Professor Shih's philosophically oriented study...brilliantly transcends the many limitations of prior inquiries. In three tightly knit sections, Mr. Shih explores the principal elements of Taiping ideology, probes its underlying historical and cultural roots, and evaluates the numerous interpretations adduced since the upheavel itself...More original research and groundbreaking scholarship are reflected in each chapter of this book than in most complete volumes of comparable scope.

In Red Theology: On the Christian Communist Tradition, Roland Boer presents key moments in the 2,000 year tradition of Christian communism. Defined by the two features of alternative communal practice and occasional revolutionary action, Christian communism is predicated on profound criticism of the way of the world. The book begins with Karl Kautsky – the leading thinker of second-generation Marxism – and his oft-ignored identification of this tradition. From there, it offers a series of case studies that deal with European instances, the Russian Revolution, and to East Asia. Here we find the emergence of Christian communism not only in China, but also in North Korea. This book will be a vital resource for scholars and students of religion and the many aspects of socialist tradition.