State-Controlled Church Continues To Align Protestant Doctrine to Communist Party Policy

December 20, 2008

The state-controlled Chinese Protestant church marked the 10th-year anniversary of a program of theology that aligns Protestant doctrine to Communist Party policy, according to several November 2008 reports from the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA). As noted in the Congressional-Executive Commission on China 2008 Annual Report (via the Government Printing Office Web site), the state-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), which leads the registered Protestant church in China, suppresses denominational differences among Protestants and imposes a Communist Party-defined program of "theological construction" on registered churches. "Theological construction," according to one TSPM official, is intended to "weaken those aspects within Christian faith that do not conform with the socialist society."

The state-controlled Chinese Protestant church marked the 10th-year anniversary of a program of theology that aligns Protestant doctrine to Communist Party policy, according to several November 2008 reports from the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA). As noted in the Congressional-Executive Commission on China 2008 Annual Report (via the Government Printing Office Web site), the state-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), which leads the registered Protestant church in China, suppresses denominational differences among Protestants and imposes a Communist Party-defined program of "theological construction" on registered churches. "Theological construction," according to one TSPM official, is intended to "weaken those aspects within Christian faith that do not conform with the socialist society."

The formulation of state-controlled theology sheds light on ongoing tensions between the Chinese government's policy of control over religion and Chinese Protestants' right to interpret their own faith. A report describing "theological construction," posted November 19 on the SARA Web site, outlined the perceived problems in Chinese Protestants' beliefs that served as an impetus for the state-led theology. Such problems included Protestants "despising the laws and regulations of the state due to 'obedience to God and not to humans'"; "unilaterally emphasizing things of the spirit and slighting rationality," leading some toward "fanaticism" and "superstition"; caring only about personal salvation and neglecting social responsibility; forms of heterodoxies and cults that "distort" Protestantism; and infiltration by foreign groups that harm the Chinese Protestant church's independence. According to the report, if not promptly addressed, these perceived problems would make it hard to raise the "quality" of Protestants and hinder the alignment of the church to socialist society. After 10 years of directing Protestant theology through "theological construction," authorities reported on the success of the theology in addressing issues such as eliminating certain "biased, backward, and parochial" viewpoints among Protestants, strengthening church members' sense of responsibility to the state and society, and "greatly heightening" Protestants' understanding of protecting social stability, ethnic unity, and the "unification of the motherland." The report concluded with plans to deepen the promotion of "theological construction."

During a speech at a 10th-year anniversary meeting on "theological construction," posted November 19 on the SARA Web site, government official Wang Zuo'an, the Deputy Director of SARA, put forth suggestions on carrying forth "theological construction." Noting that "theological construction" had already "enlightened" some believers, leading them away from focusing only on the "narrow belief" of personal salvation, Wang emphasized the importance of Protestants establishing ties to the "motherland" and to society. He also stressed the importance of sinicizing Protestant doctrine.

In late 2008, SARA officials also examined the Communist Party theories underpinning their own work regulating religion. SARA Director Ye Xiaowen, speaking at a study session advancing the concept of "exploring harmonious religious theory, establishing harmonious sites of worship," called for deepening study of Marxist and Communist Party viewpoints toward religion and "keeping tabs" on religious leaders, religious activity, and sites of worship, according to an article posted November 3 on the SARA Web site. The report comes amid other accounts of similar meetings and training sessions held by SARA officials. Like the meeting discussed in the November 3 article, these training sessions also emphasized the importance of integrating the Communist Party concept of "scientific development" into the government's work on religion. See articles from October 29, October 30, and November 24, all posted on the SARA Website.

For more information on religion in China, see Section II--Freedom of Religion in the CECC 2008 Annual Report.