New Urbanization and the Changes of Christian Churches in County Towns and Rural Areas Taking L County in Central Henan as an Example

Since the reform and opening up, China has been developing through the stages of old urbanization and new urbanization. In recent years, with the rise of county economy? the new urbanization centered on county towns> as an important way to promote the urbanization of the population transferred from rural areas,has played a significant role in the changes of Christianity in urban and rural areas. Based on the ease study of L County in central Henan, this paper analyzes the new trend of the flow of Christian believers and the changes of churches in county towns and rural areas from five aspects： number and population characteristics of Christian believers? church activities and participation of Christian believers>theological personnel training? theological construction and finantial offerings. The study finds that the gap between urban and rural churches has further widened, the uprooted settlement of immigrant in county towns has led to a sharp drop in the number of rural Christian believers>a growing aging population>single and simplified church activities> the lost of theological talents> the rc-cmcrgcncc of heretical cults in rural areas, and shrinking finantial offerings. ’I'hc decline and fall of rural churches has become a general trend. Although the development of urban churches is on the rise as a whole> it also faces many challenges and difficulties.

A TYPOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE Y.B. MANGUNWIJAYA’S URBAN CHURCH

As the iconic buildings in Yogyakarta, the Mangunwijaya’s churches contribute a great influence on the city. His wisdom is not only written in his books, but also has been implemented through his architectural projects, revealing a specific composition of a spiritual language. A qualitative study is used to reveal Mangunwijaya’s architectural principles, by using the tracing method to highlight the structural elements of his urban churches. A typological investigation is accompanied by retracing Mangunwijaya’s drawing, where its spatial composition and form are emphasized through points and lines. Hence, by eliminating decorative elements, the most fundamental components of the churches can be raised, consisting: 1) The roof as the most dominant element, a volume that suggests the openness of the building; 2) Landscape defines a mutual symbiosis between indoor and outdoor, stimulating communication and gesture; 3) A typological composition that respects a Roman-Catholic church’s principles while revealing a local identity.

Asceticism before Monasticism

Christian asceticism began not in the desert or other monastic settings, but within the urban churches of the first three centuries. Teachings attributed to Christ and the Apostles, together with older beliefs from Judaism and Greek philosophy, variously influenced patterns of communal and individual asceticism: abstention from foods, sexual relations, and wealth. Communal fasting was practised weekly by many, and by most before the celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection. Literature, especially the apocryphal Acts, celebrated or advocated sexual abstention, but the relationship between these texts and social practices remains opaque. Widows and virgins were honoured for their sexual renunciation, which strengthened the purity of heart essential for prophecy and prayer. However, in the mid-third century Origen offered a highly persuasive account of asceticism within the individual’s struggle for holiness, and it was this struggle which was finally carried into the desert and the cloister.

West India

West India, inclusive of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa, is the most urbanised and socio-religiously progressive part of India and constitutes 14.32% of its total population (2011). Christians can be traced back to the sixth century. The arrival of Vasco de Gama ushered in a new epoch of Roman Catholic mission in India. Protestant missionary work among the low castes challenged upper-caste reformers to combat social evils. Pentecostal and Charismatic groups, such as the New Life Fellowship, began to permeate the urban landscape in the late twentieth century. Today, the church in West India remains largely stagnant, often struggling with leadership and property issues. Converts hailing from both upper and lower castes contributed to produce liturgy written in the local dialects. With the emergence of Dalit theology, some West Indian theologians faded into the background, and engagement from a subaltern perspective dominated the theological scene. Religious fundamentalism continues to pose a threat to Christian evangelism. Despite unfavourable conditions in West India, Christians have been more involved in politics than before. In reality, most urban churches are growing because of rural–urban migration and not necessarily because of conversions.