RT Article
T1 Bridging the gap?: An investigation of Beijing intellectual house church activities and their implications for China's democratization
JF Journal of contemporary China
VO 18
IS 62
SP 849
OP 864
A1 Wielander, Gerda
LA English
PB Routledge
YR 2009
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1640142126
AB This article investigates the link between Christian belief and the fight for political change in today's China focusing on the activities of certain Beijing house churches. It formulates the hypothesis that Chinese Christian intellectuals may be able to fulfil a special 'bridge-function' in Chinese society. This hypothesis is tested against evidence based on a close reading of two Beijing house church publications (Aiyan and Fangzhou) and interviews with intellectuals closely associated with these as well as 'ordinary' Christian intellectuals. Areas investigated include education, urban-rural co-operation, the demographic make-up of congregations, the Christian understanding of liberalism, and the activities of Chinese Christian human rights attorneys. It comes to the conclusion that while Christian intellectuals have great potential to play an important role in China's process of democratization, their most prominent members continue the splittist tradition of previous dissident groups while the more meaningful work is undertaken by unknown Christians away from the spotlight. (J Contemp China/GIGA)
K1 Politischer Wandel
K1 Demokratisierung
K1 Christ
K1 Christentum
K1 Religionsgemeinschaft
K1 Staat
K1 Intellektueller
K1 Volksrepublik China : Politischer Wandel : Demokratisierung : Christen : Christentum : Verhältnis Religionsgemeinschaft - Staat : Intellektuelle : Politische/gesellschaftliche Mobilisierung : Verhältnis Intellektuelle - Staat
K1 China