Easten Law is an Associate Professor of World Christianity at Yonsei University's United Graduate School of Theology and Global Institute of Theology in South Korea. His research explores lived theology, religious pluralism, and public life within World Christianity and Missions Studies. He focuses on Christianity in contemporary China and the broader Sinophone world, examining how Chinese Christian faith is experienced, negotiated, and expressed in everyday life across cultural and religious boundaries. As a second-generation Chinese American, he is attuned to the theological dimensions of interculturality and intergenerational migration. His training employs qualitative research methods to engage broader questions of spiritual formation, ecclesiology, and missiology. After a long ecumenical journey of learning and service across many Christian traditions, he was ordained in the American Baptist Churches, USA, in 2025.
In China, the study of religion as an academic discipline has been gaining momentum in recent years. Centers and institutes for the study of religion have been established at numerous top-tier Chinese universities. As research on religion in China grows, indigenous theories regarding the role of religion in Chinese society and culture are also being constructed and debated. One theoretical framework of note is the “religious ecology” model.
The first of two blogs that suggest and discuss three guidelines for developing a public theology for China today.
In recent months I have been delighted by the exposure Chinese Church Voices has provided to indigenous perspectives on faith and mission. The simple blog provides an important window for non-Chinese speakers into questions Chinese Christians are raising. In turn, it provides those of us in the West with an opportunity for greater dialogue and understanding.
Anyone who has worked in China for even a short period of time has likely been warned about bringing up sensitive topics, especially political issues and certain historical events. But for those who seek to be effective servants and trustworthy partners, addressing the pain and questions around such historical events may eventually be part of the work, especially if one is thinking holistically.