China’s Patriotic Pentecostals
How do Pentecostal and charismatic churches navigate the political terrain in countries where politics can be repressive, religious freedoms are not well protected, and pentecostalized forms of Christianity are viewed with suspicion, if not outright hostility, by those in power? Drawing on fieldwork...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
2014
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| In: |
Review of Religion and Chinese Society
Year: 2014, Volume: 1, Issue: 2, Pages: 131-155 |
| Further subjects: | B
House Churches
B 爱国主义 B Pentecostalism B 关键词 B 家庭教会 B 五旬节 B Patriotism |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) |
| Summary: | How do Pentecostal and charismatic churches navigate the political terrain in countries where politics can be repressive, religious freedoms are not well protected, and pentecostalized forms of Christianity are viewed with suspicion, if not outright hostility, by those in power? Drawing on fieldwork in China, this article explores how unregistered Pentecostal and charismatic-leaning churches negotiate restrictive environments and attempt to make inroads into the public arena. I suggest that although these religious communities operate on the margins of the religious marketplace, they can nonetheless be considered patriotic. Such patriotism is demonstrated most readily through prayer and worship services, but also indirectly through the development of charitable and social work programs. This repertoire of patriotic action has two important implications for our understanding of religious groups in China. One is that it helps demonstrate that even unregistered religious communities are made up of patriotic and productive citizens who do not necessarily seek to challenge the authority of the party-state. The other is that religious leaders advocate patriotism, believing that it both strengthens and grows their churches, while combating negative images across the state and society. |
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| ISSN: | 2214-3955 |
| Contains: | In: Review of Religion and Chinese Society
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/22143955-04102002b |