Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Christianity in China Growing Rapidly
Under the Chinese Communist Party, the number of Christians in China has grown 15-fold to the current total of more than 30 million. In spite of strict Government regulations and alleged persecution, the number of Christians is growing, with an estimated 25,000 persons putting their faith in Christ every day.
``And about seven churches are built every day. The total number of Christians in China is more than their population in India,'' said Philip L Wickeri, who has been working as an evangelist in China for the last 25 years.
China is a paradox in that some churches are able to worship freely, while other church leaders face persecution. And, although not always enforced, all churches have legal restrictions regarding worship gatherings, evangelism and education for their children.
But the religion has grown tremendously under the Communist rule. After the Communists took over China, the oppression suffered by the Chinese Christians helped them strengthen their faith. An unofficial survey shows that within 50 years under the Communist's government, the Christian population grew to more than 30,000,000, he said.
While an older generation embraced Christianity considering it a panacea, the youth, perhaps, accepted it as a post-modernist concept. ``But the growth is mainly because of the involvement of Chinese Christians in missionary work. And this has helped dispel all apprehensions about a foreign ideology being inculcated among the conservative population. But Roman Catholics still face problems,'' he said.
Philip feels that the situation has dramatically changed after 1982 ``when they stopped equating religion with opium.'' Today there are no visible anti-Christian movements like those witnessed in the 1920s. ``Christianity is considered a vehicle of development. The Communists still don't like the Church. But they too are changing with the times,'' he said.
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