In what many believe is a move to control the religion’s growing influence, China will create its own brand of Christianity.

While China is not a nation that is renowned for its embrace of its minority religions, their latest attempts to upset Christianity in the nation have taken the world by surprise. It was recently reported that officials in China were forcing Christian churches to take down the crosses that adorn their exterior under the guise of public safety. Now, in an effort to curb criticism and assume some form of control, it appears that China has developed a state approved version of Christianity for their people.

Christians in China

There are an estimated 23 to 40 million Christians in the nation of China. While they compose a very small portion of the nation’s population, they are still ardent believers in their faith and show signs of being one of the fastest growing religions in the country. While China gained a vice grip on culture and religion in the 1960s and 1970s, they had, until recently, been more permissive of religions.

Christianity: Made in China

While many people are questioning the need for China to develop their own form of Christianity, it is clear to many people that this minority religion is a way to keep a close watch on Christians. After all, China has been listed as a country of particular concern when it comes to religious freedoms because of the nations’ habit of detaining, question, and disbanding congregations.

Right now it is unclear what changes China hopes to impose upon the religion or where it will be based. One thing is for sure: the new church will owe its allegiance only to the Chinese government. The State’s Administration for Religious Affairs released a quote that gives some insight into the expectations for the new Christian Church. It read “The construction of Chinese Christian theology should adapt to China’s national condition and integrate with Chinese culture.”

To some people, this simply means that the church will adjust the theology to take a more China-centered approach. However, to others, the establishment of a state-approved church is a thinly-veiled threat that tells Christians to conform or continue to feel pressure by the government.

While the details are going to be sparse and closely guarded until this new church is implemented, the Christian community at large will continue to watch the situation. Also watching these developments will be the International Religious Freedom group that releases an annual report on the state of religion in countries around the world.

Resources

• South China Morning Post
• U.S. Department of State
• Think Progress

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