Japanese-American scholar Fukuyama introduced the notion of "the end of history," proporting that the world was now one and history should come to an end. Others have claimed that globalization has "leveled the playing field." And yet others view globalization quite differently. The real question is how we should view the changes in China's culture and its influence in light of the globalization of the economy during the last thirty years.
Is Christianity influencing China's culture?
Editor's Note: This editorial originally appeared in "Chinese Culture: Continuity or Discontinuity?" (ChinaSource, 2010 Spring).
Persistent reports of Christians in China being harassed, fined, detained and oppressed through discriminatory policies often lead outside observers to conclude that the Chinese government is pursuing a concerted and consistent policy to restrict Christian activity and stem the growth of Christianity. While these troubling incidents remain a reality of life in China, a survey of the larger picture suggests that they are the exception rather than the rule, and that there may be room for cautious optimism concerning future policy toward China's Christians.
A word from the managing editor.
Among all debates and controversies about the Back to Jerusalem (BTJ) phenomenon, the issue of training Chinese missionaries seems to have fallen on the sidelines. More attention has been given to issues such as the controversial number of 100,000 missionaries, abuse of the genuine grass-root missionary spirit, and who has the right to represent BTJ. Despite the legitimacy of all these concerns, traininga critical component that determines the outcome of missionshas not been given enough attention.
With the number of Chinese scholars studying abroad increasing and many of them coming to faith in Christ, understanding the challenges they face in returning to China is vital for their ongoing spiritual growth. What is being done to deal with those challenges?
A look at the urban church today (2009).
The people of China view current events through two historical lenses.
The editor's perspective...
China: Ancient Culture, Modern Society by Peter Xiaoming Yu and G. Wright Doyle.
Reviewed by Tricia Bølle
Who are the foreigners that have gone to China in the past and today?