Martin Palmer

Martin Giles Palmer (born 14 October 1953) is the translator of several popular books on Sinology, including Zhuangzi and I Ching. His 2001 book The Jesus Sutras, a translation of the Jingjiao Documents, gives a popular and controversial interpretation of early Chinese Christianity as ‘syncretistic’. He is the Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture (ICOREC) and secretary general of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC).[1] In 2018, Palmer's abridged translation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms was published by Penguin Classics.

For the New Brunswick politician, see Martin B. Palmer.

An Anglican Christian, Palmer studied theology and religious studies at Cambridge University. He is a regular contributor to the BBC on religious, ethical and historical issues. He appears regularly on BBC Radio 3 and 4, BBC World Service and BBC TV as a presenter, and is also a contributor to programmes such as In Our Time, Thought for the Day, Nightwaves, Beyond Belief and Songs of Praise. He appeared on BBC World Service for a week-long China series in October 2007.[2]

Palmer is Co-Chair of a joint ARC-UNDP programme on the faiths, climate change and the environment, which launched a series of major faith commitments on the environment at Windsor Castle in November 2009 and is now working with a further 30 plus new long term faith commitments which will be launched year in association with UNDP.

Criticism

Speaking of Palmer's work The Jesus Sutras, scholar David Wilmshurst criticized the work as a "...New age fantasy..." and stated that Palmer's reading of Tang era Nestorian texts and his claim of syncretism of Nestorianism with Eastern religions is inaccurate and misleading. Wilmshurst also states that "As the Sian [Xi'an] Tablet inscription demonstrates, they [the Nestorians in China] were orthodox Christians who pointedly distinguished themselves from both the Taoists and the Buddhists."[3] Wilmshurst described Palmer's book as being part of a long conflict between what he termed romantic (making overzealous interpretations) and realist (making more sober interpretations) researchers who have studied Chinese Nestorianism since the discovery of the Xi'an Stele in 1625.[4]

Selected publications
  • Breuilly, Elizabeth; O'Brien, Joanne; Palmer, Martin; Marty, Martin E (2005), Religions of the world : the illustrated guide to origins, beliefs, traditions & festivals, Checkmark Books/Facts On File, ISBN 9780816062584
  • Palmer, Martin; Finlay, Victoria (2003), Faith in conservation : new approaches to religions and the environment, Directions in development (Washington, D.C.), World Bank, ISBN 9780821355596
  • Palmer, Martin (2001), The Jesus Sutras: Rediscovering the Lost Religion of Taoist Christianity, Piatkus, ISBN 978-0-7499-2250-4
  • Breuilly, Elizabeth; Palmer, Martin (1993), Sainsbury's religions of the world, Harper Collins, OCLC 40662616
  • Breuilly, Elizabeth; Palmer, Martin (1992), Christianity and ecology, World religions and ecology., Cassell, ISBN 9780304323746
  • Palmer, Martin (1992), Dancing to Armageddon, Aquarian/Thorsons, ISBN 1855381850

References
  1. "Martin Palmer". Myriad. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  2. "Interview with Martin Palmer in China Daily". Arcworld, Alliance of Religions and Conservation. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  3. Wilmshurst, David (2011). The Martyred Church: A History of the Church of the East. London: East & West Publishing. p. 458. ISBN 978-1-907318-04-7.
  4. Wilmshurst (2011), p. 457-458
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