China’s “Christianity Fever” Revisited: Towards a Community-Oriented Reading of Christian Conversions in China
Chinese Protestant Christianity has been continually growing over the past three decades, with an estimated one million converts per year. A number of studies have sought to explain this phenomenon. This paper critically reviews existing studies of China’s “Christianity Fever” and then outlines the...
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Online Access: | http://hup.sub.uni-hamburg.de/giga/jcca/article/view/358 |
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doaj-bc0c1f9e8c6a480dab6f0586b4777cec2020-11-25T03:32:41ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Current Chinese Affairs1868-10261868-48742010-01-0139471109China’s “Christianity Fever” Revisited: Towards a Community-Oriented Reading of Christian Conversions in ChinaKatrin FiedlerChinese Protestant Christianity has been continually growing over the past three decades, with an estimated one million converts per year. A number of studies have sought to explain this phenomenon. This paper critically reviews existing studies of China’s “Christianity Fever” and then outlines the role of the community as one crucial factor in the conversion process. With its emphasis on communality, as a central element of both Christian theology and the fellowship activities that are part of Christian practice, Protestant Christianity fills a gap opened up by the change in traditional familial and social structures. By discussing specific aspects relating to the communal nature of Christianity, such as familism, elitism, and dynamics at work in face-to-face evangelism, this paper offers an alternative reading of existing studies. http://hup.sub.uni-hamburg.de/giga/jcca/article/view/358Social sciencesChinaChristianityProtestantismcommunityChristianity Fever200300305Chinacontemporary |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Katrin Fiedler |
spellingShingle |
Katrin Fiedler China’s “Christianity Fever” Revisited: Towards a Community-Oriented Reading of Christian Conversions in China Journal of Current Chinese Affairs Social sciences China Christianity Protestantism community Christianity Fever 200 300 305 China contemporary |
author_facet |
Katrin Fiedler |
author_sort |
Katrin Fiedler |
title |
China’s “Christianity Fever” Revisited: Towards a Community-Oriented Reading of Christian Conversions in China |
title_short |
China’s “Christianity Fever” Revisited: Towards a Community-Oriented Reading of Christian Conversions in China |
title_full |
China’s “Christianity Fever” Revisited: Towards a Community-Oriented Reading of Christian Conversions in China |
title_fullStr |
China’s “Christianity Fever” Revisited: Towards a Community-Oriented Reading of Christian Conversions in China |
title_full_unstemmed |
China’s “Christianity Fever” Revisited: Towards a Community-Oriented Reading of Christian Conversions in China |
title_sort |
china’s “christianity fever” revisited: towards a community-oriented reading of christian conversions in china |
publisher |
SAGE Publishing |
series |
Journal of Current Chinese Affairs |
issn |
1868-1026 1868-4874 |
publishDate |
2010-01-01 |
description |
Chinese Protestant Christianity has been continually growing over the past three decades, with an estimated one million converts per year. A number of studies have sought to explain this phenomenon. This paper critically reviews existing studies of China’s “Christianity Fever” and then outlines the role of the community as one crucial factor in the conversion process. With its emphasis on communality, as a central element of both Christian theology and the fellowship activities that are part of Christian practice, Protestant Christianity fills a gap opened up by the change in traditional familial and social structures. By discussing specific aspects relating to the communal nature of Christianity, such as familism, elitism, and dynamics at work in face-to-face evangelism, this paper offers an alternative reading of existing studies. |
topic |
Social sciences China Christianity Protestantism community Christianity Fever 200 300 305 China contemporary |
url |
http://hup.sub.uni-hamburg.de/giga/jcca/article/view/358 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT katrinfiedler chinaschristianityfeverrevisitedtowardsacommunityorientedreadingofchristianconversionsinchina |
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