Christianity

How civilisational politics fuels today’s wars

Academic Ma Haiyun traces the history of civilisational conflict narratives in Western strategic thinking, built on Jewish intellectual foundations, long before the rise of Samuel P. Huntington’s The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. Such approaches have had a profound effect on influencing the US’s behaviour in the Middle East and spillover effects in the region.

Ma Haiyun

A Taiwanese boy named Thomas and the faith he made his own

Taiwanese art historian Chiang Hsun reflects on his spiritual journey, from youthful devotion to quiet estrangement, contemplating the place of Catholic faith in modern life in the wake of Pope Francis’s passing.

Chiang Hsun

[Photos] The Catholic church in China: A story of conflict and compassion

Whether in ideology or in political reality, the Catholic church and the Chinese Communist government have remained adversaries. Nevertheless, after the end of the Cold War and the decline of communist ideology, the Chinese government began to take a more positive view of the Catholic church’s historical contributions to China. Historical photo collector Hsu Chung-mao shares the history of Catholicism in China.

Hsu Chung-mao

[Comic] Little one, sing a Christmas song

We lost many people in 2023. Missing Ryuichi Sakamoto, I dug out the movie Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. History often repeats itself. Is there an intersection between Eastern and Western cultural conflicts? And is there a standard for measuring humanity and faith in the face of war? Can love that transcends race and gender bring people closer? All we can do is continue to explore the right and wrong in these questions. The tragedy of war never fails to make one realise that accepting the enemy does not mean sparing oneself. Celliers' death planted a seed in Yonoi's heart, and so we all shared the growth of the seed. May Christmas in wartime still be beautiful.

Bai Yi

Rise of Christian nationalism and its threat to US-China rivalry

A year on from the US Capitol attacks, Peter T.C. Chang reflects that the siege may have been the moment where America turned from championing "end of history" universalism to succumbing to "clash of civilisations" sectarianism. Worryingly, the rise of Christian nationalism could plunge America into internal turmoil and drag tense US-China geopolitical rivalry into uncharted waters.

Peter T.C. Chang

Questions concerning mortality in early China [1 of 3]: The idea of the netherworld

What did the ancient Chinese think of the netherworld? Why did they take it for granted that there was an afterlife? In this three-part series, academic Poo Mu-chou takes a closer look at the myths and beliefs of death and after-death in Chinese culture. First, he explores the traditional conception of the netherworld. Was it a physical place, shaped in the earthly world's image and likeness?

Poo Mu-chou

Chinese spirituality [Part two]: The sacred is in the mundane

Spirituality helps individuals cope with severe trauma and aids their growth and psychological well-being in the aftermath of a crisis. Such ballast is something humanity badly needs in the face of a pandemic. Dr Chang Weining, visiting psychologist of the Institute of Mental Health, ponders China's search for spirituality in times of distress. In part two of her article, she toggles between past and present as she takes a look at how the Chinese quest for solace has evolved.

Chang Weining

World's largest Bible printer hails from atheist China

China's Amity Printing Co. (APC) produces an average of 70 Bibles per minute. This month, Jiangsu-based APC celebrates the printing of its 200 millionth Bible. Yang Danxu observes that its monopoly over the Bible economy helps to ensure that Christianity in China adapts to the context in China, as desired by the Chinese government.

Yang Danxu