"what many foreign visitors have observed, namely that the quality of biblical preaching and teaching in the patriotic (registered) churches and in the study groups and house churches typically seems much higher than in evangelical churches here in America, is confirmable by anyone from the West who spends time with Chinese students and younger faculty converts; one may expect to find much higher levels of biblical literacy and theological clarity by three to five years post-conversion than amongst American counterparts after two or three decades in the church. In urban house churches, the teaching is often led by young women, professional university teachers (laoshe) with doctoral degrees in literature and philosophy. This teaching is learned, yet marked by an evangelical urgency and commitment to obedient practice rather than simply intellectual assent."
David Lyle Jeffrey, "A critique of all religions: Chinese intellectuals and the church," Books and culture 17, no. 4 (July/August 2011): 19 (18-21).
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Wow - this is compelling and also fascinating in perspective. I assume we don't have any research based way to back up these thoughts? But nonetheless they tell us MUCH about the shaping power of culture on discipleship.
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