Bringing Incarnational Faith into Public Life
Does the gospel of Christ also concern a nation's public life: justice, poverty, corruption, the environment, refugees, and people suffering in disasters? I believe the answer is yes.
ZGBriefs
ZGBriefs | July 23, 2026
Ten Years After the Charity Law: Whither Chinese NGOs? (July 21, 2026, Made in China Journal) While the Party-State’s firm grip on civil society has long rested on its formidable coercive capacities, it has increasingly sought to complement regulatory control with ideological legitimacy.
ZGBriefs | July 16, 2026
Unlike Their National Team, Chinese Fans Never Miss the World Cup (July 10, 2026, The World of Chinese)
ZGBriefs | July 9, 2026
Founder of Prominent Underground Church Released from Prison in China (July 4, 2026, The Guardian)
ZGBriefs | July 2, 2026
Can China’s Dong Minority Keep Their Unique Cultural Heritage? (June 26, 2026, The Diplomat)
More Articles
When Cherry Blossoms Fall in the Sweet Potato Field
May we carefully nurture these cherry-blossom seeds in the sweet potato field until, in the love of Christ, they flower and bear fruit, becoming gospel pioneers who will help shape the future of both Taiwan and Japan.
Faith Beyond Institutions
What happens to faith when the structures that once sustained it become uncertain?
A Tale of Two Chinas (1)
A red bridge in China spanning a river in a lush green forest area.
After the City on a Hill
By looking not only at the church in China itself but also to Christian communities in the global Chinese diaspora, these scholars offer both cautionary tales as well as hopeful visions of what it means to be a witness to the “public God.”
The Challenge of Scientism in Chinese Diaspora Mission
The thought patterns formed by long-term, deeply embedded atheistic education and scientism remain a major epistemological threshold that Chinese diaspora Christians must cross in evangelism, as well as a stronghold that apologetics must address.
From Gospel Posters to Public Theology
In the era of new media, every Christian is not only a user of media products but also a creator and distributor of content.
Reframing the Mission
God is glorified as Christ’s followers become disciples, showing through their fruit—their true identity in him. The command here is not to bear fruit, but to abide.
Cultivating Peace
Peace in Chinese culture, for example, often means requiring others to be the same as oneself, whereas biblical peace means being able to live with people who are different.
From “Set Apart as Holy” to a “Community of Virtue”
In a context where public space is restricted and church institutionalization is still taking shape, the “community of virtue” reminds the Chinese house church that public theology is not only about how the church speaks to the world, but also about whether the church itself lives out a life of peace, justice, humility, and mutual service.
Public Mission in a Pluralistic Social Context
Can the Malaysian Chinese Church shift from a community primarily concerned with its own survival to one that participates in the holistic mission of God and seeks the peace of this land?
Public Theology Begins with God
Like all theology, public theology begins not with issues, but with the knowledge of God.