Christianity in Vietnam – Wikipedia

The Christianity in Vietnam It is a minority religion. About 70% of the Vietnamese population do not belong to any organized religion, about 15% are of Buddhist religion (Mahayana current); Christians represent about 8.5% of the population and the majority of them (about 7.5%) are of Catholic confession. ^[first] In Vietnam it is officially an atheist state, but its constitution recognizes the freedom of religion (including that of not following any religion), with the limitations established by law. The law on freedom of faith and religion, approved in 2004 and updated in 2018, establishes that all religions are the same before the law and the faithful of each religion are free to follow religious practices and ceremonies. Each religion must be recorded and obtaining recognition by the government. Among the religions recognized by the government are Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Bahai religion, Caodaism, Hoahaoism and other minor religions. ^{[2] [3]} Although freedom of religion is guaranteed in principle, in certain areas, discrimination to the detriment of Protestant Christians belonging to ethnic minorities are reported. ^[4]

Catholic church [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

The Catholic Church in Vietnam is part of the world Catholic Church, under the Pope’s spiritual guidance in Rome. From a territorial point of view, the Catholic Church is organized with three metropolitan locations (the Archdiocese of Hanoi, the Archdiocese of Huê and the Archdiocese of Hô Chí Minh) and 24 suffragan dioceses.

Protestantism [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Protestantism arrived in Vietnam in the early twentieth century. In 1911, edited by the US mission of the World Community of the Ai -Ancestry, the Evangelical Church of Vietnam , which after the division of the country following the Indochina war divided into two branches. While in Northern Vietnam the Protestants were represented solely by the Northviethnamite Evangelical Church, in the South Vietnam were represented by various denominations, including the South Vietnamese Evangelical Church, the reformed church of France, churches belonging to the Anglican, evangelical, Battisti and Adventisti communion. ^[5] In 1975, after the end of the Vietnam War with the reunification of the country under the Government of Northern Vietnam, the SouthVietnamite Evangelical Church and the other Protestant denominations were not recognized by the Northern Government. After 2000, several denominations were recognized.

The most important Protestant denominations present in Vietnam are as follows:

• North Vietnam Evangelical Church: it has been recognized since 1963;
• Evangelical Church of South Vietnam: it was recognized in 2001 and is the greatest Protestant denomination of Vietnam;
• Mennonita del Vietnam Church: expression of the Mennonita movement, was recognized in 2007; ^[6]
• Grace Baptist Church: founded by the Vietnamese mission of the Southern Baptist Convention, was recognized in 2007; ^[7]
• Adventist Church of the seventh day in Vietnam: founded by the Vietnamese mission of the Adventist Christian Church of the seventh day, it was recognized in 2008; ^[8]
• PRESSTERIAN Church of Vietnam: expression of presbyterianism, was recognized in 2008; ^[9]
• Assemblies of God in Vietnam: the organization, affiliated with the World Assembly of the Assemblies of God, received recognition in 2019; ^[ten]
• United Methodist Church of Vietnam: expression of the methodist movement, it is a growing name but has not yet obtained recognition by the government. ^[11]