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| | "People are looking for meaning, they are looking for authentic lifestyles, authentic relationships," Sipko told CBN News. "And so in the midst of all the economic and social changes, we have the opportunity to demonstrate what a personal relationship with Jesus is like."<ref>[http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2011/april/russian-evangelicals-leery-of-orthodox-church-/?mobile=false Russian Evangelicals Leery of Orthodox Church ]</ref>}} | | "People are looking for meaning, they are looking for authentic lifestyles, authentic relationships," Sipko told CBN News. "And so in the midst of all the economic and social changes, we have the opportunity to demonstrate what a personal relationship with Jesus is like."<ref>[http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2011/april/russian-evangelicals-leery-of-orthodox-church-/?mobile=false Russian Evangelicals Leery of Orthodox Church ]</ref>}} |
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| | + | == Factors related to growth of Christianity in Asia == |
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| | + | The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's website RN reports: |
| | + | {{cquote|The reason for this rise in Asian Christianity is as varied as the region is diverse. However for South Korea, China and other economically vibrant neighbours contributing to the rise of the Asian Century, German sociologist Max Weber got it right. Christianity is like the spiritual backdrop to the market economy. |
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| | + | Christian business people in China ‘think that the Protestant work ethic is particularly suitable for this market economy,’ claims Professor Fenggang Yang, sociologist at Purdue University in Indiana. |
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| | + | ‘The market economy [in China] is sometimes associated with a high ratio of corruption—doing business without rules or regulations, or when those regulations cannot be enforced,’ he says. |
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| | + | Contrary to the belief that modernism breeds secularism, Yang posits that the rise of the Chinese entrepreneurial class has created a demand for internal rules—morality, ethics and spiritual certainty—all the elements that make up religion’s job description. |
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| | + | The demand for this religious foundation is certainly formidable. Beijing controls Christianity by sanctioning only a set number of churches, yet underground or ‘house churches’ keep popping up, like Bible studies groups that gather at McDonalds, recounts Yang. |
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| | + | Buddhism, Confucianism and other great religious and philosophical traditions indigenous to Asia also provide the same spiritual bedrock, and overall, religion is on the rise in China. However Christianity can claim more converts because of its association with other key aspects of a modern life like better education, individual freedom, equality and democracy says Yang. |
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| | + | Sebastian Kim of York St John University in the UK concurs. Unlike other Asian countries, Koreans, not foreign missionaries, planted the first seeds of Christianity in Korea. Yet, it was western missionaries who brought with them hospitals, schools and other social institutions that helped transform Korea.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/encounter/the-rise-of-christianity-in-asia/5934564 |
| | + | The rise of Christianity in Asia] by Masako Fukui, Australian Broadcasting Corporation's website RN </ref>}} |
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| | == Asian century and its implications == | | == Asian century and its implications == |