Juicy Ecumenism | Sept. 17, 2018
In the midst of a campaign by the Chinese Communist Government to “Sinicize” religion and demand unswerving loyalty to the Communist Party, Chinese Christian leaders have declared their unswerving loyalty to Jesus Christ. As of September 10, 2018, 279 leaders had signed onto a public statement affirming religious freedom and issuing a call to repentance and salvation.
This is not the first time that Chinese Christian leaders have signed a joint statement of faith while in the throes of intense persecution. In the fall of 1998, house church leaders issued “A United Appeal of the Various Schools of the Chinese House Church” to the Chinese Communist government urging it to end its crackdown on the unregistered churches. Thanks to my amazing archive of international religious freedom material based on 25 years of advocacy, you can see a copy of that 1998 statement below.
The St. Charles Institute, advocates for persecuted Christians, reported on the new action. They provide the entire text of the September 2018 statement, entitled, “A Declaration for the Sake of the Christian Faith” (3rd edition). The declaration opens with the Chinese church leaders’ affirmation of the gospel and their accountability before God to share it with the world:
We believe and are obligated to teach the world that the one true and living Triune God is the Creator of the universe, of the world, and of all people. All men should worship God and not any man or thing. We believe and are obligated to teach the world that all men, from national leaders to beggars and prisoners, have sinned. They will die once and then be judged in righteousness. Apart from the grace and redemption of God, all men would eternally perish. We believe and are obligated to teach the world that the crucified and risen Jesus is the only Head of the global church, the sole Savior of all mankind, and the everlasting Ruler and supreme Judge of the universe. To all who repent and believe in Him, God will give eternal life and an eternal Kingdom.