News From China's church - Vol. 2 No. 2
* MILLIONS OF CHRISTIANS
A new survey has determined that there are approximately
30 million Protestant Christians in China. The province-by-province
survey, commissioned by News Network International,
includes those attending the state-sanctioned Protestant
Three Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) churches and those
meeting in independent and underground house churches.
The figure is nearly four times greater than the official
TSPM census of 9.2 million Protestants, although some
say the numbers may be too conservative, and that there
are actually more Christians in China. According to
the study, only 30 percent of China's Protestant population
attends TSPM churches, while at least 70 percent worship
unregistered house churches or meeting points. (NNI,
China News and Church Report)
* ENGLAND'S ARCHBISHOP VISITS CHINA
Dr. George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury and head
of the 80-million-member Anglican Church, recently
completed an 11-day visit to China to meet with leaders
of the country's official Protestant Church, the Three-Self
Patriotic Movement (TSPM). Carey visited Nanjing, Shanghai,
Chengdu, and Beijing, where he met primarily with TSPM
church leaders, but had contact with some government
officials as well. The stated aim of his visit was
"to encourage and support Chinese Christians"
and "to be seen as a bridge-builder." Carey
did not meet with leaders of China's vast underground
house church movement.
(China News and Church Report, South China Morning Post)
* BEIJING STUDENTS ATTEND CHURCH
In Beijing's university district, the Haidian Protestant
Church is filled to capacity every Sunday, mostly with
students. (Newsweek)
* MORE REGULATIONS, MORE PRESSURE
Christians in China's unofficial house churches say
that 1994 government regulations regarding religion
have increased pressure on them. Under the new regulations,
they say they are totally unprotected and open to persecution
if they continue to refuse to register their meetings.
While the government is stopping short of mass arrests,
there does seem to be a widespread effort in many areas
to force house church Christians to register with the
authorities and to stop their evangelistic activities,
which have been so successful. (NNI)
* TIGHTER CONTROLS ON CHURCHES FUEL GROWTH
According to a former Chinese government worker, authorities
in Beijing have started a campaign to tighten control
for the next two years. The clampdown, referred to
as zhonghe zhili, or "comprehensive rule,"
reportedly began on September 1 and will run until
August 31, 1996. Targets of control include criminals,
evil elements, triads, armed robbers, drug rings, prostitutes,
pornographic businesses, corrupt party and government
officials, advocates of democracy, those having illegal
pregnancies, those engaged in illegal printing, those
spreading superstition, and those involved in illegal
religious activities, which would include China's many
house church Christians.
Wide-scale arrests of habitual criminals, gamblers, and others began in late August. On average, 30 to 60 persons were arrested from each township in central China. About 100,000 people were taken into custody during the first two weeks of September. House church leaders feel that any increase in persecution will not be able to stop Christians from their ongoing evangelistic efforts. In fact, they believe it might even help to stimulate further church growth. (China News and Church Report, Radio France International)
* INTELLECTUALS STUDY CHRIST
Intellectuals have always played a significant role
in China's history. Traditionally, officials in China
have been chosen from among the intellectual elite.
At this critical time, many Chinese intellectuals are
looking to Christianity and wondering what role it
played in the development of Western culture and democracy.
Many scholars are studying and writing about Christian
theology and the history of Christianity. (China Ministries
International)
* REVIVAL IN CHINA
In Sichuan Province, more than 90,000 people became
Christians in a recent four-month period. More than
40,000 became Christians in one month, and the rest
converted after a major crackdown on Christians. More
than 10,000 were water baptized in a two-month period.
This is just one of many places in China where Christianity
is growing rapidly. A house church leader in Guangdong
recently requested 100,000 Bibles and Christian literature
from an outside supplier. He said that would satisfy
only the immediate need of those to whom he ministers.
* BLACK MARKET BIBLES
Ministries that bring Bibles into China say many of
the books end up on the black market where they bring
high prices. Chinese claiming to be Christians receive
deliveries of Bibles and other spiritual books and
sell them to make a profit. A man from Pingdingshan,
Henan Province, said he can sell a simplified character
New Testament on the black market for RMB 30, while
a study Bible with explanatory notes will sell for
RMB 500. A similar report came from Anhui Province.
Christians in these two provinces have annual incomes
averaging RMB 700-800 a year, or about $100. (China
News and Church Report)
* CHRISTIANS IMPRISONED
According to a report by the Washington-based Puebla
Institute, at least 100 Protestant and Catholic clergy
and church leaders are still imprisoned or under house
arrest throughout the country. This figure, Puebla
admits, is likely to be only a fraction of the true
number of Christians in laogai (labor camps).
More than 30 new cases of church workers being sentenced to prison terms of up to three years were recorded in the past year, Puebla said. Most have been detained for distributing Christian literature, holding unregistered Bible training seminars or meeting with foreigners.
In Henan and Anhui, commonly regarded as the center of the Chinese Protestant house church movement (unregistered churches), PSB officials have arrested hundreds of unregistered church members in the past 12 months. (NNI)
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