Officially atheist China is not often associated with Christianity, but the country's rapidly growing Christian community is becoming an increasingly vocal part of Chinese society. Last year, the Chinese government estimated church membership at 25 million, but independent estimates peg adherents at between 60 million and 130 million. Once banned, the religion is now receiving grudging acceptance, and in some official circles, there is even a belief that Christianity might bring the pacification that an unsettled China needs.
For decades, the existence of underground "house churches" and the potential for rebellion set the government against the religious movement. But more recently, as Eric Fish reports for Foreign Policy, the Communist Party has begun to consider how it might benefit from the growing legions of converts. Some traditional Christian values, including a strong work ethic and the importance of being a good citizen, make the religion an appealing ally to those in power.
Above, a crowd gathers outside the Haidian Christian Church after the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Feb. 22, 2009. Clinton spent the last few hours of her 2009 China trip at this Beijing church.
GOH CHAI HIN/AFP/Getty Images
(0)
HIDE COMMENTS LOGIN OR REGISTER REPORT ABUSE