Chinese Churches Undergoing Radical Revival
China is now recognized as the No. 2 superpower after the United States. Its economic and military might are unrivaled even by the entire European Union. As the Chinese Communist Party opens up to changes, the more the country experiences prosperity.
This transformation is manifested in religion, too. China today is experiencing a massive revival that has seen millions of conversions. In 1949, during the communist takeover, there were only one million Protestants. Today there are at least 60 million of them, making Evangelical Christianity the fasting growing religion.
The growth was attributed to unregistered churches, commonly known as "home" or "underground" churches. These are congregations not officially recognized by the government and have for a long time been the target of state-sanctioned persecutions. Amazingly, it is under this trying condition that the Church in China thrived.
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China remains officially Communist and an atheist country. Its 1982 Constitution however assured freedom to five officially recognized religious organizations that include the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and Three-Self Patriotic Movement consisting of Evangelicals.
Most Evangelicals refuse to be recognized due to imposed restrictions mainly on the prohibition of children and young people aged 18 and below from joining. Pastors' sermons also require state approval as they cannot preach about the power of the Holy Spirit, repentance, healings, miracles, signs and wonders, and end-time prophecies.
However, controls have been relaxed under President Xi Jinping. Underground churches are tolerated as long as they submit the names of those who attended their services. If before, the growth of Three-Self churches was anemic, this trend was reversed when they began ignoring restrictions on age limits and preaching topics.
The loosening of restrictions has not been made official and the Communist government can reverse this anytime. But some Church leaders think that the current rate of conversions would make it difficult for the state to rein in on religious freedom without putting its reputation as a modern, tolerant society at risk.
