Religious pursuits? Chinese international students encountering Christianity in Britain

Abstract

ABSTRACT The increased presence of Chinese international students has contributed to the diversity of culture and religion on British campuses. While overseas Chinese students who convert to evangelical Christianity have been well researched in the United States since the 1980s, the role of religion in secular British universities remains under-researched. This study aims to understand Chinese international students’ religious seekership and their interactions with evangelical Christians in Britain. It makes an original contribution by including evidence from non-converts. Data from a mixed methodological approach illustrate the attitudes and perceptions of newly arrived Chinese international students and the subjective reasons underlying their initial seekership in multi-ethnic English-speaking religious environments. The findings challenge the assumed lack of interest of Chinese international students in local integration. Crucially, by examining the ongoing formation and cultivation of Chinese Christian identifications on British campuses, this research demonstrates the permeable boundaries between language, culture, and religion.