Are There Big Things in Store for Christianity in China



It is repeated often, especially by Catholics in the U.S., Christianity has a great future in China. The topic of religion in China is no doubt very complicated. Nevertheless, reading what is available in the press there are patterns.

One thing that jumps out is Christian organizations, both Protestant and Catholic, want to raise money to evangelize China. To do that, they think they need to present an optimistic face about it. An authority on Christianity in China was quoted in Wikipedia saying there is a "Western bias" when reporting of Christian success there. He continues reporting relies on "considerable romanticism of Chinese Christians."

I saw on a Christian site an estimate there are 97 million Christians in China. That is about 8% of the population. Several surveys have been reported, mostly from urban areas, showing Christians are from 2% to 4%. Catholics are consistently at about one half of a percentage point. Folk religions are more popular in rural areas. I read one estimate that Christianity actually may be less that 1%. 

Recently there has been more news about crackdowns on Christian activities. As I understand it, Christians and others are required to register their devotion to the Communist party. 

I have a tiny link to the conversion of Chinese to Christianity. A great uncle went to China in the 1920's and started a Swedish Covenant Church. Apparently, it existed for some time after he left and became a professor of Chinese in the U.S.  Then the cultural revolution came along and the church is but a memory. 

I read there is a language obstacle to telling the Christian narrative. It is said there is not a good Chinese word or phrase for an imaginary god in the sky. Thus, the term used for the Christian God is "the great emperor in the sky." I've read also the Western concepts of "sin," heaven and hell must be approached in ways that make the Chinese version into something quite different than the Western version.

If you are giving money to a church to fund missionaries to China you are probably throwing money down a rathole.

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