With a growing population of tens of millions of Christians on its hands, China has decided to compete with established religions and create a socialist version of Christianity.

Government officials intend to establish a “Chinese Christian theology” that they hope will compete with Protestant sects and the Catholic Church in China.

There are reportedly 23 million to 40 million Protestants in the country, along with about 12 million Catholics, and about a half million Chinese are being baptized as Protestants each year.

 “Over the past decades, the Protestant churches in China have developed very quickly with the implementation of the country’s religious policy,” Wang Zuoan, director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, told China Daily. “The construction of Chinese Christian theology should adapt to China’s national condition and integrate with Chinese culture.”

Christians are allowed to worship under Communist control, as long as they conform to strict rules that dictate where they can pray and other restrictions. Earlier this year, authorities in the eastern city of Wenzhou demolished a church, claiming it was larger than authorized.

China’s government, which is officially atheist, has also recently harassed Buddhists, Muslims and members of the Fulan Gong sect.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

China Will Create Own Christian Belief System amid Tensions with Church, Says Official (Agence France-Presse)

China Irritated with Christianity, Is Creating Its Own Version (by Jack Jenkins, Think Progress)

China Plans Establishment of Christian Theology (China Daily)