China to create its own version of Christianity

Beijing: Chinese authorities are mulling a new method to teach Christianity in an attempt to integrate the country's strict socialist beliefs into the religion. The proposed Chinese Christian theology will also attempt to fuse the nation's history and the founding principles of the religion making the faith “adapt to China’s national condition”, the BBC said, quoting from a report in the state backed China Daily website.

“In the future, we will continue to boost the development of Christianity in China. The construction of Chinese Christian theology should adapt to China’s national condition and integrate with Chinese culture,” Wang Zuoan, director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, was quoted as saying by China Daily.

China’s ruling Communist Party is atheist and several guidelines from the government have often clashed with the church, giving rise to several underground churches, the BBC said.

China has between 23 million and 40 million Protestants, accounting for 1.7 to 2.9 percent of the total population, China Daily said, citing figures given at a seminar in Shanghai. About 500,000 people are baptised as Protestants every year, it added.

Chinese authorities have also been accused of trying to stem the growth of Christianity and religion altogether. In fact, the reports claim there has even been a state backed crackdown on an illegal church building in the city of Wenzhoun called China’s Jerusalem where over one in 10 people are Protestant.