Church and State
Is There Religious Freedom in China?
Is there religious freedom in China? The answer, of course, depends on the meaning of the term "religious freedom"
What Triggers Persecution of Christians in China?
According to China Aid Association's 2013 Persecution Report, a total of 7,424 Christians were persecuted in China last year. This is not an insignificant number; 7,424 believers facing persecution is 7,424 too many. However, it is worth looking at this number a bit closer in order to put it into perspective.
Demolish! It’s Just a Building!
In the week since the Sanjiang Church was demolished, netizens in China (both Christian and non-Christian) have taken to social media to comment on the incident.
“In the Cross, In the Cross”
In response to the situation at the Sanjiang Church in Wenzhou, a Chinese believer posted an open letter to Christians world-wide to pray for the Church in China.
The Sanjiang Church Incident: More than Meets the Eye
Last week, word started circulating in the western press of a church in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province that was surrounded by parishioners protecting it from a demolition crew.
The Sanjiang Church Incident
On April 4, the western press began reporting on a church in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province that was surrounded by thousands of parishioners who were blocking a crew sent to demolish the church. As reported, local officials had initially ordered that the cross be removed from the church, and later said the church was built illegally and had ordered its destruction. The story was a hot topic both inside and outside of China, and has come to be known as The Sanjiang Church Incident.
Religious Policy Development in the PRC since 1949–An Overview
In today's blog, Dr. Timothy Conkling discusses the influence of PRC religious policy on the church in China.
China does a lot of things.
It is common journalistic shorthand to attribute any policies, economic action, or military behavior that appears to emanate from Chinese officialdom to "China."
Examining China’s Religious Policy
One of the questions frequently asked about China concerns the degree to which Christians in China face persecution, the default assumption being that China has a specific policy of repressing Christianity.
The 2013 Grinch Award (is for your educational benefit)
Just because a Chinese Christian is in trouble doesn't mean they're in trouble just because they're a Christian. Their Christianity may have something to do with it, or it may have almost nothing to do with. China being as it is, the "whys" are usually a little more complicated and a lot more pragmatic. This is not the Mao Era.