The growth of the gospel in northwest Anhui

Edited by Tony Lambert, China Researcher, OMF Chinese Ministries

Anhui province has seen rapid growth in evangelical Christianity over the past few decades. A solid foundation was provided by the work of the China Inland Mission in the years pre-1949. Now a survey conducted by local students gives us some solid statistics. The results were published by Wu Haitao, a student and probably a Party member in the history faculty of Nanjing University. His article appeared in the 2000 edition (4th issue) of the Mainland religious affairs study journal Zongjiao (Religion) which is published by the Religious Institute of Nanjing University. I have extracted the most interesting portions comprising more than half of the article for the following translation. It gives clear evidence for the amazing growth of the Protestant churches in northwest Anhui as well as for the persistence in Party circles of outdated and stereotyped views on religion.

The northwest region of Anhui is an agricultural area with a high density population. The religious situation is complex and religion still has a definite influence on the ideas, feelings and everyday life of the peasants. At the beginning of 1999 the history faculty of Fuyang Normal College mobilized their students to undertake a survey of the religious situation in their home villages and they collected much first-hand material. The writer recently also visited the Religious Affairs Bureau of Haozhou City and Fuyang City who provided much information for which he is grateful.

THE OVERALL SITUATION
Northwest Anhui at present has all the major five [approved] religions: Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Daoism and Islam, as well as certain cults such as the Shouters, the Almighty God, Lingling, the Total Scope Church etc. which periodically surface then go underground again. In recent years due to the relaxation in China’s religious policies and many other complex reasons, the number of people believing in religion has grown rapidly. In Fuyang Municipality, every year the number of Protestant Christians grows by 20,000 people. See the following table for 1997-1998:

Gov't approved meetings # of believers
1997 1998 1997 1998
Protestants 420 459 252,471 273,187
Catholics 4 4 2,500 2,500
Muslims 32 35 80,174 85,673
Buddhists 5 6 5,500 2,460
Daoists 1 1 300 300

In 1997 the total number of all religious believers in Fuyang Municipality was 340,945 or 2.72% of the total population. In 1998 it was 364,230 or 3%. Daoism has very few believers, and Buddhists actually declined, but Protestantism grew spectacularly.

Haozhou City is similar: in 1990 there were about 20,000 Protestants. In less than a decade the number had doubled. It grew rapidly in a very short period over a wide area with a large influence.

At the end of 1997 a survey of Protestants in Fuyang revealed that males were 38.4%, females 61.6%; 99% were peasants; 23.5% were under 35 years old; 47.4% were aged 35-60; and 29% were over 60. Only 0.013% had university education; 1% had high school education and 8.7% had lower middle-school; 31.8% had primary school level education; 58.38% were illiterate. Most Christians are women with a preponderance of middle-aged and elderly; most are peasants and illiterate or semi-illiterate. Most believe because they or their relatives became ill.

Religious influences in northwest Anhui are quite strong. They number over 400,000 in both Fuyang and Haozhou cities. They are still expanding and have influenced every local town.

REASONS FOR CONTINUING GROWTH
Christianity in particular has shown rapid increase. The reasons are as follows:

First, there has been an increase in religious infiltration from overseas and from neighboring regions. They use radio broadcasts and smuggle in religious propaganda. Of course, there are many who preach legally but there are also those who plan to use religious heresies to infiltrate and realise their goal of “peaceful evolution.” [EDITOR’S NOTE: Marxist jargon referring to the Party’s fear of being overthrown as happened in Eastern Europe through the role of religion in society.] They use money and finance to win over local agents and set up illegal organizations. In Lixin, 20,000 items of religious propaganda were recently discovered smuggled in from abroad. Yingshang County also confiscated 87 foreign religious publications as well as 111 cassettes. Religious fanaticism in neighboring provinces is also a major factor. Northwest Anhui borders on Henan province from where many believers come here to evangelize. In recent years most cults have come from Henan.

Second, the backwardness of the local agricultural economy and the low level of education provide conditions for the spread of religion. The economy of several counties along the Huai river is backward and many peasants are intent on just making a living to survive. Medical care is also lacking. Since the start of the Open Door Policy, the peasants plant their own fields and seek to make money, so there has been a weakening in collective community spirit. The caliber of the local cadres is poor, as they just want to make money and they have relaxed ideological indoctrination of the masses. There are also remnants of feudalism among the peasants such as secret societies. There is much feudal superstition so they turn to religion, placing their hopes in the afterlife.

Third, corruption in both society and in the Communist Party is an important factor. In some villages gangsters oppress the peasants. Some even become local officials and lord it over the people. The actions of some local cadres are tyrannical and evil. They only want to gain promotion and more money. They have no concern for the sufferings of the masses. This has directly led to the loss of prestige of both Party and government among the masses and seriously damaged the Party’s relations with the people. Many have lost hope and become world-denying and pessimistic, seeking another spiritual prop, so they “take the side of Jesus.”

Another reason why the number of believers continues to increase is that some religious doctrines are simple and easily accepted by the broad masses of the people. For instance, Christian doctrines include: do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not covet, love others equally, keep the law, be patriotic etc. Because of the constraints of such teachings, many believers have formed characters which humbly serve others: they do not swear or beat others, they are patient, they take care of the old and the young. Many believers join together in business or production and help each other.

Furthermore, some village and township cadres have no clear understanding of the Party’s religious policies. They are no good at management and they do not dare control religious activities. They turn a blind eye and in effect allow Christianity to grow. At the same time, meeting points privately set up by believers [house churches] spring up and “free evangelists” cannot be totally suppressed. For example, in Fuyang City in 1997 there were 154 privately established meeting points but by 1998 they had grown to 174. This also causes the number of believers to increase vastly.

REFLECTIONS AND COUNTER-MEASURES
Comrade Jiang Zemin has pointed out: “[Policies regarding] ethnic minorities and religion are no small matter.”

First, we must step up propaganda and undertake correct leadership. We must first of all strengthen propaganda and education in the Marxist view of religion and the basic standpoint of the Party regarding religion and its basic policies. We must strengthen atheist propaganda and broaden our campaign to smash superstition. While fully implementing the Party’s policy on freedom of religious belief, we must never ignore educating the masses in atheism and socialist ideology. We should in particular, train up the youth in the Marxist and scientific worldview. We must not ignore the large number of young people who have been added to the ranks of religious believers in recent years. We must strengthen the propaganda of science and culture to weaken the influence of religion.

Cadres at every level must strengthen their control of religious activities. In managing them, on the one hand they must protect all normal religious activities according to law. But they must ensure they take place in legal, registered venues. But on the other, they must resolutely prohibit criminal activities which use religion as an excuse. They must implement the “three fixes” policy: “fixing the sphere, fixing the place, fixing the personnel,” as well as the “three benefits” policy: “benefits production, benefits livelihood, benefits management.” We must encourage the religious masses to get involved in social services, charitable work, disaster relief etc.

Second, we must develop the rural economy to improve the health conditions in the villages. Religion is a part of the cultural heritage of mankind, mainly arising in mankind’s infancy but surviving until now due to backwardness in the social system and means of production. The above survey revealed that the main reason why the peasants believe in religion is because of their heavy burden, their lack of medical facilities and the backwardness of their education. If we can only rapidly develop the rural economy then we will basically have diminished the attraction of religion.

Third, we must strengthen the Party organization in the countryside. Some rural cadres have lost their fighting spirit and willingness to serve.

Fourth, we must resolutely attack all kinds of cults. In recent years northwest Anhui has seen the growth not only of several major religions but also several cult organizations such as The Established King, The Shouters, Lingling, The Omnipotent God etc. Party, government and Public Security organs have adopted a policy of pulling them up by the roots as soon as they have been uncovered. In the last three years the rapid growth of cults has been suppressed. The Established King network has been totally destroyed. The Changshou Religion [NOTE: The Shouters, founded by Witness Lee or Li Changshou] and the Total Scope Church [NOTE: also known as the Born Again movement] have stopped their activities. Other organizations have been forced into a “state of shock.”

Copyright by OMF International 2005