中欧社会论坛 - China Europa Forum

Authors: Fredrik Fällman

Religious believers are not a majority in contemporary China, but a very large minority. According to a recent survey by East China Normal University in Shanghai there are now around 300 million religious believers in China. During the early 1990s the CPC leadership put forth the idea of “religion adapting to socialist society” (zongjiao yu shehuizhuyi shehui xiang shiying 宗教与社会主义社会相适应). This concept is very interesting. During the cause of history, religion has always adapted to contemporary society in one or the other way, but not always to serve the interests of one or another political entity. The basic idea of the adaptation in China is to promote patriotism, reduce tension between believers and non-believers, and play down religious teachings that are “not in harmony with the development”. The goal seems to be a moralised religion with less of faith than religious structure. That might still be of use for bringing about some kind of “harmonious society”, but it would lack the life-changing experience of faith.

In Northern Europe development has taken other ways than in China, and a strong welfare state has been developed, sometimes called “a model society” but it could also be called “a harmonious society”. The churches served their part in building modern Nordic society, but not through government or party demands. It was rather a reaction to control and power, especially with the “free church” movement. Faith made individual Christians ready to take on responsibilities and to interact with others in a way that benefited development, and perhaps even state formation. Today Sweden is among the most secularised countries in the World, but over 80% of the population still belong to a church. Where is the place of religion in this situation? In the last few years a wide range of people in Sweden have put forth a radical criticism of religion. It is paradoxical that the CPC sees the potential of religion, even if only instrumentally for the betterment of country and party, when people in Sweden criticise religion for “diminishing people”.

Many Chinese intellectuals embarked on a spiritual journey through their research in the 1980s and arrived at a kind of private faith. One vision out of this is to bring Christian ethics into Chinese society as a foundation for a new modernity. This may seem as a way of “using” religion to “save China”, but these “Cultural Christians” came to their conclusions through a search for a sincere faith or at least a deep appreciation of the Christian message. Private or public benefit or use was not the primary goal. Not all of them are believers, but many are and they argue for a dialogue of ideas and ideologies to reach their goal. Some intellectuals look for a dialogue between Confucianism and Christianity, and others strongly criticise Chinese traditional thinking for lack of transcendence and for paving the way for authoritarian rule. There is also an emerging “prophetic” voice of social criticism from some intellectuals, writers and artists, based in their Christian faith.

In Europe or China religion cannot be merely a tool for development, nationalism or a foundation for ethical rules. It is not the structure or the ethical teaching that changes people, but faith, and faith does not conform to government planning. The challenge for us in Europe and in China is to find a balance between a secular state and men and women of faith in society, to see the naturally converging points and not put down the force of faith and religion but listen and allow it to inspire.