An Important Religious Conference

by Tony Lambert

China’s top leadership attended a National Work Conference on Religious Affairs convened by the Chinese Communist Party and State Council in Beijing December 10-12, 2001. President Jiang Zemin and Prime Minister Zhu Rongji personally gave speeches giving instructions. It is unprecedented in Chinese Communist history that so many top Party and State leaders should attend such a religious affairs conference, and shows how important religion has become in China. The conference was described as the most important to deal with religion since the previous conference held 12 years ago in 1990. The conference took account of the “deep changes in the international format following the end of the Cold War, based on the new situation with nationalities and religion that become more prominent daily.”

According to full reports in New China News Agency (NCNA) on December 12, President Jiang “called for the faithful implementation of the Party’s policy of religious freedom and the administration of religious affairs in accordance with the law.”

Jiang “also spoke of the necessity of guiding religious beliefs so that they can fit in with Chinese socialist society.” He called for “further consolidation and development of the patriotic United Front between the Party and religious circles.” NCNA further stated that Jiang linked the work concerning religion with the Party’s relations with the people, the unity of ethnic groups, social stability and even national security. He called for the Party’s strengthened leadership in religious affairs. He also warned that “the impact of religion in the political and social life of the world cannot be underestimated.” Jiang also “warned that nobody will be allowed to abuse religion in order to sabotage the Party, Socialism or national security.” He said that China will continue to encourage and support the exchange between China and foreign religious societies to enhance mutual understanding and friendship. But he also made it clear that infiltration by overseas forces under the cover of religion shall be resolutely resisted by China.

In turn, Premier Zhu Rongji stressed the importance of administering religious affairs in accordance with the law and vowed to crack down on all forms of evil cults. He called for the establishment of management networks pertaining to religions at the county, town and village levels in addition to better training of government officials in religious policies. He ordered that more officials of younger age and higher political and cultural quality be recruited into religious management departments.

DETAILS OF THE CONFERENCE

Articles about the conference published in People’s Daily and by the NCNA on December 11 and 12, 2001 show clearly why religion has taken center stage in China.

First, mention was made several times of the “vast number” of religious believers in China totalling “over 100 million” (Buddhists, Muslims, Daoists and Christians). There are 300,000 “religious personnel” (presumably meaning priests, pastors, imams etc.) functioning legally in China today. Religion is now regarded by the Party as a phenomenon with a long-term future needing careful handling — rather than as dying out quickly, as was the case during the Cultural Revolution.

Second, the conference acknowledged the role of religious believers in serving society, especially in such areas as disaster relief, assisting the poor and in planting trees building new roads and bridges etc. In 1998 religious circles in China donated more than 40 million RMB to such social work. They also played a prominent role in raising money for earthquake victims in Taiwan in September 1999. It is encouraging that the government recognizes the positive role of religion in society.

Third, the conference outlined eight basic tasks for Communist Party cadres when managing religious affairs:

1) Fully implement the Party’s policy of freedom of religious belief;

2) Manage religious affairs in accordance with the law;

3) Actively guide the mutual adaptation of religion with socialist society;

4) Uphold the principles of independence, self-reliance and self-management;

5) Strengthen and develop the patriotic United Front of the Party and religious circles;

6) Safeguard stability;

7) Enhance [national] unity;

8) Struggle for the advancement of socialist modernization construction, for the total unity of the homeland and to uphold world peace and common development.

The stress on stability and unity is very significant, as religion (particularly Islam and Lama Buddhism) is viewed as potentially politically divisive. Detailed mention was made of the “more than 1,700 temples” in Tibet and “23,000 mosques” in Xinjiang. There is a real concern that religious-based nationalism will generate secessionist movements in these volatile areas. Interestingly enough, no mention was made specifically of Christianity in the published reports of the conference. It seems that the government’s greatest concern is to combat the spread of militant Islam in northwest China. It is known that Uygur militants were being trained by Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. China has boosted its security against terrorist attacks and backed President Bush in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. (Daily Telegraph 27 Sept 2001)

Fourth, religious affairs are regarded by the Party as subservient to promoting “socialist modernization.” With this in view, much stress was made of “the new advances which have been made in guiding religion to adapt to Socialist society.” This was spelled out in some detail:

“The mutual adaptation of religion and socialist society is both the objective requirement of socialist society for China’s religions and also the objective requirement for the development of China’s various religions themselves… This does not require them to abandon their religious beliefs but requires they love the Motherland, protect the socialist system, cherish the leadership of the Communist Party and obey the laws, regulations and policies of China…. We require that the religious activities they engage in obey and serve the higher interests of the country and the overall interests of the nation of people. We support their efforts in explaining religious doctrines that are in accord with the requirements of socialist advancement.”

It is here, of course, that many Chinese believers are faced with a dilemma. For Christians, there can be no “higher interest” than God and His Word which is high above all peoples, nations and states. The vast majority of Chinese Christians are loyal citizens. However, Bible-believing evangelicals, whether in house churches or in the TSPM churches, have sometimes been placed in a difficult position. Already, a “theological construction” campaign has been undertaken in obedience to the requirement to make Christian religion “compatible with socialism” which has created severe division in theological seminaries and churches. Godly men and women have been forced from their positions.

It is too soon to know how the decisions taken at this important conference will impact China’s Christians at grassroots level. We have been informed, however, that “strengthening the leadership of the Party over religious work is the fundamental guarantee for accomplishing religious work at the outset of this new century.”

The determination to regularize the rights of religious believers and to create a system of legal regulation may be viewed as a positive development. However, only the legal rights of “normal” religious activities are safeguarded — “normal” being still defined by the government. Let us pray for the government that it may deal justly with all religious believers, and for the church that it may be allowed increasing freedom to worship and evangelize and to be salt and light in society.

Copyright OMF International