On March 20, 2025, ChinaSource hosted a public lecture by Dr. Glen Thompson titled “China’s Earliest Christians: Who Were They and What Can We Learn from Them?” Drawing on his award-winning book Jingjiao: The Earliest Christian Church in China, Dr. Thompson introduced the audience to the little-known story of early Christianity in China—one that began not with Western missionaries, but with Syriac-speaking believers who arrived centuries earlier via the Silk Road.
At the heart of the lecture was the famous 1625 stele from the Tang dynasty, bearing inscriptions in both Chinese and Syriac. For centuries, this artifact—linked to what was historically labeled as the “Nestorian” Church—was misunderstood or dismissed. But recent scholarship has helped reframe it as a credible witness to the presence of a vibrant Christian community in China, known as Jingjiao (景教, “Luminous Religion”).
In the reflection below, one attendee shares how the lecture unexpectedly opened their eyes to God’s enduring work in China’s history—a work that continues to inspire faith and trust today.
Growing Up Near a Silenced Church
I grew up in Hong Kong during the Cultural Revolution. Just across the border in China, religion was being systematically stamped out. At the time, it felt as if missionary efforts had come to nothing, and the Church in China appeared to be at risk of vanishing.
But Dr. Thompson’s lecture showed me something I had never imagined: that Jesus Christ had pierced the heart of the Middle Kingdom long before we thought he had—caring for his people through centuries and revolutions, just as he continues to do today.
An Unexpected Discovery
Dr. Thompson spoke about the discovery and translation of an ancient Chinese stele, a stone monument bearing inscriptions. I was surprised to learn that this stele documented the arrival of Christian belief in China many centuries before European missionaries ever set foot here. And it came through Syriac-speaking believers—an unexpected and delightful piece of history!
A Window into God’s Perspective
I’m not a scholar—just an ordinary Christian—but the joy I felt during the lecture took me by surprise. Perhaps it was because the message opened a window into God’s perspective. It felt as if the Lord was saying, “Look at this! All this time, you thought I wasn’t active in China in the early years after Jesus died and rose again—but here you see that I was!”
It gave me a glimpse of the God who sees the whole sweep of history and has always been the main actor in spreading his Good News.
Rethinking My Assumptions
This moment of connection to the historical global church gave me pause. What else is God doing right now? What other parts of his work have we not yet discovered? How might this change the way I view him, or the values I hold?
It reminded me that I can trust God to act, to care, and to carry out his purposes in this world filled with beloved people, even when I don’t see the whole picture.
History as a Gift to the Global Church
For Christians of all tribes, tongues, and nations striving to know God and live as his people in the world, historical artifacts like this stele—when carefully studied and interpreted—are a true gift. They help us shift from narrow, culture-centric perspectives to a broader, more God-centered view of history.
A Word of Thanks
Thank you, Dr. Thompson, for helping us see this remarkable testimony of God’s enduring love for the entire world. May it deeply encourage our Chinese brothers and sisters to trust in their Father’s work, both on their behalf and through the worldwide church.
