CHINA WANTS TO CREATE AND PROMOTE A SINICIZED CHRISTIAN PROTESTANT ...

Ms. M.W. shared this article with us, and I think it's so significant that I scarcely know where to begin to comment on it:

China plans establishment of Christian theology

As I mentioned, I scarcely know where to begin, nor really, what this all might portend, but it is certainly grounds for some high octane speculation. Let us begin with what I suspect are the key paragraphs in the article:

"'Over the past decades, the Protestant churches in China have developed very quickly with the implementation of the country's religious policy. In the future, we will continue to boost the development of Christianity in China,' said Wang Zuoan, director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Wang said Chinese Christian theology should be compatible with the country's path of socialism.

"'The construction of Chinese Christian theology should adapt to China's national condition and integrate with Chinese culture'" Wang said at a seminar on the Sinicization of Christianity in Shanghai, part of an event to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China."

And later these statements:

"A five-year campaign to promote Christian theology in China, launched in 2013, will provide theological guidance for church rostrums in China and will promote the positive and correct theological thinking with a range of publications, exchanges, discussions and evangelism.

...

"'This will encourage more believers to make contributions to the country's harmonious social progress, cultural prosperity and economic development,' Gu said."(all emphases added).

Note firstly that the article refers to the growth of Protestantism in China, and says little about the beleagurred Chinese Roman Catholic church, nor is there any mention of the Eastern Orthodox Chinese Church. One may, of course, appreciate why the Chinese should be "semi-officially" interested in forms of Protestantism, for in the case of Roman Catholicism, the teaching magisterium lies in Rome, and hence, its "theologizing" would  ultimately lie outside the type of malleable "adjustment" of doctrine to suit "socialist reality" and "harmonious social progress" being sought. Additionally, Rome's opposition to abortion and birth control runs squarely counter to China's own compulsory birth control laws. In the case of Orthodoxy, again the teaching magisterium lies ultimately outside governmental control, even of the most harsh kind, as the Soviets discovered. For the Orthodox, patristic and liturgical tradition are the measures of "positive and correct theological thinking."

Which brings us to Protestantism. From the historical point of view, Protestantism naturally commends itself to the Chinese situation, with its promotion of individual responsibility and work ethic, and even, in some Reformers' hands, the promotion of a generally "capitalist" system while at the same time advocating a strong moral and social order, duty to responsible governments, and so on. Protestantism, which also spawned so many different denominations, would also be more malleable to the kinds of "adjustments" being spoken about in the article, and indeed, during the 19th century spawned various "social gospel" movements and generally backed progressive or left-leaning political agendas, even, in a few instances, some significant stabs in the direction of "liberation theology" that might be appealing to a mixed economy state like China.

The real question is, what is the motivation here? I suggest - in my high octane speculation of the day - that the real motivation may be two-fold, one a domestic agenda, and the other, a geopolitical one. The domestic agenda might be being driven by the realization that eventually, China's Communist ideology simply does not afford the type of social cohesive power that religion does, and hence, the future cohesion of Chinese society might lie in some sort of broad amalgamation of the two, a kind of Sinicized "Social Gospel" approach. The geopolitical agenda, however, might be motivated in a view toward "evangelizing' this amalgamation to the Protestant world at large, and thereby - so they might think - extend China's reach and influence, and simultaneously "improving its image" in world opinion. In either case, the program being announced would seem to be a total one: a reexamination and "Sinicization" of all signal components and monuments of Christian doctrine, including some very ancient ones. In the long run, to make this program work, China will have to come to some modus vivendi with Roman and Orthodox Catholicism, and that will be a much more difficult task.

And finally, there is Islam, and here again, any notion that China would countenance fatwahs being issued by a fundamentally independent clergy is bound to be anathema, and China has to consider the long term implications of its emerging global geopolitical status vis-a-vis the Islamic world carefully. It would appear that China is adopting an approach that won't be greeted happily by radical elements in that world.

The bottom line folks, is that this is one to watch.

See you on the flip side.

Posted in

Joseph P. Farrell

Joseph P. Farrell has a doctorate in patristics from the University of Oxford, and pursues research in physics, alternative history and science, and "strange stuff". His book The Giza DeathStar, for which the Giza Community is named, was published in the spring of 2002, and was his first venture into "alternative history and science".

24 Comments

  1. henry on August 26, 2014 at 1:01 pm

    The Chinese government only use religion to achieve certain political agenda, like using the Panchen Lama to counter the Dalai Lama by promoting him to vice-chairman of Chinese Buddhism association; using Buddhism to formulating relation with Taiwan by sending Buddhist relic to the island; and this official promotion of “Christianity” i suspect is the same.

    I’m glad Dr.Farrell’s work mentioned the Li family and their influence in China over the course of history because that is something i really overlooked before reading your work.
    And if that observation of yours is true, and if Fulford’s intel regarding the current Premier of China is true, according to which he is a member of that ancient Li clan.

    Then perhaps there is a way to decipher this ‘official’ promotion of Christianity in China, by going back into history, to the Tang dynasty when the Li family was the ruling clan. To understand their handling of religion one might study closely what they did during the Tang era.

    The early Tang period saw strong development of international trade through the “silk road” once the Turks were defeated, as China became increasingly open to the outside world, various religions flourished in the country, including Buddhism, Nestorianism, Manichaeism etc.
    It is true Tang China was open to all religions, however modern Buddhist and Christian advocates always like to overlook one factor, that the Tang ruling clan themselves were “Taoists”.
    For instance, one of the founding fathers of Tang dynasty, emperor Taizong was ‘questioned’ by a leading figure from the Buddhist circle because they think the emperor’s religious policy is “discrimitive” to Buddhism when compared to his attitude towards Taoism.
    The Buddhist master went to so far as to insult Laozi while glorifying Buddha in Taizong’s court, Taizong was understandably furious because Laozi was his ancestor, so he banished the monk.

    Because of this “family connection” to Taoism, the ruling members of Tang dynasty usually carry a Taoist talisman, symbolically making them “disciples of Taoism”.
    This often overlooked “religious factor” played an important part in Empress Wu Zetian’s coup against the Tang regime afterwhich she established the “Zhou dynasty” and became the first female emperor of China.

    As a devote Buddhist, Wu Zetian favored Buddhism, in turn the Buddhist circle favored the political figure so much that she was even being regarded by certain leading Buddhist leaders as “living Buddha”, Buddhism helped her ascension to power by gathering alot of public support for her as there are many Buddhist believers in the country.
    That is why during her reign the influence of Buddhism in China reached a peak, there were so many Buddhist temples been built and so many people converted to Buddhism during the period that after her “Zhou dynasty” was overthrown by remnants of the ruling clan of Tang dynasty afterwhich they restored the Tang, the overspread of Buddhism in China was regarded as a serious problem by the resurgent Tang regime, so much so the Tang government launched a massive campaign to solve this “social problem” by demolishing countless Buddhist temples, but Buddhism was not the only one affected by this campaign, other “foreign-imported” religions were affected as well, the only one was spared during this “religious purge” known as “destruction of religions” was Taoism, because Taoist temple was regarded by the Tang emperors as “ancestral temple”. All the “foreign-imported” religions that suffered under the “religious purge” by the Tang regime were already “sinicized” versions.

    Argubly, the so called “harmonious society” which has been advocated by the “populist” aspect of current Communist regime can find its philosophical roots in “Taoism”, while the idea of “people foremost” has its roots in Confucianism, afterall “communism” is but a recent adoption.

    The Chinese government has been promoting “silk road” in accordance with its rising to international prestige through massive trade, in other words they want to China to return to the prosperous era of Tang dynasty, which means the country would become more open to foreign cultures including religions, but as the lessons from Tang era also indicates, there is a limit to that openness.

    This is one way to look at this “sinicization of Christianity” under CCP. But there are other ways to look at it.



  2. EVERMORE on August 26, 2014 at 11:58 am

    Almost 100 years ago the great American Christian psychic Edgar Cayce envisioned a future where China would be the:

    “.. the cradle of Christianity as applied in the lives of men.”

    He has been proven correct way too many times to be ignored.



  3. Milton Zentmyer on August 26, 2014 at 10:21 am

    Politicized religion is not a good thing anywhere in any part of the world. This looks like a move to put China on the chess board, come rapture and all that stuff. This is not positive in my opinion.



  4. nobodyouwantoknow on August 25, 2014 at 10:18 pm

    Silly hominid biped ninny nitwits !

    Only J.R. “Bob” Dobbs can save you and your money !

    Join the Church of the SubGenius before it’s too late ! ( which will be July 5, 1998 )

    Or, join ISIS for bloodthirsty farts & giggles, just to hedge your bet !



  5. Lin on August 25, 2014 at 9:00 pm

    Maybe someone is trying to set up an “Hegelian dialectic”. In the USA Walter Rauschenbusch provided the thesis, Lyman Stewart and his brother Milton anonymously funded publication of The Fundamentals, which provided the antithesis. Premillenial dispensationalism was the synthesis, one created by Untermeyer and published at Oxford. You don’t just get fundamentalism, but an Israeli centric fundamentalism. One that can exert political control over a society. I know this is a sloppy “quick and dirty”, but it is “high octane speculation”. It has been a successful game plan in the USA. Maybe it will fly in china



  6. bdw000 on August 25, 2014 at 4:57 pm

    But how could this work?

    I admittedly don’t know much about China’s recent history, but hasn’t the Chinese government propagandized its people AGAINST Christianity (or any religion) for the last 60 years? I don’t see how most(not all, of course)Chinese could see this as anything but a joke. At least, I would hope that is the general response.



  7. jedi on August 25, 2014 at 2:25 pm

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmIYzvQ1_0o

    for those wondering about mk ultra…..great article that ties Evelyn in with this, watch Eyes wide Shut with your esoteric eyes on for further glimpse of how accurate Kubrick predicted theses events….as well as 911..back in 1999.

    Have they got something planned for its 13th anniversary this year?



  8. DownunderET on August 25, 2014 at 1:49 pm

    I get the jitters whenever anybody even mentions the word religion. This is a strange story indeed, but knowing the Chinese, there has to be an agenda for this move, albeit ever so strange.
    The Chinese go way back in time, anybody want to say I Ching here??
    I’d also like to see the Chinese “translation” of the Bible, and which chapters they want to “exclude”!!!, eh forget to put in I meant to say.



  9. GizaBrother on August 25, 2014 at 11:26 am

    There are multiple interesting possibilities. But the way I interpret this is that the cracks in the deception layers are now opening up so much that a nation like China now officially wants to be bold enough to sort of openly declare distance to the Vatican and fine adjust its route by becoming more value driven in its investments and ways of developing China/the world. In fact, I think this is actually not coming from the Chinese government primarily, but rather from white powers active beyond the scenes in Asia that in turn are in contact with higher intelligence ET races. This thing could be one of the biggest signs so far that the Cabal is really in a massive struggle right now globally speaking, that positive truths are working on a grand scale. As a truth seeker, deep in my heart I know that Christ consciousness – being in unconditional love – is the key to everything.



    • jedi on August 25, 2014 at 11:54 am

      Christ said he was not of this world.



    • jedi on August 25, 2014 at 2:00 pm

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmIYzvQ1_0o

      revelations number 9…and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit…(space?)
      also is there a connection/ coincidence of the recent earth quakes in California?



      • GizaBrother on August 26, 2014 at 1:08 pm

        Yeah, good point about Christ saying he was not of this world and I do believe that is so. Collectively finding and being in Christ consciousness, is the key.

        “I am the way the truth and the life” – Christ



    • henry on August 26, 2014 at 10:40 pm

      “Christ consciousness”,huh.
      I have seen ‘it’ when i was a child, like from the movie “The Da Vincin Code”, and you know what, “Christ” doesnt appear to me as a “white man”.

      But he didnt appear to me as a “yellow man” either. All that “supernatual” experience from my life i am still not a believer in “god”, because only mortals believe in “gods”. And i dont plan to be mortals forever.

      But to supermacists of any form, a “god” must be a defined form.
      So what if i was been visited by a higher-being not from this world, does that experience help me in anyway to stay away from any narrow-minded supermacist interpretation of the “divine”?

      I’ve had many dreams of weird contents, for instance, going through an energy portal to ‘Mexico’ where i saw the land has been engulfed by great flood; to Egypt where i visited a secret chamber inside a great pyramid; meeting with an elderly Taoist master at a mountain where he sent me inside some cave battling demons; dreamt of huge spaceships materializing and dematerializing in the sky over and over again, one of the beautifully colored saucer shaped craft approached to me which years later proved to be possibly a “Pleiadian light ship”;

      Do you think i need any pea-brained supermacist to tell me what my own dreams mean?



  10. basta on August 25, 2014 at 11:16 am

    Religions of the Book were created and promulgated for top-down control.

    China’s pretty late to the game, but better late than never, right?



    • bdw000 on August 25, 2014 at 4:53 pm

      Nicely put basta.

      That’s how I see it too. Christianity in any form has a proven track record as one of the finest mind control tools that any government could ever wish for.



  11. Gaia Mars-hall on August 25, 2014 at 9:41 am

    One wonders if the Talmudic Schofield Reference Bible fraud is what is being pushed? That would be interesting to know.

    Also here is an important paper surveying the historical and philosophical landscape of an ecumenical understanding between east and west.

    http://www.schillerinstitute.org/fid_91-96/932_mob.html



  12. Robert Barricklow on August 25, 2014 at 9:10 am

    1. Control
    2. Acceptance(global)
    3. Vatican/Occult connection???



  13. jedi on August 25, 2014 at 8:43 am

    Buddhists around the world snicker.



  14. QuietRiot on August 25, 2014 at 8:35 am

    Sure, it makes sense. I think it might have to do also with the Yuan as a global currency. A lot of people would be against using it because of the “godless communists” rhetoric and reality. This way, China can use protestantism to rehabilitate its image as it begins to supplant the dollar.

    It also gives them a social connection to northern Europe, including Germany, and the US and Mexico. It also allows them to regulate evangelicalism more effectively, by providing a “pressure relief” valve against their stridency.

    It makes sense that they would try to make friends with it, as it is a secular-supporting state religious framework. Clearly, the agrarian communist rhetoric of 1930 is past showing its age.



  15. marcos toledo on August 25, 2014 at 7:25 am

    If I was China I take close look at what Christianity has done to Europe since Constantine. And it’s part in sanctifying Europe world wide imperial enterprise’s and use of it’s theology to justify their crimes. And does China what to get in bed with Judeo-Christo-Islam agenda to turn over the solar system to pun god knows what these idiots may a bargain with. Given these religions histories I have them at arms length and closely watched for China long term security.



    • DanaThomas on August 25, 2014 at 10:28 am

      I totally agree. This seems to be a step “backwards” to Protestant mission-educated reformer Sun Yat-Sen, founder of the Republic of China.
      What it would really be interesting to know (any readers of Chinese out there…?) is something about the studies in elite circles on the I Ching and related astrological and numerological traditions such as those of Shao Yung; if a German wrote that little booklet years ago on the hexagrams and DNA, there must be a lot of research like this going on quietly in China today.
      And finally, does this growing interest in politicized religion have anything to do with recent Chinese space exploration?



      • Gaia Mars-hall on August 26, 2014 at 7:42 am

        No Sun Yat-Sen represents the model of the step forward that China is already committed to exemplified by its commitment to develop H3, Helium 3, fusion technology. Sun Yat-Sen was influenced by the Hamiltonian American System of Economics.

        http://larouchepac.com/node/20260



      • henry on August 26, 2014 at 1:50 pm

        @”I totally agree. This seems to be a step “backwards” to Protestant mission-educated reformer Sun Yat-Sen, founder of the Republic of China.”

        I believe that is a misconception about him.

        @”What it would really be interesting to know (any readers of Chinese out there…?) is something about the studies in elite circles on the I Ching and related astrological and numerological traditions such as those of Shao Yung; if a German wrote that little booklet years ago on the hexagrams and DNA, there must be a lot of research like this going on quietly in China today.
        And finally, does this growing interest in politicized religion have anything to do with recent Chinese space exploration?”

        This is a good question though, and the answer is “look at Europe”.



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