By the end of the eighteenth century, dvoeverie ("double faith"), popular religion which preserved Slavic pantheism under a Christianised surface, found appreciation among intellectuals who tried to delineate Russian distinctiveness against the West. On April 17, 1905, Tsar Nicholas II decreed that religious minorities had the right to publicly celebrate their respective liturgies. At the dawn of the twentieth century, esoteric and occult philosophies and movements, including Spiritualism, Theosophy, Anthroposophy, Hermeticism, Russian cosmism and others, became widespread. At the same time, the empire had begun to make steps towards the recognition of the multiplicity of religions that it had come to encompass, but they came to an abrupt end with the Russian Revolution in 1917. After the revolution, the Russian Orthodox Church lost its privileges, as did all minority religions, and the new state verged towards an atheist official ideology. Under the Soviet Union, the Russian Orthodox Church lived periods of repression and periods of support and cooptation by the state. Despite the policies of state atheism, censuses reported a high religiosity among the population; in 1929, 80% of the population were believers, and in 1937 two-thirds described themselves as believers, of whom three-fourths as Orthodox Christians. The Russian Orthodox Church was supported under Joseph Stalin in the 1940s, after the Second World War, then heavily suppressed under Nikita Khrushchev in the 1960s, and then revived again by the 1980s. While it was legally reconstituted only in 1949, throughout the Soviet period the church functioned as an arm of the KGB; many hierarchs of the post-Soviet church were former KGB agents, as demonstrated by the opening of KGB archives in the 1990s. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1987–1991, the Russian Orthodox Church has struggled to regain its erstwhile monopoly of religious life, despite it and other Christian churches which existed since before the Revolution have found themselves in a radically transformed context characterized by a religious pluralism unknown before 1917. During the Soviet period, religious barriers were shattered, as religions were no longer tied to ethnicity and family tradition, and an extensive displacement of peoples took place. This, together with the more recent swift ongoing development of communications, has resulted in an unprecedented mingling of different religious cultures. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, there was a renewal of religions in Russia, with the revival of the traditional faiths and the emergence of new forms within the traditional faiths as well as many new religious movements.The amendments of 2020 to the constitution added, in the Article 67, the continuity of the Russian state in history based on preserving "the memory of the ancestors" and general "ideals and belief in God" which the ancestors conveyed
In practice, the state also sought to control the activities of religious bodies and interfere in their internal affairs, with the ultimate goal of making them disappear. To this effect, the state sought to control the activities of the leaders of different religious communities.
The Communist Party often rejected the principle of treating all religious believers as public enemies, partly due to pragmatic considerations (given the large number of people who adhered to a particular faith) and partly based on its belief that the large number of believers included many loyal Soviet citizens whom the authorities sought to convince to become atheists rather than attack outright.
Religious believers always found themselves subjected to anti-religious propaganda and legislation that restricted their religious practices. They frequently suffered restrictions within Soviet society. Rarely, however, did the Soviet state ever officially subject them to arrest, imprisonment or death simply for holding their religious beliefs. Instead, the methods of persecution represented a reaction to the perception (real or imagined) of their resistance to the state's broader campaign against religion.
The campaign was designed by Soviet authorities to disseminate atheism, and the acts of violence and terror tactics that were deployed, while almost always officially invoked on the basis of perceived resistance to the state, aimed in the larger scheme not simply to dampen opposition, but to further assist in the suppression of religion in order to disseminate atheism.
Soviet tactics; Tactics varied over the years and they became more moderate or harsher at different times. Some common tactics included confiscating church property, ridiculing religion, harassing believers, and promoting atheism through the educational system.[citation needed] Actions against particular religions, however, were determined by State interests, and most organized religions were never outlawed.
Some actions against Orthodox priests and believers included torture, execution, or sending them to prison camps, labor camps, and mental hospitals. Many Orthodox (along with peoples of other faiths) were also subjected to psychological punishment or torture and mind control experimentation in order to force them to give up their religious convictions (see Punitive psychiatry in the Soviet Union). During the first five years of Soviet power, the Bolsheviks executed 28 Russian Orthodox bishops and over 1,200 Russian Orthodox priests. Many others were imprisoned or exiled.
In the Soviet Union, in addition to the methodical closing and destruction of churches, the charitable and social work which was formerly done by ecclesiastical authorities was taken over by the state. As with all private property, Church-owned property was confiscated and put to public use. The few places of worship which were still left to the Church were legally viewed as state property that the government permitted the church to use.
In the period which followed the Second World War, Protestant Christians in the USSR (Baptists, Pentecostals, Adventists etc.) were forcibly sent to mental hospitals, or they were tried and imprisoned (often for refusing to enter military service). Some were forcibly deprived of their parental rights.
Throughout the history of the Soviet Union (1917–1991), there were periods when Soviet authorities suppressed and persecuted various forms of Christianity to different extents depending on State interests. Soviet Marxist-Leninist policy consistently advocated the control, suppression, and ultimately, the elimination of religious beliefs, and it actively encouraged the propagation of Marxist-Leninist atheism in the Soviet Union. However, most religions were never officially outlawed.
The state advocated the destruction of religion, and to achieve this goal, it officially denounced religious beliefs as superstitious and backward. The Communist Party destroyed churches, synagogues, and mosques, ridiculed, harassed, incarcerated, and executed religious leaders, as part of the promotion of scientific atheism. Religious beliefs and practices persisted among the majority of the population, not only in the domestic and private spheres but also in the scattered public spaces which were allowed to exist by a state that recognized its failure to eradicate religion and the political dangers of an unrelenting culture war.
Official Soviet stance; See also: Soviet anti-religious legislation and Marxist–Leninist atheism. The Soviet regime had an ostensible commitment to the complete annihilation of religious institutions and ideas. Communist ideology could not coexist with the continued influence of religion even as an independent institutional entity, so "Lenin demanded that communist propaganda must employ militancy and irreconcilability towards all forms of idealism and religion", and that was called "militant atheism". "Militant" meant an uncompromising attitude toward religion and the effort of winning the hearts and minds of believers from a false philosophy. Militant atheism became central to the ideology of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and a high priority policy of all Soviet leaders. Convinced atheists were considered to be more politically astute and virtuous individuals.
The state established atheism as the only scientific truth. Soviet authorities forbade the criticism of atheism and agnosticism until 1936 or of the state's anti-religious policies; such criticism could lead to forced retirement.
Soviet law never officially outlawed the holding of religious views, and the various Soviet Constitutions always guaranteed the right to believe. However, since Marxist ideology as interpreted by Lenin and his successors regarded religion as an obstacle to the construction of a communist society, putting an end to all religions (and replacing them with atheism became a fundamentally important ideological goal of the Soviet state. The official persecution of religion took place through many legal measures which were designed to hamper the performance of religious activities, through a large volume of anti-religious propaganda and education.
Right now, we are trying to apply for my wife’s brother because my niece (his daughter) was attending a middle school at a church and they were trying to enroll her at a public school, but they denied her entry because they didn’t want kids from a Christian school. The officials made up an excuse that she was probably behind in school, because they are not going to outright persecute her directly. That’s the way they operate.
Andrei and his family are settling into life in the Twin Cities. Andrei is working for himself as a contractor, specifically remodeling bathrooms. Galina works as a tailor for Nordstrom. Their children are loving life and school in America, and are quickly becoming fluent in English. Andrei and Galina’s family has found a home church in Brooklyn Park.
LIVING AS A PERSECUTED CHRISTIAN IN RUSSIA November 21, 2019 Andrei was a youth pastor and contractor in Russia. An oppressive law that passed in 2016 banned the public sharing of one’s Christian faith. After receiving threats from Russian officials on the lives of his two children, Andrei, his wife Galina and their children fled from Russia as refugees, and arrived in Minnesota in 2019. We interviewed Andrei about life in Russia and the persecution he left behind: Q: Tell us about how the 2016 Yaravaya law was implemented in Russia? A: Russia adopted a law making it unconstitutional to be a Christian, even though the (Russian) constitution says you are free to profess any faith. (The Yarovaya law increases regulation of evangelism, including a ban on the performance of “missionary activities” in non-religious settings.)
Based on this law, which is active right now, if you declare that you belief this or that or if you publically invite someone to church, or if you share an invitation to a Christian conference or service on facebook, sometimes even if you just attend church you will receive a huge fine or you can be jailed for up to 3 years. If you represent a church as a pastor or leader, then the fine is $1M rubles ($15,700) and up to 5 years in jail, if they can prove that you were promoting your faith.
It’s not like you have much of a choice; you can either be quiet or try not to be afraid and continue sharing your faith. Some Christians were imprisoned, and others were trying to move across the border into Finland.
Jehovah’s Witnesses were the first religious organization to be called an extremist organization (and were kicked out of the country), and evangelicals are not too far behind (from being considered an extremist organization). I was told another law was coming that would take children away from Evangelical homes.
Q: How did Russia enforce this law in Christian places of worship? A: The (Russian security service) investigators would just show up at a church service and would ask around for more information on specific people. Then they would subtly threaten people by reminding them that kids often use drugs in Russia, and you never know what could happen to your kids. Investigators wanted me to cooperate and inform on other people.
Q: Did your church’s services ever get raided in this way? A: Yes, we had a youth Christian concert at a church, and we invited some students and a speaker from Ukraine. Some police and domestic security officials ran into the building, stopped everybody, and held people hostage, and we had a large group of people in attendance. They wouldn’t let anybody leave the building. And when we asked what was happening, law enforcement said they suspected a terrorist attack, so they wanted each person’s first and last name and their passport number. There were no terrorists in the building, they just wanted the information on the college students, to gain access to their educational establishments to start pressuring people.
Q: How did this persecution affect your personal and professional life? A: I was refused jobs because I am a Protestant. I was working as a contractor in the house of a Russian parliament member (part of the Russia Unite party); when he found out I was a pastor at a church, he took all of my tools, kicked me out, and refused to pay me for any of the work I did on his house. I hired a lawyer to receive payment, but since the justice system is very much in submission to the government, I was found guilty.
I had a lot of trouble as a pastor. They couldn’t directly make threats about my kids, but they would make hints about getting my kids hooked on drugs, and I felt that they were threatening both of my kids. So we made a decision to leave everything behind and move. We weren’t going to test the waters anymore, we were going to apply for refugee status.
Uncle Liu didn’t give up however, and again he prayed for this family, believing it is not the Lord’s will for anyone to perish, but for all, including this one family, to come to faith in Christ.
For the third time, he visited the family and told them they must repent and believe in God’s Son. This time the family members got large sticks and violently beat Uncle Liu. They swore at him and cursed him for his stubbornness, and again drove him from the village, this time soaked in blood and suffering from wounds to his body. This old brother however would not be deterred. After recovering from his blows for seven days, he went back again. This time the owner of the house did not oppose him. Amazed that he would come back again, the father of the family agreed they should all sit down and listen to what the old man had to tell them. As Uncle Liu preached the Gospel to the whole extended family, great conviction seized their hearts. Every single family member received the Lord into their lives.
Over time, the Lord started to use Brother Wu’s zeal to be a peacemaker in a way that brought glory to God. He mediated between believers with problems, giving sound Scriptural advice and counsel.
God also has greatly worked through Brother Wu’s unique personality and gifts to help the local churches avoid the many cults that are present in the area. There are more than 100 house churches in the county who were corrected and taught how to avoid heretical extreme teaching by Brother Wu. His salvation shocked many people in the community, as Wu was considered the least likely person to ever believe the Gospel. Because he was already well known, his ministry for the Lord came under close inspection, which landed him a time in prison where he suffered for Jesus.
Brother Wu is a living example of how God can use renew a person who submits his or her life to Him, and still use the gifts and unique personality that God has made each one of us to be.
An Entire Village Surrenders to Christ As the revival fires of the Gospel began to sweep across Heilongjiang Province in the 1990s, in many places whole villages of people believed the Gospel and submitted their lives to Jesus Christ. Let’s hear the words of one bold evangelist as he explains how the Lord glorified Himself in one village in Lalin County (in the extreme south of the province) in 1997….
“I was sent by the Lord to Xiaoshan Village and after hearing the Gospel almost every household believed and put their trust in God. They smashed their idols and ancestral altars and became new creations in Christ. Five families refused to believe however, despite the prayers and earnest pleadings of their fellow villagers.
After holding some more evangelistic meetings four of the five families also believed in Christ, leaving just one family holding out against the Word of Life. The whole village prayed earnestly for that family’s salvation, as the new Christians believed God wanted to be honored among the entire village, and to have one family of unbelievers would simply not be good enough! Finally the one family realized that if everyone else in his village was a believer and experiencing God’s protection, then their family was vulnerable to attack from the devil! They also committed his life to the Lord and his family followed him into the family of faith.
To this day every family in the village continues to serve God. They actively share their faith with neighboring unreached people and are known as honest people who are blessed by the Lord. It is because of the clear testimony of changed lives in villages such as Xiaoshan and in hundreds more like it throughout the province that the Gospel has spread so rapidly in Heilongjiang.”
An Elderly ‘Uncle’ Persists and Overcomes Hostility When evangelists go out from the house churches in Heilongjiang they are supported with tremendous prayer backing from the numerous old ‘aunties’ who have such simple and sweet spirits. These old women live for prayer and worship. They often prostrate themselves on the floor during prayer meetings, with hot tears streaming down their cheeks, they intercede for the lost and wrestle in the spirit on behalf of those who are venturing out with the Good News.
With that background, an elderly ‘uncle’, known as Uncle Liu, went to preach the Gospel in an unreached village near Acheng City, 41 km (25 miles) southeast of Harbin, with a warm heart. When he knocked on one door, asking to share the Gospel with the inhabitants of the house, the people angrily drove him out of the village. Undeterred, Uncle Liu withdrew to a quiet place and earnestly prayed for the family who had rejected him. He then went back to the same house. The second time, the family threw water on him, drenching him to the bone, and with furious words and threats they again drove him from the area.
Henan, China: Testimonies from the House Churches; God’s Wrath Leads Many to Repentance The persecutors of the church in Henan have done unmentionable things to the believers, but they haven’t always had things their own way. Some government officials who ordered a crackdown on the church were suddenly struck with cancer, while the family members of some persecutors began to die in accidents. The officials knew they were being judged for their actions against God’s people.
There was a well-known official whose actions against believers had been particularly brutal. He showed no mercy or remorse, and treated Christians like animals undeserving of compassion. The one person this official loved dearly was his young daughter. She was the apple of his eye. One day he returned home to find that daughter had suddenly become insane. For weeks she was unable to respond normally to her parents or anyone else. Leading doctors and psychiatrists were brought in to treat her, all to no avail. The official’s daughter could only say one sentence during this time. Constantly, day and night, she declared, “You should stop persecuting the Christians! You should stop persecuting the Christians!”
Finally, realizing God’s wrath had fallen on him, the official decided he wouldn’t persecute God’s people any more. On the same day he repented his daughter was fully restored to sanity.
Man Dies For Mocking God In 1995 three female evangelists traveled to Xinye County in southern Henan. Just one week later 1,100 people had repented at their preaching, and numerous people were healed of sickness. During one meeting, an unbeliever came up and cursed the sisters at the top of his voice with vile and disgusting remarks. The women tried to ignore his filthy display. After the meeting concluded, a group of unbelievers came up and asked how the three could continue without retaliating, and how they even appeared to have compassion in their eyes for the vile man. They responded, “We leave this man in the hands of God.” At the exact time they said these words, the blasphemous man fell to the ground and died. This caused the fear of God to fall on the people who had witnessed this judgment, and many more people repented and accepted the Lord.
Frozen by the Lord; The official Three-Self church in 1997 conservatively estimated 160,000 Christians living in Henan’s Zhoukou Prefecture, although house church sources say there are probably in excess of a million believers in the prefecture. Much of the growth in Zhoukou has been due to signs and wonders, and unusual events drawing unbelievers to Christ.
In 1995, five local ruffians came to disrupt a Gospel meeting. These five were renown thugs, feared by all the people in the area. They shouted obscenities and challenged everything the preacher said. They then started to savagely kick and beat him with a stick. The relatively newly-saved preacher prayed ‘Lord, you have to answer my prayer now, or I’m going home.’ The moment he prayed, ‘In Jesus Name, I bind you’ – all of these five men immediately knelt down on the ground and placed their hands behind their backs as though they had just been bound by a tight rope. Soon, five of the man’s relatives came and tried unsuccessfully to lift them up. The young preacher said, “God has bound them, and even if you come with a crane you won’t be able to move them.”
All of this was witnessed by hundreds of people. The fear of God fell on them and they shouted, “Please let them be free! Please let them be free!” The preacher ignored the men, and continued sharing the Gospel, carefully explaining the way of the Cross to the captivated audience. When he finished, he said, ‘Get up in Jesus Name!’ The men immediately stood up and were free.
The bound men later reported that while bound they were unable to move any of their body parts, yet their hearing and minds remained unaffected.
Going the Extra Mile in China; The house churches in Henan never pray for a change of government, but rather they pray God would save the souls of the lost in China! In fact, many Chinese Christians pray persecution will continue in China, because they are afraid if life becomes easy and their faith does not cost as much, the church will get lazy and fall asleep. They pray their attitude will be one that embraces suffering as a gift from the Lord. With that attitude, they are willing to go the extra mile, and there is nothing evil men or the world can do to them.
Brother Shui lived in Fangcheng County in southern Henan Province. During the Cultural Revolution, Christians were often forced to parade in public wearing large “dunce” hats, made of heavy bamboo. The people came out to mock and abuse the “criminals” who wore them. When the time came for Brother Shui to be paraded in public, the police were unable to find a spare dunce hat for him, so they made him walk without one. This deeply upset him, because he wanted to bear the reproach of the Lord. Each prisoner’s crimes were written on their hat. For Christians, they often wrote, “This person believes in Jesus.” This was meant to be a humiliation, but many believers wore the hat as a badge of honor for their Lord. It was a witness to unbelievers, who could clearly see the peace and joy on the faces of the Christians compared to the other criminals. Brother Shui cried out , “O Lord, why did you forget me?”
On the second day a dunce hat was found for Brother Shui, which made him so happy. His face shone with joy and tears welled up in his eyes as he paraded through the streets, now he was considered worthy to fully suffer for the Name of the Lord.
After the ceremony Brother Shui asked the police if he could keep the dunce hat and take it home when he was released from the prison, as a reminder of his “crimes.” The police found this request very strange, but they consented! When he returned to his farm, his neighbors were amazed to see Shui tending his cows and sheep while wearing the dunce hat! For him, it was a treasured souvenir of when the Lord allowed him to suffer for the Name of Jesus. His neighbors thought he had lost his mind, and that he was a shameless man. They despised him. But Brother Shui was a man who loved Jesus with all his heart. The government was infuriated when they saw Brother Shui embracing what was meant to be his humiliation. They realized they could do nothing to make him change his ways or renounce his Lord.
The world can do nothing to a Christian who has no fear of man. Brother Shui wholeheartedly served the Lord for the rest of his life until he went to be with Jesus last year, leaving a testimony of courage and faith to many believers.
In 1966, in Nanzhao County (Henan Province), in a small town called Yunyang, one brother also had the experience of wearing a ‘dunce hat’ and being paraded through the streets for the Gospel. This brother was blind and couldn’t see a thing. Everyone knew he had been totally blind for many years. The people came out and beat him on the back and on the front, smearing dirt and rotten things on him, and riled against him. Two guards were placed on either side of him in order to lead him forward. Suddenly this brother began to shout, “Please don’t guide me anymore! I can see! I can see!” God had miraculously opened his eyes right in the midst of his persecution!
T?his brother is still alive today in Nanzhao, and can still see!
The Man with Two Heads; In 1994, in the town of Nanyang in China’s Henan Province, an elderly well-known doctor named Chen developed a cancer in the side of his face. The cancer grew to enormous proportions until it looked from a distance as though he had two heads.
The ear on that side of his head moved a considerable distance from its normal position; as fluids congregated and made it balloon out. His appearance was so hideous that people frequently turned away in disgust and horror when he walked down the street. As his condition worsened, Dr. Chen suffered terrible pain and he was unable to sleep.
Dr. Chen and his 12-year-old grandson visited a physician and was plainly told there was nothing that could be done for him. Chen was instructed to go home, set his affairs in order, and prepare to die. The physician gave some poison to the grandson, advising him to slip it into his grandfather’s tea so that his life would end ‘mercifully’.
Later that afternoon, as the boy walked down the street, he wept uncontrollably for his beloved grandfather. The boy knew he couldn’t do what the physician had asked him to do. His intense wailing and desperation caught the attention of people, including a house church evangelist who stopped Dr. Chen’s grandson and asked what was wrong. The boy told the story of what had happened earlier in the day. The evangelist told him, "Whatever you do, don’t put the poison in your grandfather’s tea." He wrote an address on a piece of paper and said, "Please bring your grandfather to this address at seven o’clock."
In intense agony and distress, Dr. Chen and his grandson made their way to the address the evangelist had given them, not knowing what or who they would find there. When they arrived they found a house church meeting in progress, with a preacher sharing the Word of God. Despite Dr. Chen’s shocking appearance, the preacher continued his message. After he had concluded, the evangelist laid his hands on each of Dr. Chen’s "heads" and prayed a simple prayer, asking God to heal him.
Dr. Chen returned home that evening with no apparent change in his condition. He fell asleep and woke up thirteen hours later, the first time in three months he had gained any good rest. The next day, however, he still had two "heads" and did not look any better. Chen and his grandson rushed back to the evangelist’s house. The preacher told them not to worry, because God had already healed him and it would take a little time for the physical symptoms to reflect the spiritual reality of what had happened.
Dr. Chen’s condition gradually improved over the following days. One week later he had been totally healed and his appearance had returned to normal. His ear returned to its normal position and even the stretched skin where his face had ballooned out now looked unscarred.
After Dr. Chen and his grandson became disciples of Jesus Christ, the doctor’s conscience was troubled because for years he had deceived people by selling them fake pills which he knew contained no medicinal value. Chen repented and immediately went to his medical clinic and threw the pills away. He kept the pill bottles, however, and made some new labels that said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be healed!"
Hundreds of people in Nanyang had seen Dr. Chen’s condition before and after his healing, and nobody could dispute that a great miracle had taken place. The doctor became a bold evangelist, and by 1996 he had led more than 300 people to faith in the Great Physician.
Today we have a church of more than 300 Churu people. We constantly teach God’s Word to them through stories because they are very simple people who struggle to understand concepts except in story form.
God’s grace and love is resting upon the Churu Christians. For the first time ever they have joy and peace, and they no longer live under the power of demons. Jesus has set them free! We sent teams of strong young men back into the mountains with clothes and blankets to help our new Churu brothers and sisters.
We praise God that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever!"
The Burning Tooth; Do you know that the country of Vietnam is home to about 150 different tribes and ethnic groups, each one having their own customs and language? Some of these tribes live in extremely remote areas in the mountainous central and northern parts of the country. Some tribes have embraced Christianity, but most remain completely cut off from the Gospel.
One such tribe is the Churu (pronounced "Ju-Ru") people, who number about 15,000 people. They live in foreboding mountains along Vietnam’s border with Cambodia. For countless centuries the Churu people have lived in spiritual bondage under the power of local shamans, or witch-doctors. A number of years ago we were told the following testimony by a Vietnamese evangelist. The following events were witnessed by many people…
To reach the Churu people we walked for several days. Many wild animals and leeches inhabit this part of Vietnam. Each time we crossed a river or stream our legs and arms were covered with leeches. After many struggles we finally reached a Churu village.
A number of tribes in the mountains of Vietnam received the Gospel before missionaries were expelled in 1975, but the Churu inhabit such a remote area that missionaries were never able to reach them. Few outsiders had ever visited them, and they remained a completely unreached people group.
Within minutes of arriving in the village a large crowd gathered around us to hear what we had to say. Most Churu people were naked, even though it gets very cold in the mountains. They do not choose to go naked. They are simply so poor they cannot afford to buy or make even a simple cloth.
The witch-doctors among the Churu possess a lot of demonic power. All the villagers live in fear of them. If a witch-doctor places a curse on someone who is not a Christian, that person is sure to die. The people are also kept in poverty because of the evil men. Whenever someone is sick they must consult the witch-doctor, who demands the sacrifice of valuable livestock as offerings to the evil spirits, and as payment for his services.
We started sharing stories of Jesus with the Churu people, as the witch-doctor emerged from his hut and began to listen. We told the people Jesus could set them free from sin and bondage if they put their trust in Him, and that they did not need to remain under the control of demonic spirits. The witch-doctor began to stir the people up against us and we could see that a major spiritual confrontation was looming. We told the villagers not to be afraid because Jesus is the Living God and that all power and authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Him!
We told them how our God once proved He is the true and Living God by causing fire to fall from heaven on Elijah’s sacrifice, while the Baal "witch-doctors" stood by powerless.
The main symbol of the witch-doctor’s authority was a huge wild pig’s tooth which he wore on a chain around his neck. The tooth had been handed down from generation to generation, and whoever possessed it had the right to lead the community and to mediate between the people and the spirit world.
The witch-doctor stepped forward, with a furious look on his face. He took the chain with the pig’s tooth from around his neck and angrily shouted, "If your God can make this tooth catch on fire then we will believe in Him, but if it does not catch on fire we will kill all of you right here!"
As you can imagine, we prayed very fervently and cried out to the Lord! Hundreds of Churu tribesmen gathered around and watched intently to see what would happen.
After praying for some time, suddenly the pig’s tooth burst into flames by itself! The whole village saw it and were amazed. Many believed the message, and dedicated their lives to Jesus Christ.
The Miracle Mushrooms; As a powerful revival swept across central China in the 1990s, many Christians responded to God’s call to preach the Gospel in unreached regions of the country. Two teenage girls from central China travelled to remote Qinghai Province to reach the Buddhist ethnic minorities living there. They had no financial support, no return tickets and no contacts. The whole region was completely devoid of any knowledge of Jesus. After arriving, the duo’s hearts were filled with compassion. They tried to share Christ’s message, but the local women opposed them and drove them out of their homes. They were forced to sleep wherever they could find shelter: under bushes, in abandoned farm sheds, and the like. They were struggling, their stomachs were empty, and nobody would listen to the good news they desired to share.
One day the two girls heard about an abandoned cave that the locals avoided because they believed it to be haunted by ghosts. The girls saw this as the Lord’s provision and prayed against any unclean spirits as they moved into their new home. The girls prayed for many hours with tears in their eyes, asking the Lord to help them. One night they were particularly downcast and hungry. They felt that unless the Lord did a miracle, they would die. They prayed until they fell asleep. In the morning they awoke to find that during the night mushrooms had sprouted right outside the entrance of the cave! They immediately boiled them, thanking God for their nutritious meal.
The next morning they woke to discover more mushrooms had grown up again during the night! This continued every morning for about a year. Even in winter these miraculous mushrooms never failed to appear, poking their heads up through the snow outside the cave entrance. The girls learned how to enjoy mushrooms in every possible way. They boiled them, fried them and steamed them. They always tasted delicious, because they were miraculous provision of God.
G?radually these two young women started to be accepted by the local community. They were able to lead some women to Christ. A small church was established for the first time in the region. After about a year, one of the young women secured a job washing dishes at a local restaurant. The very same day she commenced work the mushrooms stopped appearing outside the cave! For many years now the "haunted" cave has been used as a Bible training centre for new believers. Now hundreds of people have come to Christ in that area.
The Experiences of a Chinese Pastor in Prison; …the first question the prisoners asked him was “Who are you?” He replied, “It doesn’t matter who I am, but let me tell you about Jesus Christ."
In 1993 Philip, a house church leader in China, was thrown in prison after he and a number of believers were arrested. His ‘welcome’ to prison was a savage beating from the guards. They kicked him viciously with their steel-capped boots, beat him with batons, and tortured him with electric cattle-prods, designed to shock his body with high voltage. Philip was left unconscious with a broken collarbone, arm, and ribs. The prison authorities then threw his bloody and bruised body into a small cell that already contained 28 prisoners. The cell had just one bed and a bucket, used by all the prisoners as a toilet. The cell leader was a rough man who had already formed a gang inside the prison. No one was allowed to sit on or touch his bed. When Brother Philip’s lifeless body was thrown inside the cell, however, even this hardened criminal had compassion on Philip and lay him down on his bed.
At around 2 a.m., according to the testimony of the other prisoners, a supernatural light or glow appeared over Philip’s body. It shone on him for several hours. The other prisoners were absolutely terrified and backed up against the corner of the cell. They cried for the guards to come and let them out. The guards also saw the supernatural light and were terrified, but they refused to let the prisoners out.
By sunrise, Brother Philip was much better and had regained consciousness. At no time did he actually see the light, but all the other prisoners did. Surprisingly for the serious injuries he had received the previous night, he was feeling much better and his broken collarbone and ribs seemed to be healed. Not surprisingly, the first question the prisoners asked him was “Who are you?” He replied, “It doesn’t matter who I am, but let me tell you about Jesus Christ.” He led all 28 of the prisoners to faith in Christ!
Today Brother Philip continues his ministry and is responsible for hundreds of house churches across China. He is a godly, humble and committed Christian who is willing to die for the Gospel. He receives no income and often goes hungry.
Believers sometimes give him love gifts, but most rural Christians in China are so poor that their sacrificial gifts are barely enough for Philip to buy a train or bus ticket to the next town. There are thousands of Gospel-warriors like Philip in China and in the surrounding nations of Asia. In this issue of our newsletter we launch a new project, called the “Asian Workers Fund,” in which we invite you to consider partnering in prayer and finances with workers like Brother Philip who are being used by God to do mighty works in different locations around Asia.
What Does it Mean to be a Christian? What it means to be a Christian, at least according to culture, has changed over the years. Many people think that going to church occasionally or simply believing in God makes them a Christian. But the Bible presents a different perspective and definition of a Christian.
A Christian is someone whose behavior and heart reflects Jesus Christ. Followers of Jesus were first called “Christians” in Antioch. Acts 11:26 says, "…for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." They were called "Christians" because their speech and behavior were like Christ.
What Does it Mean to Behave Like Jesus Christ? As a Christian, someone who has put faith and trust in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ through His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection, our behavior mirrors, reflects and resembles Christ.
Being gracious and merciful to others is behaving like Christ. Forgiving, loving and praying for our enemies is Christ-like. Welcoming and serving the marginalized, the "least" among us, is being like Jesus.
Caring for the sick, needy, underprivileged, widowed, orphaned, poor, abused, and vulnerable—those who are last—mirrors and reflects the Son of Man.
Striving for justice resembles Jesus. But it’s not simply good works that make someone a Christian. Being a follower and disciple of Jesus extends beyond our outward behavior. It includes the condition of our heart.
What Does it Mean to Have a Christian Heart? When we put our faith and trust in Christ, when we commit our lives to serving Him and serving others as He served us, our behavior and mindset reflects the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Christ is with us and in us. We are new creations!
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" — 2 Corinthians 5:17 Our old way of thinking is gone. Our motivation, desire, and purpose are replaced with delight in the things of God. The joys and pleasures of our lives are exponentially enhanced through our relationship with Christ. And our selfish and worldly pursuits are exchanged for desire to honor God.
Life in Christ is not a life of "I don’t get to do what I like." It’s not a life of loss. Instead, it’s a life of abundance, where what I used to like and desire pales in comparison to what my heart now desires. Christians see, feel and experience the world in a different way. A much grander, deeper and meaningful way.
One of the new ways we see the world is through the lens of "others first." For example, Christians are called to love the orphan and widow and care for those less fortunate.
God’s concern for the vulnerable or marginalized is apparent in his command for us to defend them. "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." — James 1:27 A Christian heart living out Christian values results in tangible care and compassion for others. It is characterized by active love for others. That's the meaning of compassion.
Jesus said, "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." — John 13:34-35 What Does it Look Like to Love Others as Jesus Loves Us? One tangible way, and it is only one, that you can love others as Jesus loves us is by helping save a child who lives in absolute poverty. Often exploited, often oppressed, children living in poverty do not experience the innocence of childhood. Their world is not kind. In their world, they struggle to survive.
Child poverty destroys a child’s emotional and physical well-being. It affects their attitude, outlook and behavior. Children living in poverty grow up believing the world won’t get better.
Not only am I now running into an ad about "Cast iron frying pans" inbetween the Christian messages but having to sign up for their news letter. Or am cut off..........grrrrrr
The Art of Loving Unlovable People Hillary McMuller
Life is full of people who rub us the wrong way. Whether it's within our family, workplace, church, or community, we've all encountered at least one person who drives us absolutely crazy. Maybe they say sly insults, tell bad jokes, or invade our personal space. Whatever their annoying or hurtful habits are, our spirits are dampened and flustered by their presence in our lives.
As Christians, how do we cope with difficult people? Christ calls us to love selflessly and ceaselessly. So are we just supposed to force a smile and fake a laugh, while inside we're cringing or crying or wanting to flee? How can we possibly be genuine with all these negative emotions broiling just beneath the surface?
So are we just supposed to force a smile and fake a laugh, while inside we're cringing or crying or wanting to flee? We can't do it on our own. Our broken, sinful hearts aren't capable of scraping together nearly enough love to cover the foibles and flaws of our fellow humans. We occasionally have trouble loving even those who are dearest to us. So often, our feeble, fleeting attempts at love fall flat and our patience runs dry.
The only true source of compassion, strength, and love is God. If we embrace and rely completely on God's love and forgiveness for us, we can then draw from his infinite provision and begin to love others more fervently and sincerely.
I've found that there are 12 key steps we take to help us build greater compassion, empathy, and love for our neighbors—even the ones who have caused us pain, anger, or frustration. It is critical, though, to understand that these tools are best used in the hands of those who have deeply acknowledged their own sin and their need for Christ's grace and direction in their lives.
1. Pray for the Holy Spirit's intervention. If you know you're about to enter into an interaction with a difficult person, appeal to the Holy Spirit for strength, compassion, and patience. Through him, you have the power to represent Christ—even in the most trying of circumstances. Our calling as Christians is difficult, but we don't have to do it alone. Remember that your kindness could portray the gospel to someone who desperately needs it.
2. Consult God's Word. Scripture is a treasure trove of practical advice about how to interact with people. Sometimes we may feel as though the Bible is distant and unrelated to today's culture, but upon closer inspection, we can see that human nature hasn't really changed. The wisdom that the Word provides is still relevant to our lives.
3. You don't know their whole story. Knowing the hardships in someone's life can give you an entirely new perspective and understanding of their personality. Dealing out judgment comes so easily to us, especially when we are leveling it at someone who makes our lives miserable. But if we remember that they, too, have felt the sting of injustice, the burden of anxiety, and the ache of emptiness, perhaps we won't be so quick to feel anger and annoyance.
4. It's always possible to establish common ground. It's amazing how finding something in common with a person you take issue with can begin to bridge the chasm between you. It could be something as simple as a similar childhood experience, a shared hobby, or a book you both enjoyed. These tiny tendrils of connection may seem meaningless, but they could gradually improve your interactions. These tiny tendrils of connection may seem meaningless, but they could gradually improve your interactions.
5. Silence is golden, so think before you speak. Sometimes our words stumble out of our mouths before we have a chance to censor them. It can be easy to lash out in anger or make condescending comments. But words, once they're said, are irreversible and hold incredible weight.
We are all children of God; sinners just as much as saints whether we believe it or not doesn't make it less true. Pointing our fingers and telling people that they're going to hell will not save them!
Let's face it, many Christians become Christian to obtain "fire insurance" so they won't have to burn in hell and I can't think of a worse reason to follow Christ. God doesn't need us to apple-polish Him just so He'll let us go to heaven. He wants us to love Him. Love can't grow when planted in fear. Follow Him for the right reasons; because He makes you a better person, because He cares, and because He loves you.
Let's not be Christians, but followers of Jesus Christ. Let us be children of the most high God and all you Christians who are stuck in the Old Testament ... move on! Spread the good news! Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead so we could live a life free of condemnation. Stop underestimating God's mercy.
You are representing Almighty God - the question is; do you make him look good?
RELIGION; I Don't Want To Be a Christian Ever wonder why there are so many atheists out there? Because ... Someone recently said that Christians are the enemy's greatest weapon and all I could think of saying was "Amen!" By Alice Shepherd, Contributor
Ever wonder why there are so many atheists out there? Because ... Christians. Someone recently said that Christians are the enemy's greatest weapon and all I could think of saying was "Amen!"
One of the major complaints non-believers level against Christianity is that the churches are full of hypocrites. Picture perfect beings, so holy that they earned the right to point their fingers and kick every sinner right off of cloud nine. "Na-ah, you're not getting in here!" Yes, the majority of people in this world believes that we Christians are hypocrites. Can we blame them?
We sit in church every Sunday, nod, and say "Amen," when someone looks, and tithe less than we spend on a Starbucks coffee. We smile, praise the Lord, shake some hands, and fight our way through the departing crowd back to the car. See you next Sunday!
We drive like maniacs, hate our bosses, curse at our spouses, and yell at our children. We post inspirational quotes on Facebook, hang Bible verses on our walls, but roll the windows up and look away when a beggar approaches our car at a red light.
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.Matthew 5:14-16
We are the light of the world, but all we spread is confusion and darkness. No wonder so many hate us! No wonder people don't want anything to do with Christianity.
I recently joined a Christian fellowship group on Facebook to see more Jesus on my news feed. What I got instead couldn't be further from it. It started off with Illuminati conspiracy theories, continued with hatred against homosexuals, and ended with calling out "false prophets" except, it didn't end. It just wouldn't end! My news feed was flooded with nothing but hate, condemnation, and judgment.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.Philippians 4:8
Yes, there is so much evil out there, but can I ask you respectfully: What good does it do to tell others about the wicked world we live in as if they didn't know already? Wouldn't it be better to tell them about how good our God is? How the blood of the Lamb defeated the enemy and that the end is already written? Why scare people, when we can encourage them? Why hide in church and wait for the Rapture, when we can go out there and convince someone to join us?
Fellow Christians, what makes us think that we are better than others? Who are we to judge others for their sins? Hate the sin, but love the sinner! Are homosexuals not children of God after all? What about politicians? We are all children of God; sinners just as much as saints
Churches Can Reopen... If They Preach Party Doctrine June 8, 2020 Arielle Del Turco
While coronavirus restrictions may be lifting for state-approved churches in China, many find themselves facing an even more dangerous situation -- being told what to teach by an officially atheist authoritarian regime.
Catholic churches in the Chinese province of Zhejiang have been told by the state-affiliated Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association that Mass may resume this month provided churches preach "patriotism." This instruction is deeply problematic. To the Chinese Communist Party, "patriotism" means pledging your loyalty to the Party, which is increasingly hostile to religion under the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Chinese churches are routinely pressured to conform to the government regulations geared toward re-enforcing the authority of the party and promoting its goals. Last year, state-sanctioned churches in the Shandong province were required to promote socialist ideology in their sermons and display propaganda posters that used Bible verses to promote China's "core socialist values."
Pastor Jin Mingri, who once led a large unregistered Protestant church in Beijing, described the growing problem to The Guardian in 2018, "Before, as long as you didn't meddle in politics the government left you alone. But now if you don't push the Communist party line, if you don't display your love for the party, you are a target... Of course we're scared, we're in China, but we have Jesus."
China's political leaders have long feared that Christians would mobilize against the Communist Party, much like Christians aided the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. Beijing seeks to mitigate this perceived threat through its long-term efforts to "Sinicize" religion.
In the wake of the coronavirus, things are looking even worse for Chinese churches.
In April, at least 48 state-sanctioned churches were forcibly shut down by authorities in one Chinese county alone.
The sight of government officials rushing to tear crosses from your church can be intimidating and upsetting for congregants. A Christian from China's Jiangxi province claimed that members of one church cried in distress as authorities removed their cross. The Christian reported, "Whether they demolish a church or a cross, everyone is afraid to challenge them. If you try to protest, they will accuse you of fighting against the Communist Party and the central government."
As soon as the coronavirus lockdown began to ease at the end of April, Chinese authorities were quick to resume an ongoing initiative to remove crosses from the exteriors of church buildings. This is merely the visual evidence of Sinicizing religion -- even church buildings start to look less uniquely Christian.
When Chinese authorities tear down crosses, they aren't just destroying meaningless symbols. They are destroying all outward representations of Christianity in those towns as they work to shape the contents of sermons from within churches, remaking Christianity in their own image.
When North Korean defector Joseph Kim fled to China, a Chinese woman told him to seek help at churches and that he could find them by looking for crosses on the top of buildings. It is disheartening to know that in the future, those in need may not be able to locate Chinese churches because the government has hidden them in plain sight, devoid of any traditional Christian symbols.
It has been proven time and time again when churches are suppressed the secret churches are growing by leaps and bounds............jenny
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA ADDITIONAL RESOURCES CHINESE CHRISTIANS IN THE MEDIA
The New York Times: "Backgrounder: Religion in China" This May 2008 article covers recent religious trends in China, set against a backdrop of rapid economic growth and an increasingly liberal social atmosphere. The article includes surprising new statistics on the rise of religion in China and on legislation applying to China’s five state-accepted religions - - Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism.
Time: “The War for China’s Soul” Correspondent Simon Elegant reports on the Chinese government’s demolition of an unauthorized and inhabited Christian church in the city of Hangzhou, near Shanghai. Financed by local Christians, the church was to serve a community of 5,000 parishioners. The article examines the Chinese government’s odd relationship with Christianity and other growing faith groups in China, who often are forced to both defy and compromise with the state government in practicing their beliefs.
Footage of the demolition was broadcast in a CBS News piece, “Christianity in China”.
The Guardian: “Chinese factory to supply one in four Bibles” In May 2008 Amity Press, a Bible-printing press based in Nanjing, opened another press to speed up its production of the world’s bestselling book. With a new capacity of 23 Bibles a minute, the factory will provide the Bible in 10 languages, including Chinese.
Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity Is Transforming China and Changing the Global Balance of Power by David Aikman The former Beijing bureau chief for Time magazine chronicles the rise and suppression of Christianity in China over the past 400 years, beginning with Jesuit missionaries in the 1500s and moving through the Christian-led Taiping Rebellion in 1850 and the repudiation of Christianity in the 1899 Boxer Rebellion. Most of the book, however, focuses on modern Christianity in China, especially the fine divide between official and unofficial Protestant and Catholic churches, and on the political possibilities of a Christian majority in China -- including major alliances with Christian nations in opposing radical Islam.
Nongovernmental Organizations: China Aid A Christian advocacy group, China Aid was established in 2002 to investigate and report on the treatment of Christians in China, which it does through individual abuse cases and larger reports. They recently reported that the Chinese government has increased its persecution of unregistered Christians, including the detainment of "house church" Christians who were helping victims of the quake.
Voices of the Martyrs Voices of the Martyrs is a nonprofit established to aid Christians who are persecuted for their faith. VOM keeps a list of Christians detained for religious activity around the world and organizes-letter writing campaigns and other actions on behalf of the prisoners.
Human Rights in China An older Chinese NGO, Human Rights in China was founded in 1989 by Chinese scholars and students after the Tiananmen Square massacre. Their approach includes advocacy, research and publications, and outreach at the UN and the World Trade Organization.
Modern Chinese Culture: He Qi Artist He Qi is a well-known Chinese Christian, whose art often depicts Biblical scenes. He got his start painting portraits of Mao Tse-Tung after the 1966 Cultural Revolution. On his Web site he claims that, in order to address the “foreign image” of Christianity in China, he blends “Chinese folk customs and traditional Chinese painting techniques with the western art of the Middle and Modern Ages.”
Danwei.org A youthful Shanghai-based urban perspective on China, Danwei.org reports on everything from Chinese trade relationships with Africa, to music trends in China and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. With DanweiTV, they also produce a series of video pieces with titles like “Graffiti Shanghai,” “Gay Shan
Stories of Christian Martyrs: Li Xinheng and Lu Ling Lina CHINA, PAKISTAN Stories of Christian Martyrs: Li Xinheng and Lu Ling Lina They moved to an area of Pakistan known to be influenced by the Taliban. Despite the danger, Chinese citizens Li Xinheng and Lu Ling Lina felt compelled to share the Gospel in the radicalized area. While studying Urdu, the language spoken in Pakistan, and starting a school in one of the poorest parts of the country, they built relationships with their neighbors. But their witness was not welcomed by some in the city of Quetta.
In late May, Li and Lu were taking their lunch break when three armed men dressed as police officers forced them into their vehicle. A third woman, also Chinese, was kidnapped along with them, but it is unclear whether she was released because there wasn’t room in the vehicle or because she escaped and called for help. A Pakistani man saw what was happening and tried to help, but he was shot in the foot by the kidnappers.
Li and Lu were held hostage for several days before their executions, which were recorded on video. The self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) claimed credit for their deaths, and the Pakistani government eventually carried out a raid on the ISIS hideout. However, by that time the Islamists had fled.
DECEMBER 25, 2019 | OUR SHARED MINISTRY BRIAN CLARK Every year, the already-crowded subway stations, buses, and airports across China become even more bustling. Millions of people are traveling home for Chinese New Year celebrations.
In 2018, Back to God Ministries International’s Chinese ministry team realized this time of family celebration provided an opportunity for Christians to talk about their faith with other generations.
Using WeChat, the most popular social network in China, the ministry team challenged young people to ask their Christian parents or loved ones to share their testimonies and submit a written version to the ministry team. The best essays would be published in a new book of testimonies to encourage Chinese-speaking Christians.
Li was one of almost 150 people to submit a story after the New Year celebration. Fittingly, the story she shared of her mother’s and grandmother’s faith took place on a previous holiday break.
Li’s Story; In her university days, Li remembers, she felt more anxious than excited when she traveled home for the holidays. The arguments between her mother and grandmother made her dread going home.
“Growing up, there were major fights every week and little ones every day,” Li says. The quarreling began when Li’s mother decided to explore the Christian faith. Li’s grandmother made it clear she did not want anyone in the family going to church.
“Instead,” Li says, “we would gather in my parents’ room to sing, pray, and share those things in our lives that deserved giving thanks for.”
A Welcome Surprise But when Li walked through the door at the start of her holiday break one year, she almost couldn’t believe her eyes. She saw her mother and grandmother joking and laughing together.
Li’s mother shared that she had chosen to put her faith into action, deciding to show love and forgiveness toward Li’s grandmother instead of arguing about faith. These actions didn’t just encourage and surprise Li; they softened her grandmother’s heart as well.
“For the first time, I really understood what it meant for a family to be happy,” Li says. During that break, Li saw more changes in her family. Where there had been abuse and attacks there was now love and forgiveness.
“Not long after returning to school that year, my mother called me on the phone and told me that grandmother had also believed in the Lord,” Li says.
Li’s story won second prize in BTGMI’s essay competition. Pray that her published story will encourage others to talk about their faith stories with other generations—especially during Chinese New Year, which this year will be celebrated Jan. 25.
In 2018, I published the book Atlas of Religion in China: Geographical and Social Contexts, which offers the most up-to-date, comprehensive overview of the changed religious landscape in China. I used government census data, social survey data, fieldwork observations, and historical studies to describe various religions in the red, black, or grey markets. It includes many color maps, award-winning photos, and beautifully made charts. You can find many of the maps online at the Online Spiritual Atlas of the Global East.
To conclude, I’d like to turn briefly to the theme set out by the Religion Program of the Chautauqua Institution: Cooperation, Competition, and Confrontation. There is a lot of room for Chinese and American collaboration in evangelistic missions and social services around the globe. The experience that the American church has gained in these areas is much needed by the Chinese church. At the same time, there is an ideological competition between the Communist model and the American model about the way of life. Finally, confrontation is also inevitable. I think the US government, NGOs, and many individuals will continue to confront the Chinese Communist party-state about their human rights violations, especially concerning religious freedom. We Americans believe that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are inalienable rights endowed by the Creator. In the globalization era, if we do not fight for these rights globally, we may lose them at home as well.
Editor’s Note: This article, together with the others in the series, was originally a lecture, given at the Chautauqua Institute on June 29, 2021. The lecture has been lightly edited and reprinted with permission.
In the last four or five years, the party-state has imposed stricter restrictions, shut down hundreds of jiating churches, and jailed some prominent pastors and lay leaders. In spite of the suppression, many jiating church Christians have continued to evangelize in the streets and public squares, distributing Bibles, tracts, or leaflets, and inviting people to church gatherings. The police stop them and sometimes detain the most active leaders, but they are often released within 24 hours or within a couple of weeks. But as soon as they are released, most of them go back to the streets and public squares again. They have been fired up so much that they are unstoppable.
In short, repressive regulations have not reduced religions, but have complicated the religious market and resulted in the tricolor religious markets. In other words, the spiritual awakening and religious revivals are not containable or controllable, even though the party-state has been trying very hard to suppress them.
After the Cultural Revolution, five religions were given official recognition. Official documents have provided the numbers of believers in each religion. It is surprising to see that atheist education and political suppression during the Cultural Revolution did not reduce the number of Catholics. The number of Muslims remained the same as well. The number of Protestants increased three times, from about one million to three million, which is extraordinary and miraculous. Actually, this is an undercount because the party-state is unwilling to admit its failure. An American historian, Daniel Bays of Calvin College, estimated that there were about five to six million Protestants around 1980.
Then, after 1989, the growth accelerated. In 1979, churches, temples, and mosques began to reopen. The number of Catholics grew to 5.3 million by 2010. The number of Protestants grew to more than 23 million by 2010. In 2018, there were nearly 40 million Protestants. Again, these are underreports by the party-state. Some independent scholars in China and outside China have reported higher estimates.1 One scholarly book said that there were about 20 million Protestants by 1990. Another scholar said there were about 50 million in the early 2000s. The Pew Research Center estimated that there were 58 million Protestants and 9 million Catholics in 2010. Some Christian research centers and mission organizations have put out much higher estimates. The extraordinarily rapid growth of Christians in China has not been well studied or widely reported. This is perhaps the biggest hidden story in the twenty-first century.
If the growth of Christians continues at a modest rate, it is likely that within one or two decades there will be more Christians in China than in the United States. Meanwhile, Chinese Christians have been warming up for overseas missions. They have already sent hundreds of missionaries to countries along the Silk Road in Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Some missions movements are preparing to send out twenty to thirty thousand missionaries by the year 2030. The increased suppression by the Chinese party-state may have slowed this down, but only to some degree and probably only for a short while. I think the Christian growth and missions drive have become uncontainable.
The Tricolor Religious Market and the Growth of Christianity The Great Awakening in China By YANG Fenggang · May 13, 2022 · Topic: Religion in China
Christianity has been the fastest growing religion during the Great Awakening in China. Beginning in 2000, I have interviewed several hundred Christians, including entrepreneurs and businesspeople, academic scholars in various disciplines, young professionals, lawyers who have defended people for their civil and human rights, journalists, writers, and artists. Our center at Purdue has organized several projects to document these different segments of the growing Christian population in China.
How is it possible to have such religious revivals under Communist repression? My book Religion in China offers a sociological explanation. Without getting into academic jargon, I would simply say that we may compare religion to a market. There are legally approved religious sites, organizations, and activities of the five major religions of Buddhism, Daoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestant Christianity. These religious organizations are in the red market. They are legally allowed and tolerated but are also colored red, the Chinese Communist color, and have to follow the party-state instructions.
The number of officially approved churches has increased. Because these officially approved churches are not allowed to spread their religion outside the church, many churches have tried to make the church more visible through erecting a big cross on top of the church, and often with a bright neon light in the night. After seeing many rooftop crosses, the Communist Party boss of Zhejiang Province became very upset, rhetorically asking his subordinates: Is this still the land under Communist authority, or has it become the land under the cross? He then ordered that all the churches must take down their rooftop crosses, or their churches would be demolished. From 2014 to 2016, more than 1,500 crosses were taken down from churches in Zhejiang Province. But this political campaign failed to remove all the crosses. More importantly, even if the cross was removed, the church could still hold worship services, although it would be under close surveillance. Many of these churches continue to baptize people into the church. This is in the red market of religion.
There is also a black market of religion. Some new religious movements or sects have been banned. The party-state has carried out severe crackdowns on them, but some of them have managed to survive and even expand. They cannot be wiped out.
Besides the red and the black, there is also a grey market of religion, where the activities are neither legal nor illegal, or marginal between legal and illegal. For example, according to the party-state regulations, preaching outside religious venues and teaching religion to children under 18 years old are not allowed, but what if people do it in their own homes with their own children? Or some relatives and friends join them as well? These home gatherings have been called house churches. In Chinese, they are called jiating churches. It is hard to say whether the jiating church is legal or illegal. It is in the grey area. The jiating church has been very effective in evangelism. Indeed, the Buddhists have also adopted this form of doing religion.
In the first decade of the twenty-first century, many jiating churches grew too big to meet at people’s apartments. Therefore, they rented large halls at hotels or office buildings. Some congregations even purchased commercial real estate and renovated them into sanctuaries. They continued to be called jiating churches because they refused to join the official Christian association that is in the religious red market. Some of the jiating churches began to form new denominations.
Christianity in China Christianity in ChinaChristianity in China took root after Robert Morrison, a missionary and sinologist with the London Missionary Society, arrived in 1807 and translated the first Chinese Bible in 1819.
During the 200 years since then, Christianity in China was tested and grew through fiery trials, including the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1664), Mao's Cultural Revolution (1966-1976, see Project Pearl), and persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (1948-present).
How many Christians are in China today? Christians in China tend to attend either government-controlled Three Self churches or underground churches. Official statistics are sparse for both but still sufficient to deduce the number of Christians in China today.
In 2004, the Chinese Communist Party reported 18 million baptized Christians in China's Three Self churches. During the World Council of Churches Executive Committee meeting held in China November 17-23, 2016, China's Three Self Patriotic Movement and China Christian Council reported that that number had risen to 38 million.
Eighteen million in 2004 growing to 38 million in 2016 represents an annual growth rate of 6.5%, based on which there are 43.5 million baptized Three Self church Christians in China in 2018.
This 43.5 million figure excludes the Christian children of Three Self church Christians because the Chinese government forbids baptism until 18 years of age. Using a conservative ratio of 1 Christian under 18 years of age for every 8 baptized adults brings the total number of Three Self church Christians in 2018 to 49 million
What is the total number of Christians in China including the underground church? At a closed-door meeting at Peking University in 2006, Xiaowen Ye, the then head of the Chinese Communist Party's Religious Affairs Bureau reported that Protestants in China numbered 110 million.
Applying the same 6.5% annual growth rate to this figure for the 12 years since 2006 indicates 234 million* as the total number of Protestants in China in 2018.
Why do surveys report figures below 100 million? Chinese Christians are persecuted for their faith that ask about their faith are far less reliable than the numbers compiled by the Chinese government's intelligence services for their internal use.
It is generally accepted that China has between 2 to 4 times more underground church Christians than Three Self church Christians. Ratios of 2, 3 and 4 underground church Christians for every Three Self church Christian yield 147 million, 196 million and 245 million, respectively, as the total number of Christians in China in 2018 (the 234 million figure above indicates this ratio to be 3.8 to 1)."
What’s behind Boom of Christianity in China? Theology scholars and a global network of researchers are using big data to map religion’s history in China and explain its rapid growth FEBRUARY 2, 2023
MARC CHALUFOUR CYDNEY SCOTT Over the past four decades, Christianity has grown faster in China than anywhere else in the world. Daryl Ireland, a Boston University School of Theology research assistant professor of mission, estimates that the Christian community there has grown from 1 million to 100 million. What led to that explosion, centuries after the first Christian missionaries arrived in China? The BU scholars behind the China Historical Christian Database aim to find out.
The project, which allows researchers to visualize the history of Christianity in modern China, links web-based visualization tools with a database packed with the names and locations of missionaries, churches, schools, hospitals, and publications. Hosted by BU’s Center for Global Christianity & Mission, the project launched in 2018 and version 2.0 of the database is scheduled for release in 2023. The new version will double the amount of data previously available, providing approximately four million data points—names, occupations, locations, dates, and more—spanning four centuries (1550–1950).
The database began as a relatively modest class project. Alex Mayfield (STH’21) charted early 20th-century Pentecostals in Hong Kong for a history class taught by Eugenio Menegon at the BU Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. When Mayfield mentioned his research to Ireland, the pair began thinking about how to expand the work—by several centuries and across China. Mayfield, Menegon, and Ireland are now the principal investigators for the China Historical Christian Database.
Ireland spoke with The Brink about how the database could help scholars understand the relationships between China and the Western world.
Over the past four decades, Christianity has grown faster in China than anywhere else in the world. Daryl Ireland, a Boston University School of Theology research assistant professor of mission, estimates that the Christian community there has grown from 1 million to 100 million.Feb 2, 2023
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What Makes Jesus Unique? No one else made the claims that He did, He is alive...............
By the end of the eighteenth century, dvoeverie ("double faith"), popular religion which preserved Slavic pantheism under a Christianised surface, found appreciation among intellectuals who tried to delineate Russian distinctiveness against the West. On April 17, 1905, Tsar Nicholas II decreed that religious minorities had the right to publicly celebrate their respective liturgies. At the dawn of the twentieth century, esoteric and occult philosophies and movements, including Spiritualism, Theosophy, Anthroposophy, Hermeticism, Russian cosmism and others, became widespread. At the same time, the empire had begun to make steps towards the recognition of the multiplicity of religions that it had come to encompass, but they came to an abrupt end with the Russian Revolution in 1917. After the revolution, the Russian Orthodox Church lost its privileges, as did all minority religions, and the new state verged towards an atheist official ideology. Under the Soviet Union, the Russian Orthodox Church lived periods of repression and periods of support and cooptation by the state. Despite the policies of state atheism, censuses reported a high religiosity among the population; in 1929, 80% of the population were believers, and in 1937 two-thirds described themselves as believers, of whom three-fourths as Orthodox Christians. The Russian Orthodox Church was supported under Joseph Stalin in the 1940s, after the Second World War, then heavily suppressed under Nikita Khrushchev in the 1960s, and then revived again by the 1980s. While it was legally reconstituted only in 1949, throughout the Soviet period the church functioned as an arm of the KGB; many hierarchs of the post-Soviet church were former KGB agents, as demonstrated by the opening of KGB archives in the 1990s.Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1987–1991, the Russian Orthodox Church has struggled to regain its erstwhile monopoly of religious life, despite it and other Christian churches which existed since before the Revolution have found themselves in a radically transformed context characterized by a religious pluralism unknown before 1917. During the Soviet period, religious barriers were shattered, as religions were no longer tied to ethnicity and family tradition, and an extensive displacement of peoples took place. This, together with the more recent swift ongoing development of communications, has resulted in an unprecedented mingling of different religious cultures. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, there was a renewal of religions in Russia, with the revival of the traditional faiths and the emergence of new forms within the traditional faiths as well as many new religious movements.The amendments of 2020 to the constitution added, in the Article 67, the continuity of the Russian state in history based on preserving "the memory of the ancestors" and general "ideals and belief in God" which the ancestors conveyed