Tag: Religious Persecution
How Should the Church Respond to Government Control?
A Reader Responds to the Spring 2023 CSQ
The maintenance and advancement of Christianity is highly correlated to three main factors: government control, social receptivity, and culture. Comparatively, China is not the most difficult place for Christianity to develop.
Messy Choices in Messy Situations
When facing situations in which right and wrong choices are not quite so black and white, we need each other more than ever to discern the right path to take. In supporting each other, I believe we should also give each other the benefit of the doubt more often than not.
Christianity and the State—Dispelling a Myth
Embedded in today’s evangelical China narratives, particularly the narrative of the persecuted church, is the assumption that regime change will inevitably bring about greater openness for the gospel in China. But is that what Chinese history tells us?
Formed by Our Narratives
These narratives can also have a distorting effect upon those who employ them, for our China stories speak to more than simply what we think about China; they also reveal what we desire.
Seeking Shalom in a Hostile Environment
Frameworks for Discussion
Learning to think biblically in responding to challenging and changing times.
Seeing Things Differently
In proposing that we need to get beyond the “persecuted church” narrative, I am not advocating . . . that we leave it behind completely, but rather that we recognize its limits.
Persecution: A Dangerous Opportunity for the Church in China?
Can the current persecution be an opportunity as well as a danger to the church in China? I think we should be confident at this point to say “yes.” This happened in biblical times, and is happening to the church in China of the 21st century, too.
A Song for the Year
As we get ready to start a new year, listen to this song in German or English so you can understand its message. Then, even if you do not understand Chinese, listen to the Chinese version. Listen as Chinese Christians sing about their faith and trust in God who will be with them at night, in the morning and on every future day.
Persecution and Sinicization in China
A Reading Round-up
Knowing what's happening and understanding the context.
Sorting Rumor from Fact?
Look for the Red Chop
Distinguishing facts from rumors is never an easy endeavor, but it is even more difficult in China, where official information is often lacking.