Chinese Public Theology for Our Time
Inside the Issue
Public Theology Begins with God
Like all theology, public theology begins not with issues, but with the knowledge of God.
From the Enlightenment to the Digital Age
The public witness of the church is not to win political power or cultural hegemony in this “competition of gods.” Rather, it is to imitate Christ, seeking the peace of the city in exile, living out embodied love in the virtual, and witnessing to the eternal kingdom in suffering.
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?
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.
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.
Anti-Child Prostitution Movement
The phenomenon of child prostitution is closely related to human trafficking, the collapse of social values, poverty in Indigenous families, and the violence and inhumanity of the sex industry.
From “Being Heard” to “Being Seen”
What kind of face does the church present in public? Do our tone and rhythm make people willing to approach us, and do they make us easier to understand?
Why Beauty Matters for the Chinese Church
“Many Chinese churches place great emphasis on ‘truth’ and ‘goodness’ in their teaching and practice, yet they pay less attention to ‘beauty.’” Complaints of…
Between History and Public Theology
Who Is the Prophet of Our Time?: The Public Theology Praxis of Martin Luther King Jr. and Billy Graham is undoubtedly a landmark work of Chinese-language public theology.
A Reading Guide to Chinese Public Theology
Resources for Chinese Public Theology
Becoming an Alternative Community
The thoughtful and wide-ranging contributions in this issue of ChinaSource Journal are particularly relevant to where China’s church finds itself today.