On Thursday, April 7, we hosted a webinar titled “Chinese Christianity in the Modern Era: Making Sense of the Present in Light of the Past.” The presenter was Dr. Easten Law, Assistant Director for Academic Programs at the Overseas Ministries Study Center at Princeton Theological Seminary and a regular contributor to ChinaSource.
Dr. Law provided a historical overview of the different threads running through Chinese Christianity’s modern development, including themes of folk religiosity and healing, ethical living, familial belonging, and national salvation. He considered what these historical themes can tell us about the church’s role amidst China’s current inward, nationalistic turn and how we should orient ourselves in response. Knowing that many foreign workers are mourning the changes that have come about in China’s sociopolitical environment over the past decade, this presentation also contained a pastoral undercurrent, affirming the reality that the Chinese church in all its forms has been and will continue to be in God’s hands.
The lecture was divided into five sections:
- Some Theological Assumptions
- Lenses for Understanding Chinese Christian Religiosity
- Historical Precedence and Negotiation
- Contemporary Dynamics
- A Benediction
In between each of those sections, he provided time for reflection, analysis, and prayer.
Following his presentation, he fielded questions from the registered participants.
A video of the full webinar, including the Q&A time, is now publicly available on the webinar page and on YouTube. On the webinar page, you can also find Dr. Law’s slides in a downloadable PDF.
We are grateful to Dr. Law for putting together such an informative and encouraging presentation.
Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs. Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University …View Full Bio
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