Growth of Christianity in China may lead to social change
As President Hu Jintao meets with President Obama this week, some observers say an explosive growth in Christianity may be transforming the officially atheist regime. According to China Aid, the number of Christians in China has increased 100-fold since 1949. Current estimates range from 80 million to 130 million active members. One Chinese Christian businessman predicts that number doubling or even tripling in the next generation.
According to Dr. David Aikman, author of “Jesus in Beijing,” “If the Chinese become Christianized … which doesn’t mean you have a majority of people who are Christians, but it means about 25 to 30 percent of people in positions of influence, in politics, in culture, in the media. If you have that component of a major power that accepts Christianity enthusiastically as a guide to life, (then) that is going to change the world view of the leaders of China.”
Protestant evangelist Dr. Luis Palau, who has preached in China, says Christians are among the country’s most cohesive groups. “They all preach the same gospel. There are no liberals or conservative branches … they all believe the same.”
Supporters say even estimating 80 million Christians in China, a conservative figure, still has them outnumbering the membership of the Communist Party, which at last check, in June 2010, and was 78 million.
China Aid’s Bob Fu says Christianity experienced growth after the Tiananmen Square conflict. Six of the 30 student leaders who were arrested converted to Christianity.
“Ironically,” Fu says, “church history shows that the more the political persecution, the more believers there will be. This is the case in the Roman Empire, and also with China.”
Tags: Christianity, Church Life, Religion Society
January 21st, 2011 at 9:35 am
It is very encouraging, isn’t it? The inhumanity of much of Chinese life was always shocking to me. “Love your neighbour” can only do good.
January 21st, 2011 at 10:42 am
Bear in mind that the ‘regime’ in China is Mao-Communist which is a very cohesive and formal political system containing an atheistic aspect. Chinese culture survived the Cultural Revolution and contains a whole mix of religious and philosophical themes, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Taoism with a deeply ingrained sense of Confucianism.
January 21st, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Protestant evangelist Dr. Luis Palau, who has preached in China, says Christians are among the country’s most cohesive groups. “They all preach the same gospel. There are no liberals or conservative branches … they all believe the same.”
Really? Now that’s a scary finding! If true, I don’t think it’s an attribute to be reassured by!
January 21st, 2011 at 2:32 pm
And another thought:
“Ironically,” Fu says, “church history shows that the more the political persecution, the more believers there will be. This is the case in the Roman Empire, and also with China.”
Hmm. I can see why people should want to manufacture a persecution complex in Europe then.
January 27th, 2011 at 11:30 am
The fact the Presidents are meeting is encouraging. When people begin a dialogue, hopefully to learn from one another, and not try to control one another, then social change results, in countries and in Christianity.