China’s Church Divided tells the story of the fraught relationship between the Chinese Catholic Church, the Vatican, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), focusing on the post-Mao reform era that began in the late 1970s.
Unlike Chinese Gnosticism, which emphasizes "feelings dominating, reason suppressed, and the mind set aside," Orthodox spirituality emphasizes "reason as gatekeeper, mind in charge, and feelings set aside."
God is not confined to church walls. He meets us in the world’s wounded places.
The Jesus Prayer may be the missing key to spiritual renewal in Chinese churches.
Some seek shelter in what feels more stable. I understand that. But we are called to covenantal faithfulness, rooted in grace, perseverance, and the cross.
My journey of exploring the unique spiritual resources across various Christian branches and denominational traditions is far from over; it continues to this day.
The Orthodox tradition has something meaningful to offer Chinese evangelical churches—not necessarily as a replacement, but as a resource for reflection and renewal.
It seems fair to say that the road ahead will remain challenging for Catholic Christians in China, especially for those who are staying faithful to the pope.
Looking back, Liu sees his Catholic journey as a shift away from a faith centered on outcomes toward one centered on God himself.
God is actively working among his people throughout East Asia in ways that may be surprising to those of us in the West or may appear hidden.
For him, Orthodoxy is not about changing churches. It’s about rediscovering what was once central to the early Christian faith—a truth, he believes, that continues to burn.
This simple act—pen on paper, word by word—became a form of worship. It became a way of remembering, of re-centering, and most unexpectedly, of reconnecting.