(Shanghai – February 21, 2024) The government-approved East China Theological Seminary in Shanghai has signed an agreement with the “Two organizations (Lianghui)” (The National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China and The China Christian Council) of Huangpu District, to continue promoting the sinicization of Christianity in 2024. This politically-oriented agreement between the government-approved organizations and the theological seminary is quite unusual, deviating completely from the usual path of faith and the church.
According to reports from the official website of The protestant Churches in China, the East China Theological Seminary in Shanghai has signed an agreement with the People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (referred to as “Two Sessions”) of Huangpu District, Shanghai. This agreement aims to continue promoting the Sinicization of Christianity in 2024, in line with the “Patriotic Education Law” and the “Outline of a Five-Year Work Plan To Advance the Sinicization of Christianity (2023 – 2027).”
The report states that on January 19, the East China Theological Seminary mentioned that they collaborated with the “Two Sessions” of Huangpu District in Shanghai last year (2023) to initiate a “Seminar on the Sinicization of Christianity.” In the same year, they also organized a “Preaching in Shanghai” seminar. Speakers at the seminar discussed the theme of “Be Patriotic and Faithful, Then Can One Be Promising,” and explored the “Elaboration on the Sinicization of Religious Doctrines in China.”
The Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau of Huangpu District, a Shanghai government department, said it would help monitor the work of the Christian community in Huangpu District.
Since Xi Jinping came to power, the Chinese government has systematically and gradually undertaken deliberate transformations of religious beliefs, with an increasingly suffocating level of interference. This includes controlling religious individuals, religious venues, and religious institutions such as seminaries. This year, the introduction of the “Patriotic Education Law” further solidifies these efforts. Article 22 of this law encourages and supports religious groups, religious schools, and venues for religious activities to carry out patriotic education. The aim is to strengthen the national consciousness, civic consciousness, legal awareness, and patriotic sentiments of religious personnel and believers, guiding religion to align with a socialist society.
The regime also managed to make the Church issue the Outline of a Five-Year Work Plan To Advance the Sinicization of Christianity (2023 – 2027).” The new plan emphasizes the study of Xi Jinping’s Thought and aims to continually enhance the compatibility of Christianity with socialist society. It promotes the sinicization of Christianity by starting with the sinicization of theological thought, striving to interpret doctrines and regulations in a way that aligns with the core values of socialism.
The implementation of these provisions on managing religion and the fundamental idea of “making these beliefs align with the Communist Party” is not about defending the citizens’ rights and freedom of belief. Instead, they are placing religious oppression and persecution “shackle” on faith communities. The open collaboration between the East China Theological Seminary in Shanghai and the government’s United Front Work Department to sign a highly political “sell-out” agreement will only lead to the further loss of identity for the seminary.
