ICC NOTE: Christianity in China is already very difficult to operate within its borders due to the massive amount of pressure placed upon it by the Communist government. Once one looks past this there are a vast range of other issues which cause further dilemmas toward unification and cooperation. Such issues are the histories of both the protestant and catholic churches, the resentment of colonialism, socio-economic changes, and even ecumenical differences. In order to understand the Chinese church and its place in society, these factors are helpful to keep in mind when looking at the overall context of their situation. 

1/21/2016 China (UCA News) – Jan. 18 marked the start of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity promoted by both the World Council of Churches in Geneva and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in Rome.

What does it hold for churches and Christian communities developing in China? A look at the past and current situation will help us better understand issues about Christian unity.

According to the Chinese Constitution, there are only two major Christian churches in China: the Protestant Church (jidujiao) and the Catholic Church (tianzhujiao).

However, the real situation is more subtle than this legal framework suggests.

As we know, excesses from the Maoist era followed by the invasive policy of the post-1979 era led Catholics and Protestants to divide themselves between “legally registered churches” and “nonregistered churches” (underground communities for Catholics, house churches for Protestants).

But the political factor is still not the sole explanation for all the fractures and differentiations within this rich and vivid Chinese Christianity.

The weight of history

One major factor to consider is history. Neither the efforts of churches nor those of the Communist Party managed to erase divisions that marked Catholics and Protestants of pre-1949 China.

On the Protestant side, various denominations and major Protestant countries were committed to conquering and implanting their own religious tradition in the Middle Kingdom.

On the Catholic side, the situation is similar in many ways. The competition between Catholic nations and between major religious orders created a very fragmented pre-1949 Catholic sphere in China.

Despite attempts by the Holy See to standardize the ecclesiastical administration of the country, divisions between territories and spiritual traditions remained vivid until the arrival of the Communists.

This legacy explains why some contemporary Catholic groups refuse to belong to the local diocese because they claim a different historical affiliation.

Resentment against semicolonization

The weight of history is also felt vis-a-vis the aftermath of the semicolonialization that China has endured. Various alliances between Western Christians and gunboat diplomacy that marked the 19th and the early 20th century have in the Chinese mind linked Christianity to colonialism.

The Boxer Uprising between 1899 and 1901 reflects the burning problem of the last century. Thus, from the 1910s-1920s, Catholic and Protestant circles improvised answers to this anti-Western resentment.

On the Catholic side, the church tried to promote the ordination of indigenous bishops to make the church more Chinese, even though diocesan resources and power fell under the struggles of local clans and ethnic groups.

On the Protestant side, various Chinese preachers created new churches free from foreign supervision in different regions of the country.

Finally, it is worth noting that present resentment against Western semicolonization still explains the caution with which some Chinese Christians approach the current ecumenical movement.

This movement, advocated by major international churches, is sometimes perceived as nothing more than a new strategy of subjugation by foreigners.

In addition, there are other elements that tear up the only coat of Christ in China.

Socioeconomic changes

The first element is the recent major socioeconomic change. Indeed, the enormous economic growth since 1979 has led millions of Chinese out of their village to reach large cities. This impacts churches as well.

For example, the diffused discrimination that Cantonese people broadcast against newcomers who do not speak Cantonese (or Mandarin with a proper local accent) is such that it is found even inside Christian communities.

Anyone who visits underground and official Catholics in Guangzhou will be surprised to note how the geographical origin largely explains the distinction between these two communities and their two clergies.

Thus, we should not ignore that economic migration and latent xenophobia feed a real fragmentation of Chinese Christian communities.

Another dividing factor is the religio-cultural context of Chinese civilization. This traditional background is characterized among other things by a deep respect toward ancient sacred scriptures and a push for empowerment of local cults honoring a multitude of gods.

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