In line with Mao Zedong’s Great Cultural Revolution. faith was banned and godlessness was declared to be the official faith of the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) . The socialist transmutation of China required the riddance of the alleged Four Olds – Old Habits. Old Ideas. Old Culture. and Old Customs ( Overmyer. 2000 ) . At the tallness of this run. spiritual activities were banned and constructions of worship such as churches. mosques. temples. and monasteries were destroyed and looted.

After Mao’s decease in 1976. China revised its place on faith in consonant rhyme with the “Reform and Opening” policy implemented by Deng Xiaoping in 1978. which led toward a period of verve and cultural openness. The official place of the Chinese state was embodied in Document 19. a directive which led to the reestablishment of faiths and spiritual personal businesss in China. While Document 19 guaranteed freedom of faith as agencies of unifying its people. it still empowered the province to command and modulate worship to guarantee its stableness and endurance.

There's a specialist from your university waiting to help you with that essay.
Tell us what you need to have done now!


order now

Renewed definition of faith Document 19 critically analyzed the impact of its restrictive spiritual policy and recognized that faith was a important historical phenomenon in “the development of human society” ( MacInnis. 1989. p. 10 ) . The directive produced a comprehensive analysis of the function of faith in China. sketching the mistakes of the CCP in covering with the spiritual inquiry. most notably the “leftist” excesses during the Great Cultural Revolution which made China capable to terrible international unfavorable judgment.

China’s spiritual policy after release “forcibly forbade normal spiritual activities by the mass of spiritual trusters. ” “misinterpreted the imposts of faiths. ” and “used violent steps against faiths coercing spiritual motions underground” ( MacInnis. 1989. p. 13 ) . Finally. harmonizing to the directive. the coercive policy toward the spiritual inquiry went contrary to Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought and ended with the devastation non merely topographic points of worship but historical sites such as Daoist and Buddhist temples.

Document 19 besides aimed to rectify the theoretical mistakes that came with the old spiritual policy. It concluded that extinguishing freedom of worship violated one of the Party’s rule undertakings: unifying the people. Harmonizing to the directive. there were about 59. 000 “religious professionals” in China ; 27. 000 Buddhist monastics and nuns ; 2. 600 Daoist priests and nuns ; 20. 000 Muslim imaums ; 3. 400 were Catholic priests ; and 5. 900 were from Protestant clergy” ( MacInnis. 1989. p. 15 ) .

The Document stressed that the old position of estranging trusters was unrealistic because sing that the lives of the Chinese people after release and during the Socialist Reconstruction merely improved bit by bit. it was a error to fast-track the Cultural Revolution. Furthermore. sing that category battle still exists in China despite release. “the long-run influence of faith among a portion of the people in a Socialistic society can non be avoided” ( MacInnis. 1989. p. 15 ) .

Alternatively of coercing the people to abandon their spiritual beliefs. the State must acknowledge that faiths. like the province. will shrivel off once the nonsubjective demands for a Socialist and Communist province will hold been met. Because the old policy divided trusters and non-believers. it besides denied equality of basic political and economic rights of the multitudes. hence. burying “that the Party’s basic undertaking is to unify all the people… in order that all may endeavor to build a modern. powerful Socialistic state” ( MacInnis. 1989. p. 12 ) .

It predicted that the more estranged the Party becomes from the mass of trusters. the more this will motivate hatred and fanatism that will perchance oppress the Socialist ends of the Chinese revolution. Furthermore. Document 19 clarified the revised position of the State on freedom of faith by stating that faith should non be considered an obstructor to the Socialist endeavor. Alternatively. vouching freedom of faith to citizens “is a agency of beef uping the Party’s attempts to circulate scientific instruction every bit good as to beef up its propaganda against superstition” ( MacInnis. 1989. p. 16 ) .

The Document recognized that Socialism’s end of replacing ignorance and subjectiveness with scientific thought would be carried out if its citizens could be given the freedom of worship. By allowing spiritual freedom. Document 19 stressed that the new spiritual policy of post-Maoist China was that faith was now “a private affair. one of single free pick for citizens” ( MacInnis. 1989. p. 16 ) . Standardization of spiritual pattern Document 19 recommended that leaders of “patriotic spiritual organizations” be reinstated. their seized belongings returned. and spiritual constructions and constitutions be reopened.

Despite stressing the constructs of faith being a private right. Document 19 besides stressed the demand for ordinance and standardization of spiritual pattern to guarantee the stableness of the state and the saving of the additions of the revolution against spiritual specializers in direct collusion from imperialistic attackers. With Lenin as its usher. Document 19 stressed the cautiousness that must be attached when be aftering to open spiritual pattern in China. “Be particularly watchful. ” “Be really rigorous. ” “Think things through thoroughly” ( MacInnis. 1989. p. 12 ) .

Document 19 expressed its support for faiths that are considered “patriotic and law-abiding” and demands the suppression of minority faiths that are in direct contact with foreign imperialist counter-revolutionaries. Worship in official spiritual constitutions such as temples and churches are preferred over worship taking topographic point in abodes. Although the latter was permitted. Document 19 says it was worrisome: “As for Protestants garnering in places for worship services [ sic ] . in rule this should non be allowed. yet this prohibition should non be excessively stiffly enforced” ( MacInnis. 1989. p. 18 ) .

Document 19 besides established a scheme that aims to advance faith that is loyal and loyal to the cause of the Chinese state. It identified the eight “patriotic spiritual organisations tasked with implementing the new spiritual policies of the CCP as: “Chinese Buddhist Association. Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. Chinese Daoist Association. Chinese Islamic Association. Chinese Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Chinese Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Chinese Catholic Religious Affairs Committee. China Christian Council. The Chinese Buddhist and the Daoist Associations” ( MacInnis. 1989. p. 18 ) .

The Document recognized that if Socialism must coexist with faith. there is a demand to reorient faith so that it is compatible with the ends of the Socialist endeavor. The group of eight spiritual organisations were tasked set up seminaries that will supply preparation to make a “new coevals of clergy. ” a coevals who will politically. “fervently love their fatherland and back up the Party’s leading and the Socialist system and who possessed sufficient spiritual knowledge” ( MacInnis. 1989. p. 20 ) . Document 19 granted freedom of worship to citizens but excluded Party members from the pattern of faith.

Because Communism was considered incompatible of theism. Party members who chose to exert their freedom of worship would be banned from the Party. The directive besides marked out spiritual patterns that were considered illegal such as witchery. genius. secret societies. prestidigitators. fortune-tellers. and rank in any of these organisations is punishable by jurisprudence ( MacInnis. 1989 ) . Conclusion Document 19 provided for a new ambiance in China by presenting progressive policies that initiated a resurgence. albeit regulated. of spiritual pattern.

Temples and churches were returned every bit good as imprisoned spiritual leaders were released. Freedom of worship became a private right but under standardization guidelines from the State. Religious organisations considered counter-revolutionary were still banned in order to procure the stableness of the state and its Socialist endeavor. Reference MacInnis. D. E. ( 1989 ) . Religion in China Today. New York: Orbis Books. Overmyer. D. L. ( 2003 ) . Religion in China today. Cambridge. Ma: Cambridge Univ Press.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *