Seventy years ago the Nepali Government census recorded no Christians in the country at all. Today, the World Christian Database (WCD) ranks the country as the 12th-fastest-growing Christian population in the world, with 1,285,200 believers – although the real total may be much higher.
WCD database co-ordinator Gina Zurlo explained the phenomenon: ‘In some countries, fast growth rates of Christians are due to migration. In other countries, high birth rates may contribute more. But in Nepal, the main factor for growth is conversion from other religions. We estimate that Nepal is now 4.25% Christian’.
Most Nepalese people today practice Hinduism, the world’s third-largest religion. Until 2008, Nepal was a Hindu kingdom. For Hindu radicals, being Nepali means being culturally Hindu.
Pastor Tanka Subedi, leader of Nepal’s Family of God Church and Director of the International Nepal Fellowship, said: ‘Although most Hindus live in peace with Christians, some fiercely oppose the gospel. And state media and government officials [say] Christianity is coming to Nepal to destroy our culture. It’s challenging to evangelise people who have that mindset.’
The pressure and violence Christians experience from Hindus places the country at No.34 on Open Doors USA’s global persecution watch list.
International Christian Concern South Asia Regional Manager Will Stark said: ‘Hindus fear Christianity because it threatens the Hindu caste system. Low caste or ‘untouchable’ people are believed to spiritually pollute other Hindus. Hindus in higher-caste positions often treat them with cruelty or contempt. But when Nepali Christians preach equality before God, Hinduism crumbles’.
