Ideas

Editorial reflection and analysis on issues shaping Chinese Christianity.

Latest

Space, Place, and Face

As urbanization has redrawn the landscape of China, its effects have been far reaching, altering not only the physical geography but also the social fabric in multiple dimensions.

• April 6, 2015 •

The Confucian World

I haven’t actually read this book, but it looks like a good one to add to my reading list: Confucius and the World He Created, by Michael Schuman.

• March 27, 2015 •

Denominationalism in China: Pre or Post?

While many would applaud the church’s “post-denominational” character as evidence of the unity of the church in China, others today are asking whether a return to denominations is not only inevitable but should, in fact, be welcomed.

• March 25, 2015 •

The Greying of China and the Church’s Response

As China’s elderly population mushrooms and its working-age population shrinks, Christian families find themselves caught in the middle of this demographic divide. Cultural expectations and legal requirements put the onus on them to care for older family members, but neither the government nor the society at large are adequately prepared to support this effort.

• March 20, 2015 •

What Are Our Young People Thinking: Post 95 Generation

In the past two weeks, we have posted part one and two of an article titled “What are our Young People Thinking: How to Witness to Youth of the Post 1980’s, 1990’s and 1995’s,”, originally published in The Church Magazine. Part one  looked specifically at the unique characteristics of the post-80s generation of Chinese youth. Part two looked specifically at the unique characteristics of the post-90s generation of Chinese youth.

Part three looks at the post-95s generation.

• March 17, 2015 •

Cults in China

Last year members of the Almighty God sect savagely attacked a customer in a McDonald’s in northeast China after she refused to give them her cell phone number. Formerly known as Eastern Lightning, the Almighty God sect has emerged as one of the most active cults in China.

• March 16, 2015 •

What Are Our Young People Thinking: Post 90s Generation

In last week's post we published part one of an article titled titled “What are our Young People Thinking: How to Witness to Youth of the Post 1980s, 1990s and 1995s,” originally published in The Church Magazine. That post looked specifically at the unique characteristics of the post-80s generation of Chinese youth.

Part two looks at the post-90s generation.

• March 10, 2015 •

China by the Lists

Grab your calculator – China’s leaders are at it again!

To usher in the Year of the Sheep, President Xi Jinping has placed his indelible stamp on Chinese history by unveiling the Four Comprehensives.

• March 9, 2015 •