Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/82

Contributor - Rev. Will Kroon

Title - The Church in China

Topic - Church In The World

When we visited the Christians in China last summer they often expressed their hurt about the fact that some Christians in the West spread false information about them and questioned their integrity. They felt hurt because some groups in Hong Kong spread rumours that the Christian Three Self Movement is an arm of the government and therefore cannot be trusted. The Rev. Wendell Karsen, one of our missionaries in Hong Kong, interpreted these feelings in the Church Herald already on October 3 1, 1980. Here he wrote: "Some people in the West want to use this (false information) to infiltrate China. They smuggle Bibles, beam radio broadcasts, train overseas Chinese missionaries and the like. Why don't they preach to their own countries? Their activities will harm relations between Chinese Christians and Christians abroad, will increase difficulties for Chinese Christians, and will undermine Chinese church leadership."

Such feelings and concerns are found everywhere among the Christians in China, both among Protestants and Roman Catholics. That is why I want to reply to Mr. J. Vander Boom's article in the February issue of Pioneer. Rev. Vander Boom's article contains the misinformation they are so 11 concerned about. Such a view undermines the leadership of the Chinese church leaders and especially that of Rev. Ting. This is done to create an excuse to smuggle Bibles into that country. His article gives a strong stimulance to the work of the World Home Bible League but it hurts the Christians in China whom he claims he wants to help. Why not listen to these Christians? They tell us again and again that they have to be very careful or the government will retract their newly found freedom. Meddling from the West is the last thing they need and want.

Mr. Vander Boom misrepresents the position of the church by overestimating its numerical strength and by underestimating the number of Bibles available. The Christians in China gave us various estimates of their numerical strength. The highest figure was 3,500,000 Catholics and 1,500,000 Protestants, and most felt that this estimate was too high. When we worshipped in the churches in Shanghai we saw that many of the thousands had Bibles with them in church. Through meeting with more than 100 pastors and leaders we were told that there is still a shortage of Bibles but that they are working on this. They are also working on a new translation. A Bible shortage is not their main problem - trained leadership is.

Mr. Vander Boom also gives the impression that the Communist Government is controlling the Three Self Movement and has appointed Bishop Ting to keep the church under its wing. This just is not so. This Movement has been and still is a spontaneous Movement both in the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches to make the Chinese church independent, self-sufficient and self-governing. Many see it as an evangelistic movement to prove to the unchurched that Christians are independent from the West, loyal to their own country and that they are supporting the New China (which does not mean Communism).

When our delegation evaluated our visit it was often mentioned that the Chinese Christians showed a great respect for Bishop Ting and for many of the other leaders in the Church. These men and women had suffered for their faith and it is just amazing what they have been able to accomplish in the few years since religious freedom has been restored. The Protestant seminary has been reopened and since we left nearly 600 places of worship have opened. Therefore, it is unfair to give the impression that these men are puppets of the government. Neither is it fair to say that these people seek to control the house church movement. We have met with many lay leaders and pastors from the house-churches and we listened to students who came from there. What is true is that the Chinese leaders are concerned about the direction the house churches are going. They have become breeding places for ancient Chinese superstitions. That is why the faculty of Nanking Seminary sends 30,000 copies of a correspondence course to the rural areas on a quarterly basis. They also seek to meet the request for pastors and for taped sermons. Many of the people who meet in the main churches on Sunday meet in the house churches during the week.

At this stage in history, the Churches in China need to be encouraged and not be undermined. At one time there were more than 6,000 missionaries working in that country and many of the Chinese resented their presence because of Western occupation of their country. Once the Christians have won the respect of the people they will be open for assistance. Therefore, let us respect the wishes of these Christians and be open to their struggles. They are very open to the fact that there is still a lot to be resolved and that it is not easy to get Anglicans, Pentecostalists and Reformed all working together in the same church. But if the World Home Bible League wants to help the Christians in China it can do so the best by working through its leaders rather than through stirring up the flames of discontent in the rural areas.

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