Protestantism, community service and evangelism in contemporary China

What are China's Protestants doing outside the walls of their homes and churches? This article is the result of collaboration between the three named authors, all of whom conducted fieldwork for it. It examines the range of community service and charity work (including poverty alleviation, disaster relief, education, nursing homes, medical care, and various forms of evangelism) that Chinese Protestants have in the past and still do undertake within the contemporary Chinese Communist Party-state (CCP). Drawing on extensive fieldwork over several years in multiple sites across the PRC, the researchers ask: (i) in what ways do CCP policies on religion help or hinder Protestant social service? and (ii) to what extent are Protestant efforts in harmony with or beyond the control of CCP religious policies?