The Water We Swim In
We bring to China our view of the world and our place in it, our sense of “the way things ought to be,” our values and priorities. Through this lens, we try to make sense of a culture and people very different from ourselves.
我们谈论中国教会时,究竟在讲谁的故事?同样的事件,为何会有不同的解读?本系列以华源协作创办人傅邦宁(Brent Fulton)的评论为主,从历史、宗教政策到宣教与跨文化关系,重新审视那些我们习以为常的中国教会叙事。换个角度,或许能看见更完整的故事。
We bring to China our view of the world and our place in it, our sense of “the way things ought to be,” our values and priorities. Through this lens, we try to make sense of a culture and people very different from ourselves.
Surveying the fraught relationship between church and state in China, the late Chinese church historian Daniel Bays asserted that government control of religion has been a constant feature from Imperial times to the present.
While honestly embracing their own evangelical legacy, with its imperative for gospel witness, the Mennonites also found in their heritage values of “hosting, listening, waiting, learning, inquiring, affirming.”
Beyond the story of suffering lies the sacred narrative of how the church continues to be the church.
The persecution story may be unending, but neither is persecution the end of the story.
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.
The role of China’s church in world evangelization has more to do with intentionality of heart than with getting to any one particular destination, whether Jerusalem or someplace else.
In this era of development, China’s Christians are telling new stories, some of which challenge our familiar narratives about China and its church. Are we listening?
Research and advocacy organizations who have kept the world informed of rights violations in China and other countries are now laying off staff, resulting in decreased visibility into the lives of those who suffer for their faith.
Open Doors has released its latest World Watch List, the annual roster of countries where persecution of Christians is most extreme. China moved up in the rankings, from 19th to 15th place among the 50 nations profiled.
Rudolf was all of these—a dear brother in Christ who left an indelible impression on those with whom he served. His vision and unstoppable determination to seek the expansion of Christ’s kingdom in China were instrumental in shaping ChinaSource into the organization it is today.
In just a few weeks we will celebrate Messiah’s birth, remembering the day when hope entered the world, forever changing the course of human history. Many of our China stories have a similar anticipatory quality. Whatever our stories may promise, our hope for China is more than looking forward to an ideal future.