This engaging book on Chinese religion and culture by Judith Berling has
been welcomed by longtime scholars of the same as a vital and fresh
perspective. 'A Pilgrim in Chinese Culture' is a story of faith meeting
faith that will enrich wisdom-seekers as well as provide a tool to
introduce students to cross-cultural and interfaith issues. Berling
tells how she became immersed in the issues of religious diversity, of
her experiences living with religious neighbors, and of discovering how
different from her own Midwestern Protestant milieu is the world of
Chinese religion and culture. In China, one can be Buddhist,
Confucianist, Taoist, and animist at a single moment. Exploring how this
inclusivity can be achieved infuses 'A Pilgrim in Chinese Culture'. The
multiplicity of deities, the notion of Truth as having many embodiments,
even patterns of hospitality - Berling examines how these key aspects of
Chinese culture shape and inform religion in China. Through the tales it
tells, 'A Pilgrim in Chinese Culture' offers readers insights that no
textbook can match, bringing home what religious diversity means in
surprising and illuminating ways.