Christianity
Main article: Christianity in ThailandChristianity has a long history in Thailand. It was introduced by European missionaries as early as the 1550s, when Portuguese mercenaries and their chaplain arrived in Ayutthaya. Historically, it has played a significant role in the modernization of Thailand, notably in the social and educational institutions (e.g. orphanages, schools and colleges). It represents 0.7% of the national population.
Thailand's Department of Religion, currently under the Ministry of Culture, has formally recognized five major Christian churches/denominations: The Roman Catholic Church, The Southern Baptists, The Seventh-day Adventists, the Church of Christ in Thailand and the Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand. Although the national budget for religious purposes has historically been designated for Buddhist structures, facilities and activities, since at least the mid 1980s it has been providing token amounts of budget for programs of Christian groups. Although not officially recognised, missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints have been active in Thailand for decades.
There are a growing group of evangelical foreign missionaries and residents who are establishing churches and prayer groups throughout Thailand. One of the largest is Youth with a Mission. Presently YWAM has over 200 full-time foreign staff and over 100 Thai staff, ministering in 20 locations. Another missionary organization, OMF International, has an outreach to place Christian teachers in the Kingdom's schools.
Read more about this topic: Religion In Thailand
Famous quotes containing the word christianity:
“Give me Catholicism every time. Father Cheeryble with his thurible; Father Chatterjee with his liturgy. What fun they have with all their charades and conundrums! If it weren’t for the Christianity they insist on mixing in with it, I’d be converted tomorrow.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)
“What’s the greatest enemy of Christianity to-day? Frozen meat. In the past only members of the upper classes were thoroughly sceptical, despairing, negative. Why? Among other reasons, because they were the only people who could afford to eat too much meat. Now there’s cheap Canterbury lamb and Argentine chilled beef. Even the poor can afford to poison themselves into complete scepticism and despair.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)