s PRO VERITATE April 15 April 1965

should be rejected; closer unity amongst the denominations should THE CHURCH IN COMMUNIST be their aim and the Church must relate itself to social and economic problems. COUNTRIES — Part 2: The denunciation of the Mission­ — C G. OOSTHUZEN ary movement increased in intensity. Many mistakes were made by the There Mere three attempt*, made between 5W — ISM to estabfisfc mission boards in earlier years. To , nameh. by the Nestorian Church during the T'ane carry through the complete re­ LiMu-h (618-90?) but H did not succeed. Then the Ncstorians tried again orientation of Christian thought in during "the Mongol Dynasty i1280-13681 »bea the Roman Catholics also the new China a new Church or­ tried to establish < hun hes. ganization was necessary and this was provided by I he so-called Both these attempts failed as a Communist opposition. The Com­ Three Self Reform Movement. The result of the resurgence of a vigo­ munist land re form propaganda in "Three Self' refers to the old dic­ rous isolationist nationalism under a land of feudalism was felt even tum Of Henry Venn, namely "Self- the Ming Dynasty. In 1807 Robert in the ranks of the soldiers of support, self-government, and self- Morrison (L.M.S.) introduced the Chiang Kai-Shek. propagation". The power of the modern era of Protestantism in The People's Republic i»f China purse strings was often used by China and when the Communists was formally inaugurated in Peking missionaries to determine Church took over in 194**. 3 million of the on October 1st. 1949. Land reform policy. Under Government direction 600 million people were Roman took place, industry was socialized this inter-denominational Church Catholics and I million Protestants. and through the whole process the agency worked for the complete in­ i.e. I out of every 150 were Chris­ Communist party showed a surpris­ dependence of Ihe Chinese Church tian. There was a remarkable de­ ing unity. The National People's from all foreign control. In April. gree of unily achieved by the diffe­ Congress, constituted September. 1951, the Three Self Reform Move­ rent Protestant Churches by 1949 1954. with 1226 members has a ment was formed which under when the Communist regime came standing committee of 49 when not Y. T. Wu aligned the Church with into existence. As early as 1912 all in session. the Slate. The denunciation move­ the Anglican groups societies ment began. Outstanding mission­ Alter the take-over by the Com­ aries were attacked by these Church from England. Canada. Australia munist regime in 1949 the country leaders who supported the Govern­ and U.S.A. — amalgamated into was scaled off from the outside ment and in llns way received Gov­ one independent Church, the China world. No missionaries on furlough ernment support. Leslie I yal in his Hun Sbvng Kung Hun (Holy Catho­ could re-enter the country. tra%'cl book "Come Wind. Come Weather", lic Church of (Tiina). The Luther­ restrictions were put on those still has a chapter entitled "The Mani­ ans came together in 1917 although in the country. They were considered festo of Betrayal." this union is not as complete as to he aliens on the Governing that of the Anglicans. The Church hoards of schools and hospitals and of Christ HI China. Prcsb.wcrian and had la be cased out of such posi­ People were trained in the Com­ Reformed in background, represents tions as s*x»n as possible B\ 1^50 munist theory, preachers indoctri­ a much wider union. It also in­ man> missionaries left, many had nated. 11>c first indoctrination class cludes Congregational Churches the to leave. The Chinese Christian f«»r preachers was held in 1953. One English Baptists, the United Church leaders drew up 'The Christian of the heresies of Communism is of Canada, the United Brethren of Manifesto" in this same year. The that a prijcess »»f reformation of Christ and even one conference of new regime accused Christianity of society is the only remedy against the Methodist Church. The Church Western imperialism and the Chin­ evils. The Chinese Christians chal­ of Christ in China was the largest ese Church leaders tried to show lenged the other wnrldlv emphasis Pr.Mcstant Church, tight Metho­ their loyally to the new regime of Christian teaching. Chinese Chris­ dist mission boards (3 ex-England. 4 through this manifesto drawn up tians credit communists for their ex-U-S-A. and I ex-Canada) built mainlv by Y. T. Wu. secretary of unselfish motives of service to the op large and vigorous Churches in the Y MCA., and later the leader Communist people. Y. T. Wu says China. There have been many other of the so-called Three-Self Patriotic Ihe priest and Levite typify the re­ denominations and sects. C4J. Chris­ Movement. Cho-En-Lai gave his ligious people of the world — they tian and Missionary Alliance, the consent to the Manifesto which was paxs by on the other side whereas China Inland Mission established finally published in July. 1950. In the Samaritan typifies the non-reli­ by Hudson Taylor. There are indi­ this Manifesto they slate that Chris­ gious people, i.e. the Communists. genous Churches like the True tianity has made a not unworthy They minister to human need. Y. T. Jesus Church, the Little Flock, the contribution to Chinese society but Wu has tried to indicate that there Jesu^ Family, and the China Jesus that it became consciously or un­ is an organic relation between faith Independent Church, etc. consciously associated with impe­ and works. Ihcory and practice. In rialism against which the Church is the Chinese system representations The Nationalist Government of called upon to react. Christians are arc given in Ihe people's congresses China seemed to have lost for many called upon to manage their own to various social groups so that Chinese its "mandate of Heaven'*, affairs and to see clearly the evils Christians are also represented. because it was Inaffective to meet of imperialism. A patriotic and de­ They arc allowed one speech in the post-war problems of recon­ mocratic spirit has to be inculcated, order to report on the general situ- struction and this government was foreign personnel and financial aid (Continwd on OtOU lit hopelessly divided in the face of April 15 April IMS PRO VERITATE II

formerly. The first official Church The Church in visit was from Australia in Novem­ ber. 1956 (Anglican). A new period Communist of suppression started in 1957. In 1958 the organization of Communes and the Great Leap Forward pro­ grammes were inaugurated. Some­ (Continued from page. H) thing of a modus viveadum has been arrived at between Protestant anon in the Church and thus "there Christianity and the Chinese Com­ is more official recognition in this munist party. This party however, regime than in any proceeding one remains as blatantly atheistic as that the Church has a legitimate ever. As far as the future i» con­ position in society.'' indoctrination cerned there is ground for deep con­ look place through participation. cern: Many of the courageous lead­ Christians e.g. assisted in the Land ers of the Church have been silenc­ Redistribution Programme. ed; the complete isolation from the Y. T. Wu is supported by men Church in the other parts of the Jike Y. C. Tu. Kiang Wenham, Liu East and also the West: Church ac­ Liang-mo. Z. T. Kaung (Methodist). tivities have been restricted: Church T. C Chao, Marcus Cheng (Luther­ publications have steadily decreas­ an). T. C. Bau. K. H. Ting. Evan­ ed: few books on theology or Bible gelist Wang Ming-Tao reacted study have appeared since 1949. against Y. T. Wu who according to *Tien Feng" is the only periodical. him nought "the wav of compromise Theological schools have decrea>*d and adaptation'*. He tried to de­ in numbers as welt as students — stroy the very foundations of the 250 for a Church of 700.000. Chris­ Three-Self Patriotic Movement. His tian students are refused permission 'Credo* was the first outspoken op­ to go to colleges because they are position to Y. T. Wu and his fol­ considered "politically unreliable". lowers. This 'Credo* says F. W. Christian doctors, nurses and teach­ Price is a monument in the history ers do not easilv get promotion. The of the Chinese Church. He was a fact that the Church still exists is severe critic of the Social Gospel a hopeful sign although the number which is in fact more "social" than of professing Christians has dropped •OMt Y. T. Wu states in his book since 1*49. Chinese Church leaders Dark aad Light. "Besides the Bible believe the Church will advance. there is a Christian theology which directly and indirectly is developed (To be continued) from the Bible, including the doc­ trines of Incarnation, Virgin Birth, Resurrection. Trinity. Last Judge­ ment. Second Coming, etc These are irrational mysterious beliefs... I cannot accept such beliefs"- Wang Ming-Tao reacts "Let those who believe in the Bible and saving grace unite with the party of unbe­ lievers; let the Church and Society unite; let Christ and Satan unite: let light and darkness unite; unite, unite! And the result of such union is simply the creation of a great Babylon". Wang Ming-Tao was in many ways an extreme fundaments- list but he has voiced an important point of view. Popular feelings was on his side. Many of the indetinous Church leaders were attacked and imprisoned.

The Church in CTiina has reopen­ ed contacts with the West. Individu­ als and Church delegations went and reported that Church life is pro­ ceed ins quite normally, and that the Chinese Christians are more in­ volved in the life of the nation than