Following the end of World War II, there was a political trend to promote political independence among the Third World countries. These nations shared many common characteristics. They were mainly either former colonial nations ruled by the West, or nations heavily influenced by the Western powers. They gained their independence mostly after the Second World War. But Independence was achieved not without a fierce struggle. To add to the complication, communist ideology was a factor in a number of countries.

This study attempts to draw lessons from the experience of a Church which went through a bitter struggle with a religion-suppressing state – a state that was once the largest missionary-receiving nation in Church history. The case in question is that of the Catholic Church in China from 1949 to 1970.