The Bells Are Not Silent Stories of Church Bells in China Joann Pittman 9781541051102 Books
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When Joann discovered a 126-year-old American bell hanging in a church in southwest China she knew there was a story to tell. Who had decided to ship it? How had it been transported? How had it survived the political turmoil of the 1950’s and 1960’s? She also knew that if there was one bell there must be others. Over the course of eight months she travelled around China looking for old church bells, finding ones from the United France, Germany, Russia, and the United States. This book is a collection of stories about those bells. But more importantly, they are stories of God’s faithfulness to his church in China.
The Bells Are Not Silent Stories of Church Bells in China Joann Pittman 9781541051102 Books
OK, fine - I read it on my tablet. That was good, but I really wanted hard copy, so I can put it in the library afterwards. Some how the computer jumped to a digital order instead. Is there any way we can re-do this without paying double? I could not get back to the other screen - very frustrating. I'd really like to have the book. Thank you.Name - Martha L. Tozier, 527 Park Ave, Quarryville, PA 17566; email: jimarty2@gmail.com
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Tags : The Bells Are Not Silent: Stories of Church Bells in China [Joann Pittman] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. When Joann discovered a 126-year-old American bell hanging in a church in southwest China she knew there was a story to tell. Who had decided to ship it? How had it been transported? How had it survived the political turmoil of the 1950’s and 1960’s? She also knew that if there was one bell there must be others. Over the course of eight months she travelled around China looking for old church bells,Joann Pittman,The Bells Are Not Silent: Stories of Church Bells in China,CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform,1541051106,Asia - China,HISTORY Asia China,History,History: World
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The Bells Are Not Silent Stories of Church Bells in China Joann Pittman 9781541051102 Books Reviews
Imagine sitting in a church office in China, trying to persuade some authority to let you climb up into their church belfry to have a look at their church bell. There is the political sensitivity of foreigners and religion in China, to say nothing of the absurdity of the request, The Bells Are Not Silent takes you on just such a journey. The book is paced in such a way that you feel you are trekking along with Joann across China in search of these elusive bells. This makes the book hard to put down, as you want to know whether you have successfully talked your way up into the belfry or not!
Pittman is clearly a historian, a cultural maestro, and a China expert. What’s more, she is very funny, and this comes through in the book. Referring to the communist party’s ability to mobilize community members to keep an eye on people’s coming and going during politically sensitive times, Pittman writes in reference to 2012 Communist Party Congress meetings, “Nothing was being left to chance. Everyone was mobilized to maintain stability and social order. Neighborhood grannies were deputized to keep an eye on the comings and goings in the hutongs, the small alleyways that make up the old city.” Deputizing neighborhood grannies, now that’s funny! Describing the complexity of the Chinese language, Pittman writes, “When I was studying Chinese I was told that I would be able to read a Chinese newspaper when I had learned 2000 characters. Ultimately, when I hit that mark and opened up a newspaper, it seemed to me as if I had learned the wrong 2000!” Hilarious!
When describing her visit to the panda center in Sichuan, she made the astute observation, “The irony was not lost on us that, despite the hardships of history, it is not the church that is endangered, but the pandas.” And this gets to the heart of this charming little book. Using her witty and upbeat style, Pittman brings together the cords of history, culture, and Christian missions, and ties them into a beautiful braid, that leaves one feeling informed and inspired. It is a unique way in which to describe the church in China and how it has come to be. I highly recommend this delightful 100-page book.
By Mark Strand
When I heard that Joann was writing a book about her search for church bells in China I was anxious to know how she carried out her search and what she found. Her interest in church bells began when she was traveling with a friend who was researching the life and work of an American missionary who served in China years ago. In the church where the missionary worshiped they discovered a 126 year old bell cast in the United States. That discovery aroused Joann's curiosity about bells in other churches. Thus began her search.
In her book she shares her discoveries with the reader as she visits in other parts of China. The bells' inscriptions give the date and location they were made. Aligned with these discoveries we learn something about Chinese history, both about the country as well as Christianity and the Church in China. The steeple bells look down upon decades of China's turbulent history and Joann, who lived in China 28 years, shares parts of that history with the reader. Her command of Mandarin Chinese, her warm relationship with her Chinese colleagues and those she met along the way clearly indicate her unique advantage in searching out the story of the bells she discovered.
Having known Joann from her birth I had problem visualizing her climbing the narrow and sometimes rickety stairs leading to the steeples that housed the bells. Her adventures kept me interested all the way through the pages of this special book. (Bettie Rose Addleton)
One thing is clear when one reads about the bells in China is that God reigns supreme over that great country through all their past tumult, unrest, wars, political campaigns and unbelief. Joann Pittman has done her homework by studying up on tangential information relevant to each bell that she discovered throughout China. What I found so interesting, since I lived for two years in Harbin, China in the mid 1980s and went back to Tianjian in 2000 and 2001, I understood some of the cultural barriers that Joann explained. Not only did she deal with facts about the bells but also the intricate human relation gymnastics she knew she would encounter with each bell to find out their separate story. Sometimes disappointment shown through when stopped by the one person who held the keys, but then more stories revealed elation when she got close enough to get a photo taken of the bells high in their towers. A sign of a good book is you can't put it down until finished. A better book than that means you want to read it again. I highly recommend reading this book for the casual observer of China or for the historian who cares about any kind of history or both!
Joann Pittman has written a wonderful book. This slim volume is a joy to read, with each bell's story touching upon different aspects of life in China and the development of the Chinese church. Whether you are new to China or an experienced China hand, Pittman's personal touch and eye for detail make this a smooth and compelling read, providing a worthwhile introduction to many of the themes and issues that will shape the future of the Christian church in China. Indeed, the bells are not silent!
OK, fine - I read it on my tablet. That was good, but I really wanted hard copy, so I can put it in the library afterwards. Some how the computer jumped to a digital order instead. Is there any way we can re-do this without paying double? I could not get back to the other screen - very frustrating. I'd really like to have the book. Thank you.
Name - Martha L. Tozier, 527 Park Ave, Quarryville, PA 17566; email jimarty2@gmail.com
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