A Shared Hope

As guest editor John Lindblom suggests in this issue of ChinaSource Quarterly, China’s Catholic and Protestant communities share many of the same challenges. Most obvious, particularly in the Xi Jinping era, is the fraught relationship between church and state. Within the constraints of this relationship, both Catholic and Protestant believers seek to witness for Christ as they live out an authentic faith. Finally, as part of the universal church, they must grapple with how to relate to believers outside China when their doing so is often misconstrued as a threat to the regime. How China’s Catholics have navigated these challenges historically, and how they continue to face them in the current situation, has much to say to the church at large about the hope they share in Christ.

Dealing with the State

While the terms “underground” and “official” might provide a convenient shorthand for understanding how various parts of the church have historically responded to government pressure, a Chinese believer who represents the former camp warns against oversimplification. He points out that some in the “underground” church have good relations with the government, and there are also bishops with longstanding Vatican ties who serve in the official Catholic Patriotic Association.  “In short,” he cautions, “it is currently not possible to analyze the Catholic Church in China simply in terms of above-ground and underground churches, because some above-ground churches are very loyal to Rome, while some underground churches are very close to the government.”

The example of John C. H. Wu (Wu Jinxiong) can be an encouragement to believers in China today as they face increasing restrictions aimed at limiting the growth and influence of the church. Living through a tumultuous and tragic time in China, Wu found in Christian mysticism the way to recovering the joy that comes from inner harmony, which is key to embodying the gospel as Christ’s representatives in the world.

Wu’s writings also offer some guidance for a church being squeezed by the current Sinicization of Religion campaign. Wu’s desire to achieve a “living synthesis” between East and West meant that his witness for Christ could not be divorced from his deep knowledge of the Chinese classics; rather, it was the works of Confucius, Laozi, and others whom Wu said prepared his heart to receive the gospel. Seeing God as author both of natural and supernatural wisdom, Wu wrote, “It stands to reason that natural wisdom may serve as a mirror of supernatural wisdom.”

Public Witness

Despite current restrictions, China’s Catholics continue to find ways to witness for Christ. For more than 40 years the Jinde Charities Foundation of Hebei Province has helped to raise the profile of the church by providing disaster relief, medical services, care for orphans and the elderly, and other types of assistance. Ministries to Catholic youth have helped to nurture the faith of a new generation of believers. Hong Kong Catholics promoting care for God’s creation offer a much-needed alternative to the culture of materialism and pervasive consumerism so prevalent in urban China.

A Controversial Agreement

No discussion of relations between Christians in China and the global church can take place without recognizing China’s long tradition of state dominance over religion. In this regard, some may view the controversial 2018 Provisional Agreement between China and the Holy See as an effort to acknowledge the proverbial elephant in the room and constructively address a fundamental difference between East and West that has long hampered interaction among Christians inside and outside China.

But is a narrow and seemingly precarious bridge better than no bridge at all?

In the years since 2018 the government has redrawn diocesan boundaries for political reasons and unilaterally ordained seminarians over the objections of a Vatican-approved bishop. Chiaretto Yan notes instances where Beijing has acted independently in violation of the Provisional Agreement. Yet he views the arrangement as a net positive for the health of the Catholic community in China.

Other contributors to this issue of the Quarterly question whether the Agreement has been worth the cost, including the Vatican’s silence on the changing situation in Hong Kong and its alienation (some would say betrayal) of Catholics inside and outside China who have voiced strong opposition to an agreement that took shape prior to implementation of the current restrictive policies and whose contents remain a secret.

While highlighting the unique challenges facing China’s Catholics, the articles in this issue speak as well to the broader issues facing the larger body of Christ in China. Readers wishing to delve further into the historical background and current realities surveyed here will want to explore the comprehensive bibliography featured in the Resource Corner.

ChinaSource is deeply grateful to John Lindblom and to the many contributors who have shared their extensive knowledge of the Catholic experience in China in this issue. May the recurring message of hope amidst difficulty conveyed in these articles spark the imaginations and encourage the hearts of all who seek to stand faithfully with their brothers and sisters in China.