In the past year I had the incredible privilege of teaching a course on Torah and Wisdom at the University of Peking in Beijing and then to travel a few months later to Hong Kong to speak at an International Theological Consultation sponsored by Evangel Seminary (Hong Kong), China Evangelical Seminary (Taipei), and Trinity Evangelical Seminary (Chicago). In the process, I also had the opportunity to speak to a number of house church leaders as well as pastors in the Three-Self Church in the mainland.
Needless to say, two trips don’t make anyone an expert on the Chinese church, but I did have my understanding expanded, so I thought I would share some of my observations that are subject to change through discussion and further experience.
One impression is the tremendous work and influence that a number of U.S. and British seminaries have had on many of Chinese theologians, biblical scholars, and church leaders. I had the wonderful opportunity of reconnecting with some of my doctoral students from my Westminster days and to see how much they have grown in their thinking and ministry. Of course, many other seminaries have trained Chinese scholars and my colleagues from Fuller, Dallas, Trinity, Denver, Gordon-Conwell would have had a similar experience as mine.
