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→Growth of Christianity in atheistic China
Yang Fenggang of Purdue University, in Indiana, says the Christian church in China has grown by an average of 10% a year since 1980. He reckons that on current trends there will be 250m Christians by around 2030, making China’s Christian population the largest in the world. Mr. Yang says this speed of growth is similar to that seen in fourth-century Rome just before the conversion of Constantine, which paved the way for Christianity to become the religion of his empire.<ref>[''Cracks in the atheist edifice''], ''The Economist'', November 1, 2014</ref>}}
Yang Fenggang of Purdue University, in Indiana, says the Christian church in China has grown by an average of 10% a year since 1980. He reckons that on current trends there will be 250m Christians by around 2030, making China’s Christian population the largest in the world. Mr. Yang says this speed of growth is similar to that seen in fourth-century Rome just before the conversion of Constantine, which paved the way for Christianity to become the religion of his empire.<ref>[''Cracks in the atheist edifice''], ''The Economist'', November 1, 2014</ref>}}
A January 2011 news article entitled ''Third Church' China's New Face of Christianity'' indicated:
{{cquote|Christianity in China began decades ago in the countryside, but today, a dramatic shift is happening.
Young professionals in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai are changing the face of Chinese Christianity, as faith moves from rural to more urban areas.
On a recent Wednesday evening, a group of men and women in their late 20s met in an apartment not too far from the city center to discuss how to thrive in their rapidly changing nation.
Those who attended are members of China's new privileged class -- highly educated, cosmopolitan, middle or even upper class of urban professionals. And they're all Christians.
"We've never had it so good in China today," Jia Li Tian, a member of the group, told CBN News. "But there's more to life that just money and materialism."...
Although Christianity continues to grow in China's countryside, experts say it's in big cities like Beijing where the church is growing fastest.
"Whereas the rural church was not able to have an impact on society as a whole, the 'Third Church' in the cities is able to do that because they are comprised of leaders who can have an impact," Peter explained. "[They are] businessmen, government officials, professors, leaders in engineering, every aspect of life...
The Chinese government has always maintained a tight grip on religion. Torture, arrests, imprisonment, and beatings of Christians are still practiced in the country.
But in recent years, authorities have made positive overtures towards house church leaders -- especially those in urban areas.<ref>[http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2011/January/Third-Church-Chinas-New-Face-of-Christianity/?Print=true ''Third Church' China's New Face of Christianity''], January 2011 CBN News article</ref>}}
== Collapse of atheism in the former Soviet Union ==
== Collapse of atheism in the former Soviet Union ==