Christianity in Taiwan

"But they will not ask His help unless they believe in Him, and they will not believe in Him unless they have heard of Him, and they will not hear of Him unless they get a preacher, and they will never have a preacher unless one is sent, but as the Scripture says: The footsteps of those who bring good news is a welcome sound. (New Testament, Romans 10:14 Jerusalem Bible)

One of the extraordinary developments since 1949 is the rapid spread of Christianity in Taiwan, where untrammeled freedom of worship, as provided in the Constitution of the Republic of China, is enjoyed. Communism is the enemy of God, therefore, Communism flourishes where Christianity recedes, it withers where Christianity advances. Taiwan, under the inspiring Christian leadership of the late President and Madame Chiang Kai-shek and others, and as a result of the uniting work of the missionaries, has become a veritable Gibraltar against the Communist advance.

However, those who witness the present rapid growth of Christianity would be mistaken in assuming that is something new in Taiwan. The attempt to implant Christianity in Taiwan has a long history. Its beginnings go back to the early 17th century when George Candidius was sent to the island by the Reformed Church of Holland. The Present growth of Christianity in Taiwan is based upon such ancient foundations. The expulsion of the Dutch was followed by a period of 200 years when Christianity lay dormant in Taiwan. No missionary venture was made by Western Christians during these years. It was the Presbyterians who next picked up the Christian banner in Taiwan. In 1860, the English Presbyterian mission at Amoy in Fukien, visited the northern part of the island.

Despite some encouraging developments, the early progress of the missionaries was disheartening slow. By the end of 1873, the total membership of the 14 mission stations in the south was only 931. Average attendance at the Sunday services was approximately 2,000. This meant that less than 100 conversions a year had been made. There were two important faults which had retarded the missionaries' work. One was the shortage of educated Chinese evangelists. If the missionaries had had native helpers who could speak the language and understand the culture of Taiwan, they would undoubtedly have made more conversions. The evangelists whom they had to use could make little impression upon the better-educated Chinese. The other shortcoming was that the religious campaign made no impression in populous northern Taiwan. At the end of 10 years of work, not a single preaching station existed north of the city of Tainan.

In 1872, another Presbyterian body, the Presbyterian Church of Canada, entered the Taiwan field. In that year, one of the great figures in missionary history arrived at Tamsui in northern Taiwan-Dr. George Leslie Mackay. For 29 years, Dr. Mackay worked hard to bring the gospel to northern Taiwan. He established Oxford College to train Christian workers and extended his evangelistic work to the Ilan plain. At the time of his death in 1902, he had established 60 chapels in his territory. In 1880, Mackay established his first mission hospital at Tamsui. The demands upon the Mackay Hospital were so great that it became necessary to build a new hospital in Taipei in 1912.

The cession of Taiwan to Japan in 1895 confronted the Christian missions with new and difficult problems. Christians in Taiwan faced increasing persecution. After hostilities began in China, the rule that the people of Taiwan must speak Japanese was strictly enforced. It was applied with especial harshness on Christian preachers. Pastors who were unable to preach in Japanese were forced to resign. A large number of churches, especially those in rural area, were occupied by soldiers. Any assemblage of Christians, outside regular Sunday services, had to receive special police permission. But the worst persecution was visited upon the mountain tribes. An outstanding Christian among the mountain people was Chi-oang, of the Taiyal Tribe, who was known as the "Christian Biblewoman." She traveled from town to town preaching despite police pressure on her. However, the Taiwan Christians passed through this test period with fortitude and undiminished faith, and the church emerged from the war stronger than before. Missionaries began to return to Taiwan soon after the war ended. Since the government of the Republic of China was moved to Taiwan in 1949, full freedom of religious beliefs and practice has been accorded to every resident.

Most of the missionaries were not beginners, as they had spent 10 to 30 years on the China mainland before the Communists drove them out. With the spontaneous growth of Christianity, many denominations were represented in Taiwan including Baptist Mission, Methodist, Assemblies of God, Presbyterian, Christian and Missionary Alliance, Episcopalian, Evangelical Alliance, the Society of Friends, Lutheran Missouri Synod, Lutherans, Seventh Day Adventist, The True Jesus, and Mormon. There is a strong tendency among Chinese Christians in Taiwan to break away from their foreign connections and to found self-sustaining churches of their own. One important reason for the success of these indigenous churches is the belief of the promoters that since Christianity is universal, the Chinese Christians should assume the same responsibility as Westerners in the spread of the gospel. The promoters of the indigenous churches, noticing that shortly after the introduction of Christianity into England, it became British Christianity, asked, "Why don't we have Chinese Christianity?" Christianity today is regarded by the Chinese as their Christianity.

One of the outstanding trends of the postwar period in Taiwan has been the wide acceptance of Christianity among the mountain tribes. More than 70 percent of aborigines are Christians. Additionally, such island groups as Kinmen, Penghu, Orchid Island, Lu Tao (Green Island), Little Ryukyu and Matsu have been visited by Christians.

Christians in Taiwan are engaged in an all-out effort to increase the number of Christian schools and Christian hospitals. At present, Soochow Tunghai and Chungyuan are three Christian universities in the Republic of China. The Christian faith is expected to continue its rapid expansion in the Republic of China in future.

[Picture Caption]

Above: The Grace Baptist Church is a primitive and elegant architecture. Opposite: Pastor Chou Lien-hua giving a testimonial at a Sunday worship.

Kuangfu Church located in Hualien County to accommodate one thousand people at a time is the largest chapel in mountain region. For Christians, a church is not a closed house. They will dedicate themselves to public service and to out of the churches to preach Gospels.

Chi-oang Memorial Hall, a small chapel situated at Toroko Gorge in Hualien, was built to commemorate Chi-oang, the "Christian Biblewoman", for her enthusiasm in preaching Christianity.

The Church in Tunghai University at Taichung, designed by I. M. Pei internationally-renowned architect, is a modern and unique building. Students have full freedom of religious belief.

The Grace Baptist Church is a primitive and elegant architecture. Opposite: Pastor Chou Lien-hua giving a testimonial at a Sunday worship.

Kuangfu Church located in Hualien County to accommodate one thousand people at a time is the largest chapel in mountain region. For Christians, a church is not a closed house. They will dedicate themselves to public service and to out of the churches to preach Gospels.

Kuangfu Church located in Hualien County to accommodate one thousand people at a time is the largest chapel in mountain region. For Christians, a church is not a closed house. They will dedicate themselves to public service and to out of the churches to preach Gospels.

Chi-oang Memorial Hall, a small chapel situated at Toroko Gorge in Hualien, was built to commemorate Chi-oang, the "Christian Biblewoman", for her enthusiasm in preaching Christianity.

The Church in Tunghai University at Taichung, designed by I. M. Pei internationally-renowned architect, is a modern and unique building. Students have full freedom of religious belief.