The qualities often celebrated through the horse in Chinese culture—strength, perseverance, diligence, endurance—may rightly be received as genuine gifts of common grace. And yet Scripture insists on a boundary we forget at our peril: the horse cannot save.
Just as the serpent maneuvers and weaves through its environment, we can adopt an outward appearance of compliance while preserving inner principles.
As we welcome the Year of the Snake, our team has prepared a short video to send heartfelt New Year’s blessings to all our readers! We also invite you to explore our archive of articles that delve into the spiritual and cultural dimensions of the Lunar New Year.
As the Year of the Snake is approaching, amidst the blessings of the Year of the Snake and the music of the “Dance of the Golden Snake”, Chinese Christians can meditate on the many snake-related verses in the Bible, and come to God in thanksgiving and prayer.
I am not Chinese, and yet I was so helped by this exploration of the Year of the Dragon. And I realize that for my Chinese Christian brothers and sisters this series of articles may have produced a much deeper sense of relief than mine. For this I am grateful and looking forward to an eternity in which I can know them better.
Chinese Christians are not only receivers of traditional culture but also reformers of contemporary culture and creators of emerging culture. When reflecting on the complex relationship between the gospel and culture, we need a grand and holistic Christian worldview, capable of carrying the gospel’s tolerance of, challenge for, and renewal of culture.
The Bible presents us with good reasons both for celebrating dragons and for slaying them. Insofar as they represent those unfallen throne guardians of heaven, they should be duly revered; and insofar as they represent that fallen seraph Satan, they should be crushed underfoot.
For Chinese Christians, embracing both church feasts and traditional Chinese festivals is a delicate balance. While adhering to biblical principles and avoiding idolatry, we are also called to live in harmony with all, showcasing God's goodness to unbelievers (Romans 12:18).
February 15, 2015 marked the first day of a new year in the Chinese calendar. According to the Chinese zodiac, which assigns an animal to each year in a 12-year cycle, currently we are in the Year of the Sheep.
One of the superstitious beliefs about the Year of the Sheep is that it is an unlucky year, which means among other things, that it is best not to give birth to a child during this year. In this article from the online journal Territory, the writer delves into the history of this belief and how it is harmful to society. He also contrasts it with what the Bible says about the source of blessings in life, notions of child-rearing, and the nature of sheep.