Christianity, Femininity and Social Change in Contemporary China by Li Ma

Author:Li Ma
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9783030318024
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

“Our relationship deteriorated because of their objection to my Christian faith”

In graduate school, I got to know another female student from Yunnan. We taught English part-time at a language training institution called New Oriental.2 On the way to our staff training in Beijing, we had a lot of deep conversations. I felt a great strength in her, which was her faith. She explained to me about the Christian faith. Back then I was visiting temples and burning incense to many gods. So, I thought any religion is good. But it was from knowing her that I was struck by the fact that people with faith can be so different. Burning incense brought only self-comfort. So, I really enjoyed spending time with her. Later through her, I met more Christians on campus. I also attended their student fellowships.

After I began my doctoral study in America, I continued to know more about Christianity. The leader of our graduate student fellowship was a staff member with InterVarsity.3 Every other week, he would meet with me for an hour in the student center. He asked about my life and sometimes turned his Bible to share some verses with me. That was very helpful. I was in the communication department, and I also met a PhD student from Taiwan who was studying psychology. She had been a Christian for ten years, a very mature sister. From her, I saw the self-giving love of Jesus. She cared for people and offered help whenever there was a need. So, I was willing to hang out with her. We also formed a prayer group among international students on campus. That was a great support during my doctoral studies. We also went to the same church there, a non-denominational congregation.

In 2006, I was considering baptism, and I phoned home. My father was supportive, but my mother had doubts. She mainly worried about my finding a future marriage partner. Nothing else. After I returned after graduating, our relationship deteriorated because of their objection to my Christian faith. They warned me that it would be fine to be a Christian while I was in America, because most people went to church there. But in China, being a Christian has political risks. Moreover, they thought that anything good would become twisted in China, including Christianity. When I wanted to join a house church, they strongly objected.

I persuaded them to join two retreats organized by my church, which is a house church of around 100 members. These experiences of seeing a choir singing and dancers praising God triggered their memories about the Cultural Revolution. I could not blame my parents for feeling that way. The pastor’s mother-in-law used to be a communist propaganda cadre, so her self-expression through singing and dancing, although in Christian content now, took on much of a Maoist flavor. So, it was very awkward and unpleasant. Later my parents commented, “Anything that comes to China, no matter how good it is, tends to be distorted, including Christianity.”

My parents were also keen to observe that the whole church was a stage for the pastor’s own family.

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