Tag: Theology
The Prosperity Gospel in China
As China has become more prosperous, it has also become more open to outside influences. This is true of the church as well. In recent years prosperity theology has been gaining influence, mainly through the translated books and resources of Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen. In this article, originally published in the Gospel Times, the author (a pastor) reflects on why this teaching is attractive to many in China.
10 Questions on Contextualization
Earlier this week we posted a ChinaSource Conversations podcast in which I talked with Jackson Wu, author of Saving God’s Face and Sam Chan, author of Preaching as the Word of God about the issue of contextualization in gospel presentations. In the course of the conversation I asked them ten questions.
Considering the Challenges Facing Families in China
Young Christian families in China face pressure both from long-held traditional beliefs about family structure and from China’s contemporary materialistic society. As most of these Christians are first-generation believers, they have no frame of reference for understanding the biblical basis for family life. ChinaSource seeks to bring to light the issues facing these families so that those who come alongside Christians in China may better understand their needs.
From Confucius to Christ
Chinese Families in Tension
The latest issue of ChinaSource Quarterly takes an in-depth look at the pressures facing young Christian families in urban China.
Supporting Article
A Theology of Family for the Chinese Church
Due to the historical influences on family structure and ethics, many new Christians have no background for a Christian marriage and family. Sound doctrine and the ability to utilize the gospel to transform familial ethics are critical needs in China. In addition, due to a lack of accurate understanding of the doctrine of the church, there is a scarcity of guidance on managing the family as well as its relationship to the church. Li Jin presents the doctrine of the Trinity as a foundation for a Christian family.
View From the Wall
Families, Churches, and China’s Transition
Historical influences on family structure and how this structure has collapsed in recent decades are reviewed. The author then recognizes that family order has been established by God and must be restored. This is essential for China’s transformation. The role the Chinese church should play in this restoration needs to be thought through.
The China Church Narrative, and Why It Matters
What are the real challenges facing the church in China today?
A Sociological or Theological Reading of Christianity?
The Case of the Chinese Church
Common sense would tell us that what stands at the core of Christianity is its theology, polity, and mission. But when we come to Christianity in China, it is Chinese Christianity’s social impact and its implications for issues such as human rights and China’s international relations, rather than its pastoral and theological developments and challenges, that have received disproportionately large attention in the Western press in the recent decades.