Tag: Christianity in China
A Strategy Forged in Bethlehem
Perhaps in the glow of Bethlehem’s star we can begin to see the sheer incongruity of the China narratives we had come to take for granted. The reliance on cultural or political influence, the ability to project power through financial resources, the desire to win, the need to make ourselves relevant—these belie our core identity as followers of Christ…
Chinese Christianity Endures, Part 2
Learning from the 18th-Century Church Under Authoritarian Rule
Given China’s place in the world order today, it is very unlikely that they will completely ban all foreigners.... We can be confident that no matter how few the foreigners or how persecuted the flock, our God who makes the rocks cry out in testimony will ensure that his witness is never silenced, and his kingdom continues to advance.
Chinese Christianity Endures, Part 1
Studying the 18th-Century Church under Authoritarian Rule
The study then takes a closer look at the brief emergence of a comparatively Chinese underground church…before concluding with a fascinating reflection on martyrdom, comparing the Chinese notion of suffering perseverance motivated by filial loyalty to the saints who have gone before with the European concept of sacrificing one’s life for the gospel.
Mapping China’s Christian Legacy
The Story of the China Historical Christian Database
At a time when the study of Christianity in China is becoming more difficult, the CHCD opens a new portal to explore China’s Christian past. The tool might be different than rummaging through a traditional archive, but by repackaging archival materials into an online tool it invites anyone to ask, “What could be discovered if…?”
Taking Chinese Spirituality Seriously
Engaging with Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist Spiritualities
Christians need to acknowledge a fact. We might disagree on whether Confucianism is a religion or not. But Confucianism, together with Daoism and Buddhism, are spiritual traditions that have provided “chicken soup” for Chinese souls for more than two thousand years.
From Bricks to Bonds
A Journey Beyond the Walls of Faith
A small congregation worked together to create a beautiful rental space, then lost their pastor and had to move from place to place due to government restrictions. Through this experience, they came together to create unbreakable bonds with one another and learn about what truly makes a church.
Indignation or Creativity?
One old-timer (a Bible-smuggler…) told me... “There is a lot possible when we function within the law. We can still head in all kinds of directions. There are always open doors in every country no matter how ‘closed’ they are. We just have to find them.”
Supporting Article
Learning from the Larger Story
Menzies discusses his belief that the Pentecostal churches in China have an important contribution to make to the larger, global body of Christ, and that the Pentecostal movement, in China and globally, need the larger body of Christ.
Beyond the Golden Era
The world in which Jesus grew up and spent his earthly life was in many respects a microcosm of our world today.