New Testament on Foreign Policy New Testament

Bibles banned in China from 1949 until 1979

I asked [Deng Xiaoping] if it might be possible to change these policies, and he asked for specific suggestions. After a few moments' thought, I made 3 requests: guarantee freedom of worship, permit the distribution of Bibles, and reopen the door to missionaries. Before returning to China, Deng Xiaoping told me that the basic law of China would be changed to provide for religious freedom and that Bibles would be authorized. However, he would not approve the return of Western missionaries because, he said, they had "lived like royalty" & had tried to subvert the lifestyles of the Chinese people. Within 3 years, he had kept both his promises, with a proviso that any new church congregations would register with the government. They could then conduct services freely, as desired.