A Spark Of Faith

When the Iron Curtain fell on the Soviet Union a half-century ago, government officials were determined to extinguish the practice of religion, along with other personal freedoms. The same policy was soon to follow in China. Many people were hopeful that the fall of communism in Russia would have a positive effect on organized religion. Thankfully, their wishes are becoming a reality. After so many years of repression, the church in Russia is flourishing, and an even bigger surprise is what is happening in China. Today, almost a third of the young people in China identify themselves as religious, with 300 million of them professing to being Christians. Another surprise is the fact that the government is either ignoring or encouraging this resurgence of faith. Economic, cultural, and language barriers can sometimes seem insurmountable. Perhaps we can reach out as followers of a common faith.