Chinese Christians Urged to Embrace Adoption
On September 5, 2024, the Chinese government announced a significant shift in its international adoption policy. Effective immediately, most foreign adoptions from China are prohibited, limiting eligibility to foreign nationals with close family ties to the child—such as grandparents, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, or stepchildren. This policy change marks a turning point for international adoption in China. Since 1992, when such adoptions were legalised, over 160,000 Chinese children have been placed in loving homes abroad. With international adoptions now drastically reduced, concerns have risen about the future of unplaced orphans in China.
Brother Fan, a Christian ministry leader in southern China, has observed a troubling disparity: while many foreign families, driven by compassion, adopt Chinese children—particularly those with disabilities—domestic adoption rates among Chinese Christians remain low. This observation led Fan to question why Chinese Christians, who are called to live out Christ’s love, are not more active in adoption efforts.
Fan attributes this reluctance to deeply ingrained cultural beliefs. In traditional Chinese culture, adoption is often viewed as a sign of personal failure. It is commonly assumed that couples who adopt are infertile, a condition that carries significant social stigma. Furthermore, there is a pervasive fear that adoptive bonds are fragile—that adopted children might later seek out their biological parents, potentially causing family instability. Conversely, adoptive parents often worry that biological parents might reappear to reclaim their child. These misconceptions perpetuate a culture where adoption is shrouded in secrecy and regarded as a last resort.
Historically, Chinese society has seldom embraced the concept of adoption as it is understood in the modern sense. Most adoptions were “guoji” or succession adoptions, which typically involved blood relatives and aimed to continue the family lineage. Adopted children were often excluded from full familial rights, such as inheritance or inclusion in family genealogies. These traditional views have had a lasting impact, even influencing how biblical adoption is understood in Chinese translations of the Bible.
Biblical Adoption vs. Cultural Adoption
Fan highlights the stark difference between Chinese cultural perceptions of adoption and the biblical perspective. In Chinese culture, adoption is often seen as a source of shame, while Christian theology views it as a profound act of love and grace. Fan believes that reshaping these perceptions begins with educating Christians about the biblical view of adoption.
The Bible frequently emphasises the concept of adoption as a central aspect of God’s relationship with humanity. For instance, Ephesians 1:4–5 (NIV) states: “In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” Fan underscores three key aspects of God’s adoptive love:
- God’s Choice: Our relationship with God is based on His choice to adopt us, not out of necessity but out of love.
- Humanity’s Need: Spiritually, every person is an orphan in need of a family. God’s adoption meets this profound need.
- The Cost of Adoption: God’s adoption came at an immeasurable cost—the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus.
Fan explains that understanding God’s adoptive love is essential for Christians to love orphans and abandoned children. While acts of charity, such as providing food or clothing, are meaningful, adoption—welcoming a child into one’s family—is a far greater expression of love. “Would we make them family members?” Fan asks. “For most people, the answer is no, because human love is often limited. Yet, that’s exactly what God did for us.”
Fan believes that churches in China have a critical role to play in addressing misconceptions about adoption and promoting a culture of domestic adoption. He urges Christian leaders to educate their congregations about the biblical view of adoption, using God’s adoptive love as the ultimate example. Churches should also provide practical support for families considering adoption, including counselling, financial assistance, and community encouragement.
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Fan draws a powerful parallel between the Old Testament and the New Testament to illustrate the transformative nature of adoption. In the Old Testament, the relationship between God and His people was often conditional, resembling an employer-employee dynamic. By contrast, the New Testament emphasises a familial relationship, as Paul writes: “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves… rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship” (Romans 8:15, NIV). God’s adoption is not transactional but unconditional, rooted in love.
To reshape cultural attitudes toward adoption, Fan believes that the church must lead by example. He emphasises that only by understanding and embracing God’s adoptive love can Christians truly love orphans and children in need. He also calls on Chinese Christians to rethink their approach to adoption, viewing it not as a last resort but as a reflection of God’s love and a way to live out their faith.
As the Chinese government’s new policy limits international adoptions, the responsibility to care for orphans increasingly falls on domestic families. Fan’s message is clear: the church must rise to this challenge, promoting a culture of adoption that mirrors God’s unconditional love. Through education, advocacy, and action, Chinese Christians can transform lives and offer hope to countless children in need.
Content Credit| This article was orignally posted by ChristianDaily.
Picture Credit | https://www.fluentin3months.com/
