"Marxianity"

"The people of the People's Republic of China shall have freedom of . . . religious belief." With these fine words, the Chinese Communist government tried last fall to soothe anxious Christians, inside China and out. For a while, many a Protestant missionary and even some old China hands were hopeful. But it was soon made plain, even to the hopeful Christians who had swallowed the "agrarian reform" line, that Communists in China feel no more kindly toward Christianity than do Communists in the U.S.S.R., Czechoslovakia and Hungary.

Energetic Participation. Peiping radio proclaimed last fortnight that a "reformation of Christianity" is under way in China. A declaration issued in July and signed by 1,527 pastors, students, theologians and church leaders, it announced, had warned that "imperialist" countries would try to use "Christianity to carry out provocative, agitational activities and develop reactionary power." To prevent this, the declaration had recommended that Christian churches should be promptly purged of all "imperialistic influence," deprived of all support from abroad,* subjected to compulsory unification of "various sects" and compulsory indoctrination against "imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism."

The Communists' best bellwether for what quipsters call the new "Marxianity" is learned Anglican T. C. Chao, dean of Yenching University's School of Religion, who was elected two years ago as one of the six co-presidents of the World Council of Churches. In a recent circular letter, Dr. Chao and such other Christian venerables as Methodist Bishop Z. T. Kuang (who baptized Chiang Kai-shek 20 years ago) attempted to justify the reform program on the grounds that it enabled the church to "energetically participate in the construction of the new China."

The Real Temptation. The Communists' overt regimentation tactics vary. Sometimes such crushing taxes are levied on church properties that the church is forced to sell or give up its land and buildings. Missionaries are often confined to one spot under virtual house arrest. Chinese clergymen get compulsory indoctrination in the word according to Marx, and are required to report to commissars each week on their study of Communist doctrines and their practice of "self-criticism." Church premises are frequently "borrowed" by government officials for "people's meetings" or "people's theaters" just at the time for church services. Roman Catholics suffer more than Protestants'; in some instances, according to report, priests and nuns are being forced to marry.

But strong-arm methods--as many another tyrant has learned--are not always the worst thing a religion has to fear. Warned 16-year-long China Missionary Samuel E. Boyle: "The danger now facing the Chinese churches is not that of physical persecution. The real peril is spiritual --in yielding to the temptation to accept half-slavery."

* Princeton University's Student Christian Association voted last week to continue making a yearly contribution of approximately $1,500 to help pay the salaries of Yenching's British and American professors. Even though some Communist courses are taught there, according to recently returned Psychology Professor Randolph C. Sailer, there is still considerable political and religious freedom. "Keeping these contacts alive," he said, "is more important than the Voice of America broadcasts."

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