Katharina Wenzel-Teuber
This year's statistical update on religions in China focuses on recent results from the China Family Panel Studies. In addition, we present figures on the individual religions from 2019 or – as new figures are not available for each religion every year – from previous years.
1. News from the China Family Panel Studies – “How Many Protestants Are There Really in China?”
In an essay published in 2019, based on surveys conducted by the China Family Panel Studies in 2012, 2014 and 2016, the authors arrive at an estimated number of almost 40 million Protestant Christians in China. Since their analysis probably contributed significantly to the very substantial correction and increase in the estimated number of Protestants in the China State Council's White Paper on freedom of religious belief published in 2018 (more on this later), it will be presented in detail below.
[more...]
