Amid the imposition of communist ideology on Christian churches in China, a process known as the sinicization of religion, Xi Jinping’s regime is now seeking to alter even the wedding ceremonies and funerals of Christians in the territory.
According to the NGO China Aidwhich monitors the situation of religious persecution in the Asian giant, the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of Protestant Churches in China and the Christian Council of China, from Henan province, are pushing for changes in the current liturgical elements of Christianity, in attempt to incorporate Chinese folklore or superstitious folklore, or even political elements into ceremonies.
Another organization, China Christian Daily, produced a report showing progress in imposing Chinese ideology on religious events.
The document listed a series of discussions that took place during a Sinicization of Christianity Research Office symposium on the theory and practice of the Sinicization of Christianity. Around 30 members of the communist party participated in the event.
The report notes that participants in the two-day symposium “analyzed the adaptability and innovation of the doctrine of God as reflected in weddings and funerals within traditional Chinese culture” and explored how Christian weddings and funerals could be integrated into traditional Chinese wedding customs.
This process has already been applied to other religions present in China and now Christians are the new target of influence.
A traditional church funeral, for example, features congregational songs, prayers, biblical readings, testimonies, and a farewell ceremony. With the Sinicization project of these rites, Christian ceremonies must go through a process of de-Christianization, based on the imposition of a Chinese folkloric influence or the inclusion of superstitions that are not expected in the rites.
In October 2020, the funeral procession of a 73-year-old Christian member of a house church in Xinye County, Henan Province, was broken up by local police.
Church members carrying crosses and other Christian items were arrested at the cemetery and placed in police cars, while other Christians fled. In the same month, when a Christian family in the city of Anyang invited a Christian choir and band to be part of the funeral procession for their deceased family member, officials of the Chinese communist regime threatened to “arrest anyone present.” In the end, not a single person showed up because they were scared.
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