A history lesson: since the 7th Century, Christianity has struggled to take root in China. Christian followers would go to underground churches to conceal their faith from the government. But now, Christianity is on the rise. In this officially atheist nation, the government has counted 21 million Catholics and Protestants - not including the underground population of roughly 50 million.
Christianity is thriving, in part, because it offers a moral framework to citizens adrift in an age of western capitalism that has not only corrected a heavy toll in corruption and pollution, but also harmed the global image of products "Made in China." Some Chinese Christians may even argue that their faith is an unexpected benefit for the Communist Party, because it boosts up the economic foundation that is critical to sustaining party rule.
Christianity is driving citizens to be more politically assertive, encouraging them to push for greater freedoms and testing the party's willingness to adapt. A growing number of lawyers and scholars have converted to Christianity and turned their skills to the issue of religious freedom. They are teaming up with churches to challenge the government in court, suing for the rights they believe are guaranteed under China's constitution.
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