The Nation: God Squads

Even as the Chinese Ping Pong team is anticipating its trip to the U.S., a number of Christian missionary groups are mulling a return to China. The World Evangelism Foundation of Abilene, Texas, has suggested mobilizing 1,000 three-man missionary squads for the eventual evangelization of the mainland. Their credo: “Let us be ready to be first.” Another evangelical group has blithely declared that the Chinese government will topple when Mao dies and that would-be saints who go marching in will be greeted by millions of Chinese eager for conversion.

There is something wistful about the anachronism that in a time when agonizingly delicate international politics is played under a penumbra of nuclear megadeath, those of simple faith can still dream evangelical dreams of a simpler time, seeing themselves standing in the wind-washed prow of a Yankee clipper, Bible in hand, carrying the Word to the heathen Chinese.