Church growth in China

CHURCH GROWTH IN CHINA: Although China bans foreign missionaries and sometimes harasses and imprisons Christians, especially in rural areas, Christianity is booming in China, says columnist Nicholas D. Kristof (New York Times, June 25). By one estimate there are over 40 million Chinese Christians.

The fastest-growing churches are underground ones that meet in homes. When Kristof visited one of those churches, he thought the service was over after two hours, but then the congregation broke into small groups and continued meeting for another two hours. This Christian growth poses a threat to the Communist Party, says Kristof, and is filling a void left by Maoism, which sought to wipe out the traditional religions. "One of the oddest legacies of the Communist dynasty may be that after 2,000 years Christianity gains a major foothold in China," concludes Kristof.

COPYRIGHT 2006 The Christian Century Foundation
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