By looking not only at the church in China itself but also to Christian communities in the global Chinese diaspora, these scholars offer both cautionary tales as well as hopeful visions of what it means to be a witness to the “public God.”
In the era of new media, every Christian is not only a user of media products but also a creator and distributor of content.
In Part 6, I reconsidered the West. Finally, I turn to the Chinese diaspora and offer several scenarios for the years ahead—ending where I began: with questions, not forecasts.
The church does not need dominance to love neighbors—it needs faithfulness.
What matters most is not only the dates, but the habits Christians learned for living between lines.
Two tracks took root: social modernizers built schools and bridges; evangelists planted chapels and courage. China’s church still needs the gifts of both.
From 1862 to 1927, China’s crises produced both scapegoats and gifts: Christianity was resisted as foreign and embraced in service—while new ideologies recast the debate.
The author explores the opportunities as well as negative effects brought by increased freedom of speech allowed in China in recent years. He then discusses why communication ethics and public theology need attention. Finally, he addresses the more recent, stringent regulations and overall tightening of freedom of expression and what is being done to respond to these changes.
To begin this reflective series based on the webinar, “Chinese Christianity in the Modern Era," we consider what it means to see the whole of the Chinese church and what theological lenses are needed to make sense of what we see.