Kenneth Scott Latourette
Kenneth Scott Latourette: A Life of Pioneering Scholarship
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Kenneth Scott Latourette was an American historian, scholar, and missionary who is best known for his work on East Asian history. He is commonly referred to as K.S.L.
Birth and Death Dates
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Latourette was born on May 9, 1893, in Denver, Colorado, USA, and passed away on September 21, 1980, at the age of 87.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Latourette held dual nationality as an American and a British citizen. His profession spanned multiple fields: historian, scholar, missionary, educator, and author.
Early Life and Background
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Born to a Christian family, Latourette was raised in a household that valued education and service to others. He grew up with a strong interest in history and languages, which eventually led him to pursue a career in academia. Before becoming a renowned historian, Latourette worked as a missionary in China for several years.
Major Accomplishments
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Latourette's extensive body of work has left an indelible mark on the field of East Asian studies. Some of his most notable achievements include:
Decade of research: He spent over 10 years researching and writing about Chinese history, resulting in several seminal works that redefined the field.
Historical narratives: Latourette's narrative histories of China have been widely praised for their clarity, depth, and accessibility.
Influence on academia: His work has inspired generations of scholars to pursue careers in East Asian studies.Notable Works or Actions
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Some of Latourette's most notable works include:
The Chinese: A Re-interpretation of History (1934)
A Short History of the Far East (1946)
The United States and China, 1844-1911 (1947)
Impact and Legacy
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Latourette's work has had a profound impact on our understanding of East Asian history. His commitment to accuracy, fairness, and clarity has set a high standard for historians in the field.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Kenneth Scott Latourette is widely quoted and remembered due to his:
Pioneering scholarship: He helped establish East Asian studies as a legitimate field of study.
Accessible writing style: His narratives have made complex historical topics accessible to readers from diverse backgrounds.
* Enduring influence: His work continues to inspire new generations of scholars, policymakers, and general readers.
As we reflect on the life and legacy of Kenneth Scott Latourette, it is clear that his contributions to East Asian studies will continue to shape our understanding of this vast and fascinating region for years to come.
Quotes by Kenneth Scott Latourette
Kenneth Scott Latourette's insights on:
Hinduism’s basic tenet is that many roads exist by which men have pursued and still pursue their quest for the truth and that none has universal validity.
Although when Christianity appeared the total population of the planet was only a fraction of that of the twentieth century, most of the earth’s surface was quite outside the Mediterranean world, Persia, India, and China.
Freedom was conditioned by man’s physical body, heredity, and environment.
The most that one of Jewish faith can do – and some have gladly done it – is to say that Jesus was the greatest in the long succession of Jewish prophets. None can acknowledge that Jesus was the Messiah without becoming a Christian.
The primary source of the appeal of Christianity was Jesus – His incarnation, His life, His crucifixion, and His resurrection.
As the centuries pass, the evidence is accumulating that, measured by His effect on history, Jesus is the most influential life ever lived on this planet.
It is not His teachings which make Jesus so remarkable, although these would be enough to give Him distinction. It is a combination of the teachings with the man Himself. The two cannot be separated.
However incompatible the spirit of Jesus and armed force may be, and however unpleasant it may be to acknowledge the fact, as a matter of plain history the latter has often made it possible for the former to survive.
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY WAS DUE PRIMARILY TO A NEW BURST OF RELIGIOUS LIFE EMANATING FROM THE CHRISTIAN IMPULSE. . . . NEVER IN ANY CORRESPONDING LENGTH OF TIME HAD THE CHRISTIAN IMPULSE GIVEN RISE TO SO MANY NEW MOVEMENTS. NEVER HAD IT HAD QUITE SO GREAT AN EFFECT UPON WESTERN EUROPEAN PEOPLES. IT WAS FROM THIS ABOUNDING VIGOR THAT THERE ISSUED THE MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE WHICH DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY SO AUGMENTED THE NUMERICAL STRENGTH AND THE INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY.
We must, however, note that what are usually called the high religions made their appearance within about twenty-five hundred years - most of them within fifteen hundred years.