China’s Demographic Fork in the Road
Up until the beginning of this decade, China's elderly and young adult populations were growing at roughly the same rate.
Articles
Latest
Some Common Mistakes
One of my favorite blogs is the China Law Blog, maintained by lawyers with extensive knowledge of and experience in China. It seems like they always have something interesting and helpful to say.
Humility and History: Addressing the Unspoken
Anyone who has worked in China for even a short period of time has likely been warned about bringing up sensitive topics, especially political issues and certain historical events. But for those who seek to be effective servants and trustworthy partners, addressing the pain and questions around such historical events may eventually be part of the work, especially if one is thinking holistically.
Caring for Elderly Parents
China is facing some unique demographic challenges, not the least of which is an aging population. Currently, roughly 8% of the population is 65 or older. However, according to a report by the BBC, that number is expected to be 12% by 2020, and 26% by 2050.
Partnering with China’s Church in an Era of Global Convergence
We live in an era when partnership between the church in China and the global church is both desired and increasingly possible. The challenges facing the church in China have evolved significantly in recent decades A survey of these challenges may lead some to conclude that church life in China today is not that much different from church life in the West or among overseas Chinese communities in Asia. Postmodernism, urbanization, secularization, and family breakdown are endemic to industrialized and post-industrialized societies the world over. The difference for China is that it has experienced in thirty years what in most other nations has taken place over a century or more.
ZGBriefs The Weeks Top Picks, July 10 Issue
An arrest and a peek into history this week's must read ZGBriefs articles.
Ten Lessons from the Church in China
As the church in China continues to grow and mature, opportunities to connect and partner with churches in the West continue to grow as well. In many cases, these partnerships provide opportunities for churches in China to learn from the experiences of the churches in the West. This is a good thing.
China’s Religious Policy: The Unfinished Mandate
China's current policy on religion is spelled out in Central Party Document no. 19, "The Basic Viewpoint and Policy on the Religious Question during Our Country's Socialist Period," issued in March of 1982.
It’s Also about the History
To better understand the recent Sanjiang church demolition and what now appears to be a coordinated effort on the part of the government to curb visibility of Christianity in the public sphere, it is also helpful to briefly consider the relationship that Christianity has with China historically.
The Difficulty of ‘Urban Missions’ in China
In this article, translated from the site jidutu123.com, the author looks at the challenges of doing urban missions in China. His main point is that doing urban missions, traditionally defined as ministering to the marginalized, is difficult in China because it assumes that Christianity is already part of the mainstream of culture, something that is not true in China. He then calls on the church to look for ways to engage with society rather than standing in opposition to it. Only by doing this will Christianity gain influence in Chinese society.
How Many NGOs does China Really Have?
According to a recent article in The Economist, over the past 25 years half a million non-governmental organizations have registered in China. Another 1.5 million social entities have not registered and are effectively functioning illegally. Many others are registered as businesses.
Under the Microscope?
If you work for a foreign NGO in China and have had the feeling that it has been under a bit more scrutiny lately, it seems that you are not imagining things.