07/19/2021 China (International Christian Concern) – Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials have ordered pastors belonging to the state-controlled body of the Protestant Church to study and preach President Xi Jinping’s recent speech. Xi Jinping delivered the address on July 1, the 100th anniversary of the CCP.
Officials issued the orders during the national conference of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, the state-controlled body of the Protestant Church in mainland China, and the China Christian Council (CCC). The CCC oversees education in Three-Self churches. The conference, which took place on July 8, was entitled “Learning and Implementing the Spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Speech of July 1.”
In the July 1 address delivered by Xi Jinping, he discussed the importance of the CCP in shaping modern China and emphasized that China would be crushed without the strength provided by socialism and the CCP.
According to UCA News, the state-appointed heads of the two groups attending the conference stated that pastors are now expected to make President Xi’s speech their central topic of study, preaching, and Bible studies. Pastors were given a model sermon based on the nine points in the speech glorifying China, the CCP, and President Xi.
Officials warned that a failure to comply with these orders would be considered a violation of Sinicization and would likely result in the church being shut down. Sinicization is enforced by the CCP and aims to impose strict rules on societies and institutions based on the core values of socialism, autonomy, and supporting the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.
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