“It’s just not right!” The reduced space for Christian activities in China evokes digging among churches around the world. Global churches have now seen China primarily through the lens of persecution. Along with a strong sense of injustice, the question is, “What can we do? Will this end?”
Cooperative political action should change the conditions that allow persecution now.
In his ambitiously titled book, “Ending Persecution,” human rights lawyer Knox Thames appears to say “yes.” Focusing on the violations of freedom suffered by followers in China and elsewhere, Thames advocates for coordinated political action to change the conditions that allow persecution to flourish now and allow perpetrators to be described.
Legally speaking, Thames is correct. In China, these violations are not just international norms and UN contracts ratified by China, but also violate them. They are also infringing the guarantees set out in China’s own constitution. On behalf of those suffering, we should seek legal and diplomatic remedies to put an end to these injustice.
However, as Thames himself points out, immunity for Chinese officials is not effective in legal remedies. In the face of such immunity, the collective protests of non-Chinese Christians seem to be farther than their own advocacy websites, press releases and government briefings. Given the current administration’s obsession with national security and party control over all areas of life, this situation doesn’t seem to change anytime soon.
I remember being persecuted
Christ’s followers are called “remember those who are abused as if they were suffering” (Hebrews 13:3 NIV). They respond with prayer. They speak out on behalf of those who suffer. They intervene when possible and provide comfort and practical help to fellow believers and families. But when they do these things, they balance their correct digging in the light of suffering followers all over the world with the plain realization that it will not end until Christ returns.
Persecution has continued to the church since its inception.
Persecution has continued to the church since its inception. As Jesus said, it remains a fact of life for most of today’s followers. Christian actions on behalf of those who suffer are not anticipated, but ultimately deprived of their love for Christ and his church.
The path of lamentation
The story of persecution may never end, but persecution is not the end of the story either. Living in the tension between the command to action and the knowledge that one’s actions can go to before requires leaning on grief, being involved in the reality of suffering, and submission by faith to God’s unknown purpose in the lives of those facing persecution.
In the words of singer/songwriter Michael Card, ” essentially, saying, “I will not let go of God, whatever my way is,” reveals a mind that can embrace suffering as a mystery where suffering appears to be. ”
In this book, in “Sacred Grief: Reaching to God in the Lost Language of Lamentation,” the card blows away the cracks between the way life is to live and the absurd, painful, real-life Biblical prescription of how it is often experienced. In his poem sal, he states that the emphasis on the laws of previous chapters gives way to the torrent of lamentation over the contradictions of the world where laws have no answers.
Lamentation is the only true reaction to the world’s brokenness.
Using the work of late Old Testament scholar Walter Brugemann, the card traces this move from Torah’s submission to lament from the question of how to live in the perception that there is no appropriate answer to this fallen world. This progression goes against our desire to control the outcome. It goes against our view that obedience inevitably leads to greater happiness. However, the card argues that lament is the only true reaction to the world’s brokenness.
For Christians, the answer to persecution is not a legal remedy. What these are important and necessary is to assert “what things should be” in the face of leaders who are encouraged to act with structural inequality, entrenched discrimination, and immunity.
The difficult answer is lamenting, the realization that things should not be, but God is in pain with us. In unity with Christ, we suffer with those who were suffering to save us, and experience His love in our suffering. Christ comes to bring God’s existence through the Holy Spirit, not to fix all that we grieve. That’s what our hearts scream.
To stand with the persecuted is to lament with those who griev.
Jesus said, “They are comforted, and those who mourn are blessed.” (Matthew 5:4) To stand with the persecuted is to lament with those who lament. “Until we learn to accept despair and theirs honestly,” says Card.
Cross the line
Lamentation does not end with merely lamenting what it is. The cards follow the familiar patterns observed in many of the poems sal and in the trajectories of Job’s tales.
For example, in Psalm 13 13, after complaining about the pain of the soul and the threat posed by the enemy, David finally “crossed the line,” and “but I will rejoice in your salvation. (Psalm 13:5-6).
True worship begins in the wilderness. Those who have experienced God’s love in the wilderness have a worshipful heart.
Lamentation takes us from devastation to intimacy with God.
The end of persecution, which was understood as the exclusion of persecution, is something that is not seen in this life. But for Christians, the ultimate end of persecution or terrorism may be seen in experiencing God’s presence in the wilderness and testifying to his constant love in suffering. Lamentation takes us from devastation to intimacy with God, from despair to worship.
The end of the lament promised in Revelation 21 is, “God Himself is with them as their God. He will wipe out all tears from their eyes, and death will no longer be mourned, weeping, and pain, and the former will not disappear” (Revelation 21:3C-4).
Originally published by Chinasource. It was reissued with permission.
Dr. Brent Fulton was the founder of China Sauce and was the first president until 2019. Prior to that, he was Managing Director of the Institute for Chinese Studies at Wheelon University, before serving as International US Director of the Chinese Province of Hong Kong and Editor of the UK Publications. Dr. Fulton holds an MA and doctorate in political science from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree in radio TV films from Messiah University. Currently, Dr. Fulton promotes a network of member care professionals serving missionaries sent from China and consults with other organizations about the impact of China’s religious policy.
Chinasource is a trusted partner in educating global churches on the key issues facing Chinese churches and ministries, and a platform to bring together Christians both inside and outside China to advance the Kingdom of God worldwide. Chinasource’s vision is for Chinese and global churches to learn together, grow and engage in a powerful ministry that advances in God’s kingdom.
