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Freedom of religion alive and well in China's patriotic church
By Elmer L. Towns |
October 30, 2009, Friday
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Print Edition
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I recently spent a week in Shanghai lecturing at Fudan University in the School of Philosophy and Religious studies. It was my first trip to China since I visited Beijing in 1979.
I was greatly amazed to see the prosperity, openness and the desire to work of the people in Shanghai.
My expertise is in local Christian churches, and in the past three years I have lectured in many countries, including the Philippines and Argentina, each time focusing on the development of local churches.
In Shanghai I visited a three-self (self-administration, self-support, self-propagation) church and was extremely impressed with the vitality I saw in that church.
When a person becomes a follower of Jesus Christ, they are taught to obey their government, pay taxes, and work hard in society for the improvement of their nation.
There have been cults and small groups within the Christian church that have revolted against their government, but they are not true followers of the Bible.
I have a warning to China, though. I see many young Chinese people being Westernized through "rock music," although it is much more than music.
It involves the Internet, television and an entire subculture that demands allegiance of young people to youth culture rather than allegiance to family.
The Westernization of many young people in China will result in greater greed, permissive sex, the breakup of the family (the strength of China has traditionally been its family values).
The emerging Hollywood culture has weakened the United States, and I fear it will do the same thing to the nation of China.
I commend Fudan University for their hospitality to me while I was in China last week. I could not have been treated with greater respect from such kind people as the people at Fudan University.
(Elmer L. Towns, cofounder of Liberty University, Virginia, US)
I was greatly amazed to see the prosperity, openness and the desire to work of the people in Shanghai.
My expertise is in local Christian churches, and in the past three years I have lectured in many countries, including the Philippines and Argentina, each time focusing on the development of local churches.
In Shanghai I visited a three-self (self-administration, self-support, self-propagation) church and was extremely impressed with the vitality I saw in that church.
When a person becomes a follower of Jesus Christ, they are taught to obey their government, pay taxes, and work hard in society for the improvement of their nation.
There have been cults and small groups within the Christian church that have revolted against their government, but they are not true followers of the Bible.
I have a warning to China, though. I see many young Chinese people being Westernized through "rock music," although it is much more than music.
It involves the Internet, television and an entire subculture that demands allegiance of young people to youth culture rather than allegiance to family.
The Westernization of many young people in China will result in greater greed, permissive sex, the breakup of the family (the strength of China has traditionally been its family values).
The emerging Hollywood culture has weakened the United States, and I fear it will do the same thing to the nation of China.
I commend Fudan University for their hospitality to me while I was in China last week. I could not have been treated with greater respect from such kind people as the people at Fudan University.
(Elmer L. Towns, cofounder of Liberty University, Virginia, US)
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