The Church in China in the 20th Century - Chen Zemin

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unity of the Chinese church? Perhaps possible, but unlikely. First, as the “Conciliar” Church (I use this to denote collectively the churches within the fold of the Christian councils, often also called the “Three Self Church”) has a respectful attitude towards these groups and takes thoughtful measures to accommodate their specific requirements or requests (like welcoming the Seventh Day Adventists and the True Jesus Church members to hold services according to their customs on Saturdays, and offering conveniences to the Little Flock members to have their bread-breaking meetings wherever they like), most of them are quite willing to maintain friendly ties with the Conciliar Church rather than breaking away. Secondly, as regards the minority of these groups who are not ready to cooperate, the Conciliar Church is willing to wait with patience and love, and not to put pressure on them. In history, church unity has never been complete and “pure” without dissenters. Small numbers of dissenters do not precipitate the formation of schismatic splits.

      Lastly, there remains the question of sects, cults and new religions. As the Protestant church in China is making rapid advances in the increase of the number of adherents, there arise a multitude of sects and cults that style themselves as “Christian churches” and proliferate in wide areas, especially in more backward rural communities. Many of these bear some resemblance to the Pentecostals in their meetings, for example in singing “spiritual songs,” spending long hours in prayer accompanied by weeping, crying or howling, dancing “spiritual dances,” speaking in tongues, and invariably practising “spiritual healing.” Some of these are eccentrically apocalyptic, believing in the imminent Second Coming of Christ. Most of these groups gather around some charismatic leaders who demand absolute loyalty and blind obedience from their followers, and usually take a hostile attitude toward or stand aloof from the Three Self or Conciliar Church, which in turn regards them as aberrant or heretical in their beliefs. Their activities are often clandestine and occult, and it is difficult to gain access to them and to assess their numerical strength. It is believed that they account for the rapid growth of Protestant Christianity in some way and to a certain degree.

      I cannot go into detailed description of such groups. Our present concern is whether these will become a threat to the church unity leading to its eventual dissolution. Plausible answers to this question require more comprehensive and intensive studies in the theology, psychology and sociology of cults. This is why I am looking towards learning from the wisdom of Prof. Geertz and his presentation. But many believe that in the processes of modernization, with improvements in mass education, medical care and cultural activities, most of the sects and cults will lose ground and gradually die out. New ones may emerge. They come and go, and most probably will remain marginal. Their effect on the main stream of Christianity can only be negligibly small.

      The unity of the church in China started as a dream; it is now being realized. We are realistic and aware of the difficulties and barriers on our path. We are striving forward until the uniting church will become a United Church of Christ, and spell out the present CCC (China Christian Council) as the Church of Christ in China.

      Living as Christians Today

      Biblical Insights

      (Nanjing, 1988)

      Behold, now is the acceptable time;Behold, now is the day of salvation.

      (2 Corinthians 6:2–10)

      The history of Protestant Christianity in China begins with the arrival of Robert Morrison at Guangzhou in 1807. The first part of the story covers about one hundred and fifty years. Many volumes have been written on this period with various descriptions, conclusions and assessments from different angles. Some are helpful, some are not quite so. Now we have turned to a new chapter. As regards the relationship with Christians of other countries in the future, we are looking forward to a new era of brother and sisterhood and being fellow-workers in Christ, of genuine mutual understanding, concern and respect. We have come to share with you some of our experiences and reflections of how Christians are living and witnessing for Christ in China today, in the post-Cultural-Revolution period of rebuilding and rehabilitating the Christian Church. Let me first give you a brief sketch in figures as a background of my presentation.

      As you all know, the Christian Church in China underwent a total “blackout” of about fifteen years. Then, beginning from 1979 there came a “recall-to-life” and recuperation. The changes have been stupendous. According to our latest survey and estimates (1987) there are now more than 4,700 churches and 16,600 “meeting points.”

      This means we have been re-opening or building anew at a rate of more than one church a day. The total number of Protestant Christians, including church members and inquirers, is over four million. (This may be a conservative estimate. But I would rather be a bit conservative on this than exaggerate, as some people like to take pleasure in making sensational news with scanty factual support.) As compared with 700,000, the pre-liberation total, the result of one hundred and fifty years of missionary efforts, this means an increase of about five times in a period of three decades. This is really miraculous, taking into consideration the rugged roads of hardship and trials we have trodden. We praise and thank God for His guidance, protection and blessings.(There are many factors contributing to this rapid growth, which I shall touch upon a little later, and there are also many problems and difficulties calling for immediate attention and further endeavouring.)

      But the Lord has led us to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and makes us lie down in green pastures, leading us beside still waters and restoring our souls (Psalm 23, See also Ezek. 34:11–16). “Thus says the Lord: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” And lo, “the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great host” (Ezek. 37:9–10). Now we are facing the task of rebuilding the Lord’s house. “Take courage, all you people of the Lord, says the Lord; work, for I am with you.” “My spirit abides among you, fear not . . .The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts” (Hag. 2:4,5).

      It is through these experiences that the message and force of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Great Commission and promises given to the apostles in the first century, and the stories of the Pentecost and afterwards, recorded in the first chapters of the Acts of the Apostles, have become all the more real and vivid to us during these years. And we have been talking about, and meditating on a Theology of the Resurrection in our church a great deal. The little (?) book by the Rev. Professor Rowan Williams, whom I had the privilege to meet in person in Oxford, becomes more revealing and thought-provoking to us, in developing a theology of Resurrection in the context of present-day Chinese church and society.

      But the growth of the church is faster than we can keep up with. There is a grave shortage of pastors, preachers and church workers. At present there are only about six thousand pastors and preachers in the whole country, most of them in old age, and others rather young and without adequate training and experience. There is a wide age gap among the practising ministers. Most of the rural churches and assembly points have only lay workers who have little or no training at all. The quality of spiritual nurture and pastoral care is very low, and in some places this breeds

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