A lone pastor is taking on Beijing for religious freedom
“If my sacrifice can stop the storm that is falling on Chinese churches and crosses, then it will not be in vain.”
With these words on July 16, the latest chapter in China’s drive of church demolitions in Zhejiang province opened.
Penned in his last will and testament, the words of Christian pastor Zhan Yingsheng signalled the commencement of a fast and occupation of his own Salvation Church in Wenzhou City, the heart of an ongoing campaign by government authorities to either fully demolish churches or at least remove their rooftop crosses.
In May, The Irish Catholic chartered the growing movement to deal with Christian communities – ‘China unsettled by religion threat’ (IC 15/5/14) – under the guise of action against breaches of planning guidelines. That action led to the complete demolition of the massive Sanjiang church despite desperate attempts by its congregation to protect it via a human chain of protest and has, to date, seen over 300 places of worship suffer a similar fate or drastic remodelling to wipe expressions of faith from the landscape.
Now, feeling himself left with no other choice, Pastor Zhan has locked himself into a tower of his church in a last ditch attempt to thwart police access to the cross directly above.
At the time of writing, the pastor was continuing with his fast. “What I’m doing now is not for making a show or trying to get some publicity,” Pastor Zhan stated in his July 16 testament. “Instead, I’m doing so because there is no other alternative.”
Duty
In a swipe at local government, Pastor Zhan continues: “In China, the country that is supposed to be under the rule of law, some government officials put their will above the law.
“In the meantime, their subordinates, in order to get promoted for their ‘performance’, disregard the law and the disciplines, and trample on the faith of the Christians. They compete with each other in the number and speed of demolitions so that they can win prizes. Whenever I see this, my heart bleeds. That’s why I’ve decided today to go live in the clock tower under the cross of the church to pray and to fast with my Bible and hymns… as a Christian facing unrighteousness, my conscience urges me to do my duty.”
Publicity may not be the intended consequence of Pastor Zhan’s actions, but it has been the result nevertheless.
As church and cross demolitions across Zhejiang have continued, the inevitable ‘media fatigue’ set in, with the repetition of congregations staging protests and suffering beatings and arrests as a result crying out for ‘something new’ to re-fire international attention. To some measure, Pastor Zhan, in his lonely tower, has done that.
Proof
The proof of the power – at least symbolically – of this solitary witness lies in matters unfolding since the commencement of Past Zhan’s protest.
Before and since July 16, worshippers at the Salvation church have worked unacknowledged on the world stage to defy police and demolition workers, again suffering the hard hand of the authorities for their pains.
The July 21 demolition of Kau Yan Church in the Zhejiang town of Shuitou, involving 500 police officers, barely rated a mention beyond Chinese borders, while in Beijing, and even further down the news agenda, was the act of rebellion by seminarians at a college in the city who refused to participate in their own graduation ceremony due to the proposed presence of a government-sanctioned – and therefore excommunicated – bishop.
“We do not want to go against the Pope, and this will mean no longer becoming priests,” the seminarians stated in a joint letter to college authorities. “At least we will have a clean soul, in communion with the universal Church and united in love of Christ.”
All of the young priests have now been expelled.
Truth
Against this, another fact has gone largely unreported. That is the growth in the number of Christians screwing their colours to the mast in defence of their faith and places of worship since the beginning of 2014.
This is a matter recorded and reported on locally by journalist and blogger Zan Aizong who has written in relation to Zhejiang: “The Communist Party wanted to suppress the Christian effect due to jealousy and fear of losing its mass base. They can’t conquer the people after decades of Communist Party rule. The gap between rich and poor is getting bigger; more social injustice is emerging.
“It is verified by numbers that Marxism does not work in China. A real government should strictly follow the law to protect the cross not remove it.”
For the record, it must be stated that Zan has previously felt the effects of official ire for his reportage. Fired from his job in 2006 for his ‘unacceptable’ stories, he has suffered arrest since for daring to speak truth to power.
Individuals like Zan and Pastor Zhan may yet be dealt with by the powers that be, but their actions suggest that Beijing’s authority is on a losing streak in attempting to deal with those who will stand up for what they believe.