinist, that has been flying off the shelves at record pace. In the first two months alone, 10,000 copies were sold. Recently the book was reprinted for the third time.
Smith’s book, along with other Christian works translated by Mary and Jin, are welcome in Chinese bookstores since they are classified as academic texts and shelved in the history section. Other authors whose writing the couple has translated or is currently translating into Chinese include D. A. Carson, John Piper, Geerhardus Vos, Tim Keller, Eric Gregory, Eric Voegelin, Joel Beeke, Richard Muller, John Cooper, Herman Bavinck, Herman Dooyeweerd, and Richard Mouw. It was through their publishing connections that Jin and Mary first heard about Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Lord used the Reformed theology they were reading and translating to prompt them to consider further education at Calvin Theological Seminary. Mary already has her Ph.D. in sociology from Cornell University, and Jin was a Ph.D. candidate in economics at a Shanghai university. At Calvin Seminary they are enrolled in the M.T.S. and M.Div. programs, respectively
The couple’s translation ministry responds to what they identify as one of the greatest needs of the church in China, the need for Christian literature. In the 1950s Protestant churches began to go underground, and persecution contributed to pietistic and individualistic expressions of faith. In recent years the Chinese government has relaxed control on religious groups, but to some degree Christianity is still privatized. Many leaders are passionate but lack theological training. Jin and Mary see a need for catechesis and polity in order to unite Christians and root them theologically. Christian literature is essential for building this infrastructure for future growth in the church.
Jin and Mary feel a sense of urgency in their work because they have seen signs of stricter censorship on the horizon. Recently, for example, a Chinese newspaper disallowed any mention of the biblical figure Moses. Since it is difficult to predict what may be censored next and when, the couple devotes much of their spare time to translating crucial Christian resources while they are still relatively free to do so. The Chinese translation of Smith’s Letters was born around the same time as their firstborn son, Calvin. In the two days leading up to the birth in the hospital, translating proved to be a good way to pass the time (at least for Jin).
Pray for Mary and Jin as they continue to devote themselves to the ministry of translation alongside their studies at Calvin Seminary and their growing family. Pray also for the church in China. Give thanks that many are coming to Christ and joining those who model faithful endurance to the worldwide church in the face of longterm persecution. Pray too for the Spirit to equip Chinese leaders with the resources needed for the next generation of discipleship.
(Sarah Schreiber, former Assistant Professor of Old Testament)
