Addressing his readers in China, Ren Xiaopeng asks, āIf American evangelicalism is in such an intellectually vacant state, where would Chinese Christianity, deeply influenced by American evangelicalism and fundamentalism, go next?ā Their answer will be critical for the future of the Chinese churchāand, if we are willing to listen, for the church in America as well.
In his reflection on cultural heritage, Rev. Chow acknowledges that while no one has physically seen a dragon, it stands as a potent spiritual symbol for the Chinese, embodying a complex and profound mix of emotionsāa reverence filled with honor and dignity. Rather than dismissing the dragon for its mythical nature, Rev. Chow proposes that we "value it doubly, as an integral part of our treasured traditions."
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 gospelās 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.
On April 5, in the gorgeous Nazareth Chapel at the University of Northwestern-St.Paul, IāChing Thomas delivered a fascinating lecture titled āHuman Flourishing in Chinese Thought: A…
Christians need to acknowledge a fact. We might disagree on whether Confucianism is a religion or not. But Confucianism, together with Daoism and Buddhism, are spiritual traditions that have provided āchicken soupā for Chinese souls for more than two thousand years.
It was a strong resonance with Haiziās profound search for homecoming and the āviolent extremenessā (å²å»ęé) of death that led me to walk again with this poet.... This time, however, the journey is alongside the path of Jesus on his way home in Lukeās gospel.
Everyone who has been to China, or met a Christian from China, or read or heard something about Christians in China, has a story to tell. But no one has the whole story.
That this non-Western contextualizing will leave many of our Western theologies and ābrandsā diminished or transformed could encourage us to repent for the scandal of our divisionsā¦and to redouble our efforts to fulfill one of the final earthly prayers of Jesus that āwe all be one.ā
In her book, Yang engages the complexities of Haiziās personal journey and poetic influences side by side with the life and teachings of Jesus in four parts under the themes of āroots,ā āvision,ā ājourney,ā and āarrival.ā
The church does not exist in a vacuum. It responds to various cultural factors which raises many questions about the contextualization of the gospel. This article analyzes some key features of the cultural context of Chinese house churches.
Join Joann Pittman in a conversation with Hannah Lau and IāChing Thomas about their new video podcast CantoSense.