When the Tolerance Ends
Earlier this month brought word that dozens of pastors and leaders of Zion Church, one of China’s so-called megachurches with locations in Beijing and around the country, had been arrested.
Religious Regulations
Latest
New Religious Regulations for Foreigners in China
The Chinese government announced an updated set of regulations to govern the religious activities of foreign personnel. These regulations went into effect on May 1 and apply to all foreigners living in or visiting China and their religious activities.
The Resolve of a Commoner
China’s Catholics continue to endure their present circumstances, attending services, meeting in their homes for private prayer and study, and supporting one another in their Christian faith.
China’s NGO Policy: Iron Cage or Ladder to Success?
Rather than seeing government regulations as a constraint, the authors urged NGO leaders to take these regulations as a guide on their journey toward greater opportunities.
Generation to Generation
People have never been so eager to hear about the gospel because their lives and hopes have never been so damped in the past four decades.
Reflections on the Pew Report
In recent years, the Chinese government has tightly controlled the dissemination of key societal information while treating grassroots Christianity like a political opponent. This situation has left independent Christian researchers in a predicament as they struggle to access the necessary research materials while fearing unintentionally harming Chinese Christians, particularly well-known independent scholars.
Christianity in Post-Pandemic China
Understanding both the registered and unregistered aspects of the church in China provides a more comprehensive picture of the dynamic interplay within the Christian sphere, shedding light on the various challenges and opportunities that each sector encounters.
The 2023 Regulations for Religious Activity Site Registration
Under Xi…steps toward liberalization have ended and even reversed…. Xi has removed term limits on his rule, called upon the media to serve the party, arrested outspoken lawyers and feminists, and renewed pressure on house and official churches; all sectors…have fallen under the CCP’s oversight and control.
Sinicization: Culture or Politics?
The cultural and political aspects of the Sinicization campaign go hand in hand. At its core, the campaign is all about political control. Yet, given China’s culture of political dominance, it is also very much about culture—a culture of obedience in which religion serves the interests of the state…
The Mountains Are Shorter, Part 1
Today China’s officials are much less likely to turn a blind eye toward unauthorized Christian activity. Under the rubric of national security, Xi Jinping has shifted the government’s emphasis from aggressive economic growth to social control.
Back in China
Challenges notwithstanding, the resilience and unwavering faith of the Chinese church are awe-inspiring. God’s grip on his church remains unyielding, and amid adversity, a vibrant faith continues to thrive in the hearts of believers across China.
Chinese Christianity and the Missio Dei
As mission in China goes through changing circumstances, it is important to remember that the growth of the Chinese church is primarily the missio dei (mission of God) rather than our mission.