The influence of missionaries and Christian groups on Nee’s ecclesiology cannot be ignored. Some of them have been credited in developing an indigenous model of contextualization of Christianity in China. Lam Wing-hung asserted that the Local Church, founded by Nee, has played a vital role in the Chinese church’s history of contextualization movement:
The 1920s were a unique period in the history of Chinese Christianity when there were a host of experiments to indigenize the Christian faith. A series of significant events happened in this decade that gave momentum to the indigenous church movement.
Other than Lam’s dissertation, Jonathan Chao also focused on the indigenization endeavor of the Church in China during the 1920’s. Chao, however, gave a slightly different assessment and said,
These movements have often been called indigenous church movements, but strictly speaking, they were really various forms of independent churches… Indigenous churches, as defined by their advocates in the 1920s, are those which have not only attained independence, but also have a clear sense of Chinese identity and deal with Chinese
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Nee was convinced that traditional liturgies such as infant baptism and the inclusive Lord’s Supper were contrary to the biblical teachings. Nee, therefore, practiced believer’s baptism by immersion and the limited participation of “Breaking Bread” services. The Spiritual Man, the only book written by Nee himself, was mostly derived from the publications of Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861-1927), who worked with Evan Roberts during the Welsh Revival. Nee’s correspondence with the Keswick Convention had a profound impact on his theological foundation. Theologically, Nee was inspired by fundamentalism and premillennial dispensationalism. These influential movements shaped a framework for Nee’s theological doctrines. Ken Ang Lee
In the early 1920’s, a new movement began, known as the Fundamentalist Revolt. This New movement all started when Protestants started feeling threatened by all of the modernists and new cultures arising. Fundamentalists didn’t like that modernists were completely changing entertainment, sexual rules, and general morals. Fundamentalists believed that people had to start going back to their old ways and the ways things were written the Bible. As this idea got bigger and bigger people started preaching their ideas of how fundamentalism should regain its position in society. Anti-modernist preached about the ideas of alcohol in public and even Darwinism to prove the points of fundamentalism. More specifically the fundamentalist revolt impacted religion, race, and immigration in many ways all across country.
Although fictional, the book Safely Home written by Randy Alcorn is a remarkably dependable story based on real characters. The way of life in China and in America is portrayed in an extraordinarily accurate way. This book consists of a powerful story which focuses mainly on the persecution of Christians in China. Although not every follower of Christ lives in China and not every Christian is persecuted the way in which Li Quan, his family, and other fellow believers were persecuted, the morals and examples can be applied to any Christian’s life. Since the story takes place in today’s time period, the scenario is quite significant in any believer’s life. Christians should be more informed on the details of persecution around the world in order
As an Arab(Muslim) living in the US, I perfectly recognize what it is to be a member of a minority group. However, I am quite intrigued by the idea of studying the Chinese Christian subculture within the United States. This project will involve studying existing literature on the given subculture – which is Chinese Christian community within the US. In most cases, subcultures are closed knit and members like associating with members of their communities; understandably because of the need to belong and find closeness with one another. Nonetheless, Christianity amongst Chinese immigrants in the United States brings forth the idea of present-day assimilation, religious conversion, and so forth. In order to ensure this project is completed successfully, there will be different methods of collecting information other than studying existing literature – by experts in the field. Most notably, there will be interviews with members of the subculture being studied to get first-hand information on the experiences of the group in the US.
In this book, David Aikman as a journalist and policy consultant was also a commentator and freelance writer. He was a Time Magazine correspondent in the 1970s. His book, Jesus in Beijing, introduces the reader to the changing of society and culture in China due to Chinese Christianity. Around 1998, his relationship with the church became very earnest as he grew intrigued on the topic of Chinese Christianity. Aikman then elaborates on his various travels to China as well as give background information on the influence of Chinese Christianity, and the involvement of the church. He gives his input on the Chinese church movement and its leaders. During the Cultural Revolution in the 1970s, the older generation of male leaders of the Chinese Christians was the brave defenders of their faith. Before communism swept the land, they rose up to fight for their faith. They have been so influential that the youth of the congregation shows the same dedication and zeal for their faith while upholding the relationship within the underground organization. The younger generation showed a wide variety of understanding of their religion. Before the Cultural Revolution, the attempts to stifle the efforts of the Chinese Christians just seemed to cause them to become even more determined to fight for their right to practice their theology. Aikman makes it seem as if the Chinese Christians are of the oppressed people because of their beliefs. He often glorifies the actions of the members, with little mentioning of the brute force used.
The second part of the journey visits, ancient China in 1500 BCE, a thousand years prior to the formation of the Daoism school of thought. (Brodd, Little and Ny...
The cause and responses of the spread of Buddhism in China is similar to and reflect that of Christianity’s spread throughout western Europe. The universality aspect of both of these religions makes it possible to draw the comparison between the two. Buddhism and Christianity shared a positive response concerning the recognition of its unifying effects to create a more orderly society. Regarding Buddhism, this is seen in document 5, and regarding Christianity, this is seen in the way it became the unifying force in the Roman
Taoism is an ancient Chinese religion, a religion of peace focused on universal balance. The religion itself, though generally surviving today, was almost entirely wiped out in ancient times. Taoism’s primary symbol is still visible on the global market in modern times, though it tends to carry somewhat different meanings then it necessarily did previously. An incredibly life-structure oriented religion, it has permeated through society and is more easily understood through analysis of Taoism’s historical origins and leaders, its types and beliefs, ethics, and the modern influences of Taoism on society.
“Go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations,” is the essence of Christianity. Jesus Christ commanded his followers to go to all the directions of the world and share the good news. But how is one to do this when these nations are full of cultures and differences that these disciples had yet to encounter? Throughout the history of Christianity, we see many types of Christianities taking place through different forms of leadership, and hierarchy. To each, they contain their own views, ideas and concepts on how Christianity should look and what it should contain all the while trying to keep the very foundations of Christ’s teachings. But as the world continues to get older and grander, we begin to see the practices and factors of Christianity being weakened by the unnoticed acts of Jesus and his ideas of social cultural acceptances. By taking a look at the Chinese Rites Controversy, I will argue the importance of culture and the adaptation of culture in evangelical approaches.
With regard to the Han Dynasty, movement and religion seems all relate with the “naturalistic” and anti-authoritarian ethos. At that time, Taoism is a natural characterization of the ideology ‘behind any non-Confucian or anti-conformist strains of thought, which its inherent focus on ways’ (Wang & Chanzit, 2004). It results in that it has become a deeply malleable concept which defers to scholars of religion, in ancient Chinese society, to sort out ‘the conceptual limits of Taoist religion and baldly focus on what philosophical content can be extracted from the classical exemplars: Laozi and Zhuangzi’ (Wang, 2011, pp.107). For instance, ‘The way which can be uttered, is not the eternal Way. The name which can be named, is not the eternal Name’
Wang, Z. Y., “The Chinese Cultural Revolution: A Historiographical Study,” California State University at Pomona, (http://www.csupomona.edu/~zywang/cultrev.pdf), pp. 1-13
Hong, Andrew. "Confucianism and Filial Piety." Andrew Hong, Reformed Second Generation Chinese Ministry. N.p., 5 May 2008. Web. 2 Nov. 2013. .
Chinese people might find naming their religion challenging as it is a mixture of “traditional religion, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism” (Corduan, 2012, p.388). The Chinese Popular Religion continues to evolve and change as the world around it changes and outside influences enter the Chinese culture (Corduan, 2012). Investigation of the Chinese Popular Religion includes its key features, practices, and influences, along with tis role in contemporary China, and how Christians can enhance their interactions.
Johnston, Patricia. "Bibles for China." Magazine of the United Free Church of Scotland [Glasgow]. United Free Church of Scotland. Web. 09 Dec. 2011. .
Xuanzang was a highly educated Buddhist monk from China, who in 629 C.E. made the long and treacherous journey along the Silk Road to India. His main objectives in his sixteen years away from home were fundamentally religious; he only wanted to study more complete scriptures to answer questions he had, which he deemed unsolvable in his own country. It is important to understand Xuanzang’s own position within the Chinese society and the type of situation it was in: Chinese Buddhists had many disagreements
Historical conceptions of China’s culture and global position shaped the PRC’s perspective. Central to this is Sino-centrism and its edict from heaven for dynastic China to spread civilisation (Xinning 2001: 70). Imperial China’s tribute system represented a “Pax Sinica” and the physical manifestation of Sino-centrism, with its success affirming Chinese cultural superiority (Y. Zhang 2001: 52). Instructive in this is Sino-centrism’s similarity to, and conflict with American Manifest Destiny, itself an articulation that Anglo-Saxon American’s are God’s chosen people, with a superior culture and who are pre-ordained to spread civilisation to inferior peoples (Hollander 2009: 169). The PRC’s nationalism can be seen in part as a rejection of this competing celestial mandate, linking China’s decline to foreign intervention and the acceding to unequal treaties that saw the loss of peripheral territories considered intrinsic to historic China (Kissinger 2011: 112). In this way, the PRC’s formation as a modern nation state is the recrudescence of Sino-...