Although the communist government still tries to choose church leaders and keep believers in line, Christianity is growing in China because freedom is growing in China.
The Chinese Communist Party remains an atheist ideology that views faith with suspicion. But the Chinese government’s success in delivering a better material life has left a growing number of Chinese wanting to fill a spiritual vacuum where Chinese communism has little left to offer.
President Bush and Dallas Theological Seminary President Mark Bailey worshipped at a Beijing Protestant church Sunday to encourage religious freedom. Dr. Bailey and Dallas Theological are making a contribution with Web-based instruction for Chinese seminarians.
Outside the Kuanjie Protestant Church, English teacher Ann Wilson of Maryville, Tenn., stood in the rain, discussing Mr. Bush’s visit, faith and politics with neighbors.
“For almost 60 years they’ve heard the story that you do not need religion because the party will fill all your needs. That’s not there anymore,” Mrs. Wilson said. “The Chinese are turning to religion because there’s an emptiness inside.”
[url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121850003002131631.html?mod=rss_opinion_main]Religious repression continues in China, from today’s Wall Street Journal[/url]
[blockquote]There are 100 million new Chinese Christians, and some of them speak of marching to Jerusalem – from the East. A website entitled Back to Jerusalem proclaims, “From the Great Wall of China through Central Asia along the silk roads, the Chinese house churches are called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ all the way back to Jerusalem.” [/blockquote]
[url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JF17Ak01.html]LINK[/url]
China may well rise, not as an atheist communist nation, but as a Christian one.