Cultivation of the Faithful, Ethical, and Healthy Christian: A Comparative Study

As an anthropology Ph.D. student, Xinyan conducts ethnographic research on closely connected Christian communities in Charlottesville, Virginia and Shanghai,China, to explore the intersection of religiosity, spirituality, morality, and mentality shaped by Chinese and American cultures and specific localities. With a comparative approach, and a focus on transnational ties between local Christian communities, her research asks how Christianity is lived in as a religion and ethics in different cultural and local contexts. In particular, she asks how issues related to spirituality, ethics, and mental health are intertwined in the daily lives ofChineseChristians to shape Christianity in different cultures, and how individual Chinese cultivate themselves to be "faithful," "moral," and "healthy" Christians in the U.S. and China. The CGII grant awarded supports her ongoing fieldwork in Charlottesville, Virginia.