Is China’s church facing a nationwide crackdown?
As Joann Pittman mentioned last week in a post entitled “Is the Church Demolition Campaign Coming to An End?”, hundreds of attacks on church buildings in and around Wenzhou have led some to suggest that a larger nationwide campaign is in the works. So far this does not seem to be the case, as similar incidents are not occurring elsewhere. Nor is it clear to what extent the central government under President Xi Jinping has had a hand in events in Wenzhou, although Beijing has reportedly stepped in recently to put a stop to the church demolitions.
In the larger context, several aspects of Xi’s “new normal” (新常态) do have potential negative implications for China’s Christians. While not specifically directed at the church, these measures could nonetheless serve to curtail Christian activity.
Social stability has long been at the top of the Party’s agenda, but efforts to quell any sign of dissent have taken on a new intensity during the past year. Concern about any one religious group gaining too much influence or visibility could translate into pressure on larger churches, as has apparently been the case in Wenzhou. Christians who are active in Western China’s restive minority areas may especially face new limitations.
The Party’s emphasis on rule by law could significantly shrink the gray area in which many of China’s Christians are accustomed to operating. Cadres who until now have turned a blind eye toward unregistered church activities or toward Christian initiatives in areas such as publishing or education will have less of an incentive to do so. Religious legislation, should it appear, could impose new restrictions on such activities. On the other hand, it is still possible that more tolerant legislation could provide believers with much-needed legal protection.
NGOs are facing heightened scrutiny. New legislation will likely put China’s nascent non-profit sector more firmly under official control, making it more difficult for Christians and others who are seeking to address social issues. The Party feels particularly threatened by foreign NGOs.
Anti-Western sentiment is rearing its head in education, media, and commerce, as well as in official press statements about other countries. Coupled with Xi’s emphasis on returning to China’s cultural roots as part of realizing the “China Dream,” this anti-Western impulse could give ammunition to those who would seek to cast Christianity as a foreign religion. The government may be seen promoting Confucianism or Buddhism as truly “indigenous” Chinese faiths. The onus will be upon Chinese Christians to demonstrate that the church is indeed a Chinese institution.
During the past decade China’s church has enjoyed a period of relative openness. While the church may not be experiencing a nationwide crackdown, this brief look at the “new normal” suggests several areas in which national policy currents could buffet China’s Christians. This era calls for much prayer and wisdom on the part of those who partner with Chinese Christians as they navigate the uncharted waters ahead.
Image Credit: The Shanghai Daily, "Xi Praises Links with Harvard"
Brent Fulton
Brent Fulton is the founder of ChinaSource. Dr. Fulton served as the first president of ChinaSource until 2019. Prior to his service with ChinaSource, he served from 1995 to 2000 as the managing director of the Institute for Chinese Studies at Wheaton College. From 1987 to 1995 he served as founding …View Full Bio
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