Zhejiang and Henan held activities to promote the sinicization of religions, while Shandong conducted volunteer training to indigenize Christianity in China.
The United Front Work Department of the Henan Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Ethnic and Religious Commission convened a mobilization and deployment meeting for the theme activity of "Insisting on Sinicizing Religions and Concentrating on the Righteous Way" in the province's religious circles on May 6, according to the commission.
The meeting emphasized that through indigenization activities, religions could integrate the excellent traditional Chinese culture and better adapt to China's social system, morality, and culture. Religious groups were encouraged to incorporate Chinese style into religious thought, architecture, dress, music, sculpture, painting, and decoration. Activities such as research on excellent Chinese traditional culture, tour lectures and sermons, promoting honesty and frugality, and building exhibition halls themed on the sinicization of religions were recommended.
More than 1,930 government officials attended the video conference in 123 locations.
The Institute of Socialism in Zhejiang launched a training class for 40 young and middle-aged representatives from religious circles across the province on May 8, according to the Zhejiang Provincial Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission. Bao Xiuying, director of the commission, attended the opening ceremony and gave the first lesson titled "Adhering to the Sinicization of Religion in China and Opening up a New Situation for Religious Work in Zhejiang in the New Era."
This training course, created by the Zhejiang Provincial United Front Work Department and the provincial Institute of Socialism, has been held for 13 consecutive years and produced numerous leaders of provincial and national religious organizations.
The Ningyang County CC&TSPM in Taian City, Shandong Province, held the first volunteer training class in 2023 at Qi En (Amazing Grace) Church from April 28 to 30, with more than 100 participants, reported Shandong CC&TSPM.
Rev. Ren Xianmin, vice president of Shandong CC&TSPM, lectured on "Implementing the Spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and Promoting the Sinicization of Christianity." He urged trainees to recognize the importance of the sinicization of Christianity and the standardization of church construction and management by combining biblical teachings, the history of the development of the Chinese church, the history of theological thought construction, and his pastoral experience over the years.
Rev. Wang Mengkun, general secretary of the provincial CC&TSPM, encouraged the students to resist heretical cults through class training and daily devotionals.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
