I read this article on Global Voices from China titled “Christianity vs. Communism”, which is an English translation of an interview with Chinese legal and religious scholar Wang Yi conducted by Tsoi Wing-mui from Open Magazine. Reading in the international press about the link between pro-democracy and the church movement within China is one thing, reading it from someone who is in the midst of it is even more meaningful, and really caused me to pause to understand more.

In the interview, Wang presents a historical and intellectual explanation of Christianity’s effect on the those within the democracy movement.

These last few years intellectuals on the mainland, especially those in pursuit of a free democracy, appear to be taking up the trend of believing in Christ. Many intellectuals have begun becoming Christians, novelists Bei Cun and Yu Jie for example, and from within the group of civil rights lawyers are Li Baiguang and Gao Zhisheng, among others. Many people have begun becoming more intimate with Christianity, including Jiao Guobiao who just recently has been reborn a Christian. Being reborn in my mind definitely needs this kind of belief. We must let the son of God be the lord of our lives and open our mouths in prayer and admit that belief is in our hearts. Only then can one undergo the baptism ceremony.

And here is an excerpt of Wang’s personal conversion:

There�s one very dramatic event which led to my believing. In June last year I was atop a ladder in my home, looking for a book on the highest shelf of my bookcase and not being careful I lost my balance and fell. That time I had to get nine stitches and lay in bed for a month. After falling, while I was laying on the floor unable to move, at that moment I began to sing hymns and began to pray.

This was my first time to open my mouth in prayer. I feel this was a very symbolic and significant experience for me. That enormous bookcase of mine represents intellectuals� knowledge, rationalism and conceit. We rely on knowledge and rationalism to seek truth. You feel as though you have grasped the truth, struggled against a despotic regime. You are standing on the side of justice, on the pinnacle of morality.

As a result I tumbled down from the highest place. At that moment I felt as though I had reached the extent of rationalism, I felt that intellectuals relying on their own strength have no way to arrive at the truth. Emptyhanded, I began to accept the revelation from above. To do so is to have a peaceful and joyous state of mind. This event had a very important significance in my believing.

I realize the English translation is not perfect, but it’s pretty good and once I get into a mindset that I am reading an English translation from a Chinese intellectual, I can get a pretty good understanding of what Wang meant to say. I’m sure that reading it in the original Chinese text would be even more accurate and meaningful.