The new rules convert churches into Communist propaganda outlets. The Three-Self Church leaders solemnly received the Measures and promised to promote them.
Earlier this month, “Bitter Winter” published the first full English translation of the new “Administrative Measures for Religious Activity Venues,” which will come into force on September 1 next. With respect to the draft previously circulated, in their final text there are even stricter provisions for including propaganda content in sermons, and establishing study groups of Communist Party documents in all places of worship. Religious activity venues should actively broadcast CCP propaganda, or face liquidation.
Confirming that it is now reduced to the driving belt of any decision of the CCP, no matter how intrinsically anti-religious and anti-Christian, the government-controlled Protestant Three-Self Church has immediately promised to strictly enforce the new Measures in all the Christian churches it controls in China.
On August 2, 2023, the Three-Self Church organized a special meeting to solemnly receive the Measures and swear allegiance to them. Pastor Xu Xiaohong, chairman of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee, presided over the ceremony. Pastor Wu Wei, President of the China Christian Association, Pastor Kan Baoping, Vice Chairman of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee, Pastor Shan Weixiang, Vice President and Director-General of the China Christian Association, Pastor Lin Manhong, deputy director-general of the same association, also spoke.
The full text was read to the participants. Pastor Xu Xiaohong praised the Measures for guaranteeing “the safety, harmony and stability of Christian places of worship,” and making sure that Christians will “run churches in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations.” Pastor Wu Wei said that “it was great time to enact these Measures,” and Christian pastors should understand that their job is now the “construction of a religious order that is compatible with a socialist society.”
The Three-Self Church promised to remain vigilant and favor “the strict governance of religion,” in accordance with “Xi Jinping’s thought on the rule of law.” Whether religion will be governed in accordance with Christ and the Gospel is much less clear.