Peoples of China

Understanding and Engaging with the Post-Eighties Generation

In China, the “post-eighties” denotes those who are were generally born during the 1980s. They are the earliest generation of those who became known in the West as the “Little Emperors” of China. Typically, they were raised in a family environment where all adults focused their attention on their only heir. R and J review the family relationships, psychological characteristics, and spokespersons for this generation. They then give suggestions for Christian expatriates working with this group.

Editorials

The More Things Change …

The editor's point of view.

Book Reviews

A New Understanding of the Relationship between Christianity and Chinese Culture

The Missionary's Curse: and Other Tales from a Chinese Catholic Village by Henrietta Harrison.

Harrison recounts the story of Catholicism in a small village in Shanxi, from its initial arrival at the opening of the seventeenth century right up to the present.

Lead Article

Some Things Change, Some Are Timeless

The author shares how his worldview has changed over the decades and how his relationships with others have changed as a result of this. As China continues to develop and grow, its need for foreign interaction will change. The deepest benefit foreign believers can bring is the benefit of a life that flows from God through Jesus; however, those whom China invites to come and stay will change according to the country’s felt needs.

Supporting Article

Changing China, Changing Roles, Unchanging Commission

Foreigners in China Today

The changes in China are both positive and negative, and they require us to rethink the kinds of foreign Christians who are still needed in that country. Some kinds of foreigners are not needed while there is a great need for another kind—those who exemplify biblical values and priorities in all aspects of their lives. Not only can they help strengthen the testimony of Chinese believers and those who shepherd them, they can also act as evangelists.

Supporting Article

Christianity in China in the Context of Global Christianity

Chinese Christians have a unique place in global Christianity and are entering into deeper conversations with Christians worldwide. What do they offer each other?  One of the greatest challenges to global Christianity is navigating fragmentation and diversity. Another significant challenge is interaction with people of other religions. How can Chinese Christians help in these and other challenges? What role do they play on the global scene? The author addresses these questions in his discussion of this topic.

View From the Wall

Encouragement and Advice from our Chinese Colleagues

An anonymous, small-scale study done by an agency among its Chinese coworkers provides insight into benefits foreign workers bring to their workplace or team as well as advice for improving relationships with their team members and friends.

Supporting Article

Eschatology and China’s Churches

The question of a church’s eschatology not only concerns its future but also determines how its people live in today’s world. While house churches included a brief summary of their eschatology in a 1998 document, within the theology of the official Three-Self Church eschatology lacks a working category; it finds itself situated under communist ideology as any form of it appears to be a threat to the ideology of the government. The church in China must ask itself what biblical, orthodox eschatology is and how it can be preached.

Book Reviews

Building up China’s Church

China’s Reforming Churches by Bruce P. Baugus, ed.
Reviewed by Jennifer Guo

This volume is written from the conviction that China’s need for church development is largely the need for the development of a healthy and robust presbyterianism that comes from an understanding of biblical theology of the church as articulated within the Reformed tradition. It frequently corrects common erroneous presuppositions and reveals that within China there is a surprising amount of freedom for Christians—and even for the officially illegal, unregistered churches.

Book Reviews

Scriptural Devotionals of God at Work in China

Making Pentecost Your Story: 50 Days of Reflection and Prayer by Robert Menzies
Reviewed by Peter S. Anderson

Following a brief overview of the church in China, this book provides 50 daily devotional readings covering seven weeks. Each reading begins with a well-chosen Scripture passage followed by a short story based on Dr Menzies’ own experiences with Christians in China.