It’s an article of faith among conservative Christians that the Church is widely persecuted throughout the Third World. The Australian Prayer Network and similar organisations quickly tell us of any major or minor hindrance to the practice of Christianity in various heathen nations, especially China.

How then to explain this letter to the Melbourne Age of 2 Jan. 2007? The author is Dr John Norman, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, China:

… I have lived in China for several years and can go to church - Catholic or Protestant - any Sunday I wish, and to any number of Bible study or prayer groups during the week. Bibles are readily available …

Specifically with regard to Catholic churches, I have been to churches in China that offer Mass in Chinese, English and Latin - providing the same experience as I have had in Australia and elsewhere.

China’s a big place and Christianity no doubt has an easier time of it in some places than others. But I’ve read lots of accounts like Dr Norman’s and can only repeat what I’ve said before in other contexts: it’s foolish to accept conservative Christian claims unless they’re backed up by independent evidence. These people were staring at the world through ideological blinkers long before Stalin and Hitler came along.

Filed in: Christian Right