A Chinese Dissident’s Faith

Jim Hoagland, a writer for the Washington Post, recently interviewed Yu Jie, a Chinese writer who says that Christianity will play a decisive role in bringing democracy to China. Along with several house church leaders, Yu Lie met with President Bush at the White House in early May. Here is the heart of Jim Hoagland’s column:

“Tens of millions of Chinese are becoming ’house church’ Christians,” says Yu, 33, who was briefly arrested two years ago for speaking out about human rights. His books and other writings are banned in mainland China, although they have been published in Hong Kong. “House church” Christians worship in private in small numbers without government sanction.
“We are essentially different from the democratic fighters in the past because we have guidance from God. We want to bring changes to China through the love and justice of God and through nonviolent means.”

Related: China detains 28 Christians during raid on unauthorized house church.
Slightly related: Contemporary Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman recently performed before a packed house in Shanghai. He has been invited to perform at the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
Here is the other side of the China story: Christian Resources in Big Demand as China Opens Up.

Johnny Li, minister-at-large and spokesman for the China ministry of Open Doors U.S.A., shared the new insight that he received from his latest trip to China and other Asian countries.
“Many Christian bookstores have been opened in urban cities, such as Shanghai and Beijing. On top of the Bible and theological books, resources for Christian leadership, family and marriage, and other spiritual books, are also available. Currently, there are over 400 types of Christian books in China.”

Two of those 400 are An Anchor for the Soul and The ABCs of Wisdom.