Liu Peng

Editor's Note:

House churches in China used to be barely covered by the media. Official sources have started giving them a higher profile. It's estimated that about 50 million Chinese are members of house churches. Why have they chosen house churches instead of the Three Self Church, which is the government-approved Christian body? How should the government better manage them? And what does the future look like for religious development in China?

Global Times (GT) reporter Li Yanjie talked with Liu Peng (Liu), director of the Pushi Institute for Social Science and a researcher at the Institute of American Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, on these issues.

GT: How do you describe house churches and their members?

Liu: House churches have a very long and deep-rooted tradition in Christianity, especially the Protestant tradition.

The key factor in China is that these house churches are unregistered, and are not officially recognized religious groups. They don't have fixed venues for their religious activities, but instead gather in members' houses or other private locations.

It's quite hard to tell how large the population is. I estimate it is probably about 50 million, and over half Christian believers in China are considered house church members. These members span many walks of life, including white-collar workers, teachers, migrant workers, farmers, and so on. Some are very highly-educated, and the age range is quite considerable.

China's Christians are mostly located in Henan, Anhui, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, as well as Beijing and Shanghai. But almost every Chinese city has house church members.

The registered churches in China don't include all sects of Christianity.

So some Christians turn to house churches to practice the doctrines they believe in.

Besides, the small number of registered churches, especially in rural areas, can hardly meet believers' needs.

House churches also operate on a smaller scale, which means people's spiritual needs can be met more easily, and they elect their own pastors, so the members feel a firmer commitment to the community.

It's rather like the economic changes. When State-owned enterprises couldn't meet the public's needs, private businesses naturally appeared.

GT: What do you think of China's current policies on house churches?

Liu: China's current policies on religious affairs are still based on old concepts created in the planned economy period.

The policies are for the convenience of the management of religious affairs and haven't taken into consideration the different needs of believers. Thus, a huge gap exists between the govern-ment's wishes and Christians' needs. That's why house churches are flourishing.

Although the Regulation on Religious Affairs, issued by the State Council in 2004, requires all religious groups to register, it's almost impossible for house churches to get registered, due to the outdated management methods.

Meanwhile, some house churches don't want to register because they prefer to remain in a legal gray zone with some kind of free space.

There are not many substantial serious conflicts between house churches and the government. House churches, most of which are small in size, are popular everywhere in China. And governments at all levels have so many problems to focus on that they don't want to make the issue of house churches their priority.

Currently the government is acquiescing in the existence of house churches, as long as they don't cross the line.

GT: How should the policies change?

Liu: I think the basic solution is the rule of law. The rapid increase of house churches shows people's need for faith. But China hasn't got a basic law on religion.

Although we have a national administrative Regulation on Religious Affairs and many local administrative regulations on religious affairs, they are not laws.

Thus the first thing needed is to create a clear legal status for religious groups, so that when frictions or conflicts occur, there are clear legal guidelines to follow.

Though China's Constitution includes a clause that citizens "enjoy freedom of religious belief (and) the State protects normal religious activities," it's hard to define the term "normal."

And this article implies that the government can decide what religious activities are allowed.

However, the government shouldn't be a judge here, and we should change the wording from "normal" to "legal."

We also need to open the religious market after the law is issued to let all religious bodies to compete freely. The government will only intervene when the law is broken.

It should also cancel its political and financial support of certain religious groups. If a religion or a sect can't survive on its own, it should die out naturally.

The government should also allow religious groups to do charity and non-profit social services. Although these groups can donate now, they can't show their religious identity when doing charity.

That's discrimination, actually. For religious groups, charity and non-profit social services are quite important according to their doctrines and for their development.

I suggest that China chooses several regions or cities as pilot places for religious affairs management system reform.

We can learn from experiences there and then promote it nationally.

GT: How do you see the influence of house churches on social stability?

Liu: That depends. If the government tries to crack down on these unregistered religious groups, they will resist, as believers generally have a firm faith in their doctrines.

If the government adopts a more practical policy and lets religious groups have equal access to society, it will enable them to play a positive social role.

Actually, what the religious believers really care about is whether they can practise their religious faith freely.

GT: Does the increased coverage of house churches in the official Chinese media indicate a shift in policy?

Liu: I personally think it indicates something. Any reform should first prepare public opinion.

The government may have realized that the current religious affairs management system cannot provide a good solution for the new issues they are facing today.

GT: Do Chinese house churches have any connections with foreign groups?

Liu: Christian groups around the world have some connections with each other, but the connection is not a subordinate or organizational relationship.

China's house churches and foreign groups have connections. In the past, some house churches did receive some financial support from overseas, but now the connections are mainly religious or spiritual.

So it's Chinese who control China's house churches and decide their development, not foreigners or foreign countries.

House churches' financial capacity in China is growing quickly as China's economy, so they don't need financial support from abroad.

House churches' relationship with Christian believers in other countries won't change their position as good citizens. Abiding by relevant laws and regulations is always their priority.

However, if they cannot practice their religious faiths, their situation will receive a high concern and attention from believers internationally.

GT: How will China's house churches develop in the future?

Liu: China is experiencing a faith crisis. People need faith or religion to meet their spiritual needs.

If such needs cannot be met, the pursuit of spiritual value will continue. In this case, religious growth will be natural and unavoidable.

If China keeps its current policy, house churches will develop continually.

If the government adopts strict management and limitations, house churches will develop a more flexible way to grow. So the government faces a dilemma.

If the government can make a rule of law for religions and let all the religious groups compete freely, the issue of house churches will no longer exist.