Blog Entries on Church and State
5 Random Observations on the 19th Party Congress
The Communist Party of China just wrapped up its 19th Party Congress in Beijing. Here are some “takeaways.”
Preparing for Red October
China may be an ancient civilization, but on October 1, it celebrated its 68th birthday.
New Religion Regulations to Take Effect in February
The long-awaited revision of the draft religion regulations circulated last September was signed into law last month and will take effect February 1, 2018.
The Rising Tide of Propaganda
My neighborhood—most of my city, actually—is currently undergoing a dramatic change, the likes of which I have not seen in my two decades of residency. I first began to notice that something different was occurring in the autumn of last year, but in recent weeks the transformation has become undeniable and unavoidable. Its duration and its effects on the local population remain to be seen.
The New Normal
In order to be good stewards of the resources and opportunities given us to serve in this country, China workers are always on the lookout for insights into China’s current condition and how it might affect our prospects for ministry. In 2016 fall edition of The Washington Quarterly five eminent China hands contributed their perspectives on China’s future path.
Beyond Politics
Seeking social change outside the realm of politics—Christians in China are providing examples of how that might be done.
Regulating Religion
Much has been written the past few weeks about the draft revision to the Regulations on Religious Affairs, the main policy document that spells out how religion is to be managed in China.
Will New Regulations Tighten the State’s Grip on Religion?
On September 8, 2016 China's State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) sent a draft amendment for religious affairs administration to the Legal Office of the State Council. The amendments were posted on-line through the State Council website, requesting public opinions on the draft before October 7 of this year.
Draft of New Religious Regulations
In April of this year, President Xi Jinping gave a speech at a national conference on religion in which he outlined his vision for the role religion can and should play in Chinese society. As is often the case with speeches from top leaders, his themes were painted in broad strokes, with very little specifics. Those are typically revealed in subsequent regulations.
Why Crosses? Why Zhejiang?
The massive campaign against church crosses in China’s Zhejiang province is in the news again with the release this month of the US State Department’s 2015 Report on International Religious Freedom.