Christianity in Vietnam today (1975-2013): contemporary challenges and opportunities

This article surveys the situation of Christianity in Vietnam since the fall of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) to the Communist North Vietnam in April 1975. The predominant form of Vietnamese Christianity being Roman Catholic, the bulk of the article is devoted to it, but attention will also be given to the Protestant and Evangelical/Pentecostal Churches. (There is no Orthodox Church in Vietnam.) Of course, Christianity is not the only religion in Vietnam. It is the latest comer to the scene, after Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Islam. There are as well indigenous religions, principally Caodaism and Hoa Hao Buddhism. Of these non-Christian religious traditions only passing remarks will be made.