Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Nov/81

Contributor - Rev. Will Kroon

Title - Untitled

Topic - Church In The World

A few days before the end of our China visit, we also received a formal invitation to meet with the Vice Premier of Cultural Affairs of China. This meeting was held in a huge reception room of the government building. People from the press were also present and our visit was announced on Chinese television. The Vice Premier gave us about one hour of his time, during which we were able to ask questions.

CONCLUSIONS

The Protestant Church:

Since all records have been destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, it is difficult to determine the numerical strength of the Protestant Church. Some estimate its strength to be less than one million, while others believe there are as many as one and a half million Protestants in China. At the end of the last year there were about 100 parish churches open, both large and small. However, we were told again and again there are many House Meetings and House Churches all over the country. We were impressed by the zeal and enthusiasm of both old and young.

On the one hand one cannot help but be impressed by the zeal and potential of the Protestant Church. There are large numbers of men and women who are willing to study for the ministry. There is a sense of unity among the clergy and a determination to tackle their problems. We were also surprised to hear how much is being done to assist the Christians from the more backward areas of China. Thirty thousand copies of a correspondence course are sent out quarterly to assist the House Fellowship groups. And all this has been accomplished in less than two years.

But on the other hand, there is a clanger of becoming too optimistic and to inflate the information received. Some of the Chinese leaders are more realistic than Western observers tend to be. At this moment they are less concerned about numerical growth and more about spiritual nurture. They know that without strong leadership and sound Biblical instruction the Fellowship Groups are susceptible to all sorts of deviations and unbiblical teachings. The questions and concerns that were once raised by Paul in his letters to the Church in Corinth are also being raised by some of the Chinese leaders today.

The Roman Catholic Church:

There were between 3,500,000 and 5,000,000 Roman Catholics in China before the Cultural Revolution, but it is hard to believe that there are as many today. Wherever we went, we saw far fewer Roman Catholics and they showed far less strength and vitality than the Protestants. The Roman Catholic Archbishop in our group was puzzled by what we saw. He had a feeling, I believe, that a large number of Roman Catholics are boycotting the services of worship. Since the present priests and bishops in China are not in communion with Rome, they might be staying home.

There are various reasons why the present Roman Catholic clergy in China are not in communion with the Vatican. At one time Pope Pious VII forbade all Roman Catholics to participate in Communist organizations. Various encyclicals have been issued to reinforce the Roman Catholic Church's stand against Communism. This has been one of the reasons why some priests in China have been hesitant to join the patriotic organizations in China. The Protestants don't share these hesitations.

Since the Roman Catholic Church has always given the impression of being foreign controlled, the present Catholic leaders want to change that impression and stand on their own. They too want to show that they are loyal to their country. Since Rome has been dragging its feet for so long they feel that they had no choice but to appoint their own bishops and priests.

While we were in China, the Dominic Tang affair was a very hot issue with the Roman Catholics. Dominic Tang was once a political prisoner, later he was released after he had expressed his loyalty to China and his willingness to cooperate with the other Chinese bishops.

However, it seems that he was not honest in his expressions. When he was ill he received permission to go to Hong Kong for medical treatment. While in Hong Kong, he flew to Rome where Pope John Paul 11 appointed him as Archbishop of Guangdon. By doing so he interfered with the internal affairs of China for this archbishop would have become head of all Chinese clergy. When the Chinese bishops heard what had happened, they were furious and acted very swiftly. They declared his appointment illegal, stripped him of his title and made it known that he is no longer welcome in China. Since that time the Chinese Catholics have ordained five new bishops. That means that there are now between 40 and 50 Roman Catholic bishops in China who were consecrated without the approval of Rome.

to be continued next month

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