How key is Christianity in China?

ARTICLE: Under Discussion: What was the most significant change in Christianity over the past decade?, by Ruth Moon, Christianity Today, 12/23/2009

Specifically:

"The huge surge of Christianity in China is a major development that several decades down the road could make the difference between peace and war. If Christianity continues to grow in China, I think relations between the U.S. and China will develop very well. If Christianity sputters out there, we're probably looking at a military confrontation of some kind. The hopes for world peace depend on what happens in China."
Marvin Olasky, editor-in-chief, WORLD Magazine

Bit self-centered, don't you think. Why only Christianity?

China's been a big competitive religious space for thousands of years, with three big mainstays: Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Christianity will become the fourth, but I think it's the height of arrogance to think it's the great tipping point development in relations with the West.

(Thanks: Terry Collier)

Comments

[Elmer Humes]

I agree with your "self-centered" label but perhaps even a greater point is the potential for China to embrace more religion, any & all religions. Currently I believe China has, by far, more "non-believers" than any other nation in the world. This has to be the last major frontier for all the world religion's missionaries.Even though you & I believe globalization has & will continue to make military confrontation unnecessary, an increasing multi-religious Chinese population seems very comforting, especially in helping them cope with their globalization successes.

[David Emery]

Well, Christianity is a very vibrant and growing force in Africa, and I'm not sure we're seeing the predicted change there, either in the relationship of African countries with Europe and North America, or between countries in Africa... So I think Tom is 100% on target with his response to this article.

And there's the growth of evangelical Christianity at the expense of Roman Catholicism in Central & South America. Has this changed our relationships with Central/South American countries?

[Paul Matteucci]

Agree re: hubris. Only caveat is that, while China has been religious melting pot for centuries, Christianity has been unimportant in that soup. If Christianity becomes a major player, one might at least consider that it could help build a bridge to the West, where Dowism, Budhism and Confuciounism exist only on the fringe. Still, even if you accept this, Christians have been known to kill each other with unappealing frequency, so I would hold my breath that it will be the tipping point.

[John Kanz]

A second point: where does the writer get the idea that Christian nations are particularly reluctant to go to war?

[Larry]

Tom, what about Islam? There's a lot of Muslim Chinese, enough of them that they an officially recognized minority call the Hui. And that's not counting the various ethnic groups like Uighurs.

Christianity has been in China since the first Nestorians traveled over the Silk road. And remember that Christianity was a driving force behind the Taiping Rebellion, which according to Wikipedia had a death toll of 20+ million, in the 1850 to 1860's.

[Larry Y]

The Africa story never quite made sense to me, since parts of Africa were Christian for a very long time (see Ethiopia). Then, the Muslims, then the Anglicans and then the Evangelicals...

[Louis Wheeler]

No, an interest in Christianity in China is not self centered, because it represents change. Other religions have been tried in China, including secular humanism, atheism or socialism. The previous religions or socialist movements are moribund.

The question is "What does this Christian movement portend?" Its rapid growth ought to interest even atheist academics.

Atheists are no less self centered than the religious. They are apt to discount any movement which does not fit their prejudices. Yet, religion has had great impact on culture, society and, eventually, on governments.

Any scholar who ignores that is locked in an ivory tower. They are not real world.