(Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province – October 17, 2024) Recently, Zhejiang Province emphasized accurately understanding the role of the “Sinicization of Religious Architecture” in the broader context of the Sinicization of Christianity. Zhejiang was the first to advocate for leading the “Sinicization of Church Architecture” through construction and promotion of educational and theological ideology.
According to reports from Chinese churches, on September 14 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, various religious groups jointly held a press conference for the “Guidelines for the Sinicization of Religious Activity Venues’ Construction in Zhejiang Province (Trial),” referred to as the “Guidelines”.
The press conference stated that the “Guidelines” were jointly developed by the Zhejiang Province Institute of Architectural Design and Research and various religious groups in the province. The “Guidelines” adhere to the direction of the Sinicization of religion, incorporating various perspectives such as laws and regulations, religious beliefs, traditional culture, regional characteristics, organizational management, and safety construction. The research summarizes and analyzes the experiences from different parts of China in advancing the Sinicization of religious venues, offering standardized guidance for the Sinicization of religious architecture. It was hailed as another practical achievement by the religious community in Zhejiang in exploring the path of Sinicization.
Specifically concerning Christianity, the “Guidelines” did not provide detailed ideas or architectural templates for the Sinicization of religious venues or church buildings. Additionally, there was no explanation of how “Sinicized church architecture” would reflect Christian theology.
Church architecture serves as an important symbol of sacred space and the spiritual world. The spatial design of a church carries profound liturgical theology, particularly in terms of the sacred space’s layout. The liturgical space is seen as a reflection of the Kingdom of Heaven, offering a silent form of teaching. When believers are present in such a space, it reflects the deep encounter with Christ, communion with the Church, and an experience of sacramental grace, all while anticipating the fulfillment of the end times.
The facade, floor plan, and cross-section of every church building present a theological message, reminding the faithful of their relationship with God through Christ. Every design element of the architecture is intended to communicate something about God and what he seeks to convey to his people through the church.
From the perspective of spatial design, the placement and arrangement of key elements like the altar, font, and baptismal pool in a church shape the space for worship and set the format for the congregation’s collective worship. The location of the pulpit and lectern signals the importance of God’s Word to the congregation. Even the arrangement of seating influences the posture of the worshipers and how they receive God’s message.
Zhejiang authorities’ initiative to promote the “Sinicization of religious architecture” is driven entirely by the political agenda of “Sinicization of religion,” rather than stemming from the theological considerations intrinsic to Christian liturgical space design. This political effort overlooks the deep theological meaning that church architecture holds for Christian worship and communion with God.
“Sinicization of religion” has become the top priority for China’s officially sanctioned Christian organizations. On September 21, 2024, both the Protestant and Catholic churches in Shanghai held a symposium on the “Sinicization of management system.” According to the Shanghai Provincial Lianghui, the Protestant and Catholic churches in Baoshan District convened a “Seminar on the Sinicization of Religious Management System” at Luodian Church. A total of 155 participants, including city and district leaders, clergy, and church representatives, attended the event.
Prior to this, the Chinese authorities had been systematically and gradually implementing a series of measures aimed at the “Sinicization of religion.” These measures include the Sinicization of hymns, clerical vestments, Christian weddings and funerals, Bible translations, and Christian theological thought.
Christian seminaries, Catholic seminaries, and other religious institutions in China are being mandated to integrate “Sinicized Christian theological thought” into their curricula. Courses such as “An Outline of Chinese History,” “An Introduction to Chinese Culture,” and “An Introduction to the Chinese National Community” are being forced into these institutions.
The government has also launched various Sinicization efforts, establishing propaganda teams to spread the message and provide training at various churches, systematically promoting the Sinicization of Christianity.
These officially sanctioned actions reflect the Chinese regime’s ongoing perception of Christianity as a foreign religion and indirectly suggest the failure of religious work over the past 60-plus years by the “Three-Self Patriotic Movement,” the Bureau of Religious Affairs, and the United Front Department. The government feels the need to intensify its efforts through large-scale, comprehensive, and coercive measures to ensure that religious groups, including their buildings’ appearance and spiritual content, align more closely with the Party’s culture, moral values, and the ideology and political demands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The long-term goal remains to eliminate religion through Marxist materialism as part of a strategy to transform Christianity.
The current phase of the government’s strategy is to employ a range of carefully designed Sinicization measures aimed at altering Christianity and repurposing it to serve the Party’s interests. These efforts underscore the CCP’s deep-seated concerns over the security risks posed by religious groups.