Christianity in China

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Jesus statue in garden at St. Ignatius Xujiahui Cathedral, Shanghai. Traditional China’s worldview—Confucianism, Daoism/folk religion, Buddhism, and the management of “heterodoxy”—shaped how Christianity was first seen: foreign, sometimes tolerated, and often misunderstood.

Traditional China Meets Christianity

Traditional China’s worldview—Confucianism, Daoism/folk religion, Buddhism, and the management of “heterodoxy”—shaped how Christianity was first seen: foreign, sometimes tolerated, and often misunderstood.

Samuel Ling • September 26, 2025 •

Smooth river stones in the foreground of a shallow, sunlit river with a blurred treeline and sky in the background.

Identifying Needs

They patiently persevered as "people of the soil," knowing trees take a long time to grow and bear fruit.

Joann Pittman • July 15, 2025 •

A city street in China with a church in the distance, its cross rising above the skyline. Readers may be left with the impression that the Three-Self Church either willingly cooperates and blindly accepts the government’s agenda, or passively submits, powerless and resigned. But is that really the case?

The Three-Self Church in the Sinicization Campaign

Readers may be left with the impression that the Three-Self Church either willingly cooperates and blindly accepts the government’s agenda, or passively submits, powerless and resigned. But is that really the case?

Shengxia Wang • June 17, 2025 •

A person wearing a sun hat reaches out his right hand to touch a stone dragon. Metaphors have the power to expand our imaginations or limit our thinking. May the lived experience of China’s Christians, both inside and outside China, inspire new images of what is possible in Christ’s kingdom.

Metaphorically Speaking

Metaphors have the power to expand our imaginations or limit our thinking. May the lived experience of China’s Christians, both inside and outside China, inspire new images of what is possible in Christ’s kingdom.

Brent Fulton • May 26, 2025 •

An expat girl walking on a street in China. I pray for more women and men from around the world, to view China—not through the lenses of journalists, internet celebrities or politicians, but as God sees it.

Cross-Cultural Work in China Today

I pray for more women and men from around the world, to view China—not through the lenses of journalists, internet celebrities or politicians, but as God sees it.

Swells in the Middle Kingdom • May 19, 2025 •

A church building in China with a national flag standing in front of it. Developing Chinese religions is not a socio-cultural or religious concern but one of international relations and national security.

Whose Zhongguohua Is It Anyway?

Developing Chinese religions is not a socio-cultural or religious concern but one of international relations and national security.

Jordan Wang, Naomi Thurston • March 24, 2025 •

A Chinese man passing by a traditional Chinese architecture. In recent years, the approach to religious affairs has shifted toward the “Sinicization of Christianity.” This strategy is rooted in two key objectives: “countering infiltration” and “going global.”

Countering Infiltration and Going Global

In recent years, the approach to religious affairs has shifted toward the “Sinicization of Christianity.” This strategy is rooted in two key objectives: “countering infiltration” and “going global.”

Chin Ken Pa • •

The Flag Raising Ceremony at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Sinicization is the UFWD’s agenda for Chinese religious associations. All religions are to be Sinicized, even Taoism. But the challenge of bringing “foreign religions” like Christianity and Islam into the Party’s agenda requires increased effort.

Faith Under Party Rule

Sinicization is the UFWD’s agenda for Chinese religious associations. All religions are to be Sinicized, even Taoism. But the challenge of bringing “foreign religions” like Christianity and Islam into the Party’s agenda requires increased effort.

Richard Madsen • •