书城外语ChristianityinChina
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第22章 ANewStageofThree-SelfPatrioticMovement

With the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, Sino-U.S.relations quickly worsened. On 16th December 1950, the U.S.government announced it was taking control of all Chinese andNorth Korean possessions in all areas under its jurisdiction, andprohibited any ships registered in the U.S. from heading forChinese ports. However, this blockade meant that the Christianchurches, schools, hospitals and charity organizations that reliedheavily on American subsidies suffered greatly. Because of thecut of subsidies and the urgent situation, foreign missionariesran away one after another and consequently the Chinese churcheswere confronted with great difficulties. The Chinese governmentpromptly provided care and help, exempting churches from taxeson the direct use of houses and taking over their educational andmedicine institutions, which greatly alleviated their economicburden. Christians expressed their support for the decision madeby the government. On Jan. 5th, 1951, 26 Christian leaders ofthe national and local Christian organizations in Shanghai published a declaration to show their support of the decision,announcing that "directed by the spirit of patriotism and selfrespect,we could not only get rid of our old economic relationshipwith the U.S. as its tool of cultural aggression, but also rely onourselves to build up a more healthy Christian cause that couldbetter serve society‘。

The actions by the U.S. government to threaten the Chinesechurches by cutting off the funds backfired and aroused morevigorous opposition in Christian circles and the patriotic passionof Chinese Christians. They enthusiastically signed the Three-

Self Announcement, and many Christian groups immediatelyannounced that, from 1951 on, they would no longer accept anysubsidies in any form from the U.S. and other countries. AllChristian churches, groups as well as the local churches registeredwith the government. According to the original plan, the goal ofself-rule, self-reliance and self-development of the Chinesechurches would have been achieved gradually in five years, butunder the interference of the U.S. government, the plan had tobe carried out ahead of time. In April 1951, the Joint Proclamationof all the Chinese Christian Churches adopted in a nationalconference called on all the Christians to cut all their ties withforeign churches; realize the three-self principle; wholeheartedly join the anti- U.S. campaign; support the joint guideline, landreform and policies on oppressing counter-revolutionists; observeall laws and regulations made by the government; strengthenpatriotic education and launch an extensive study movement.

This proclamation made a step further compared with the Three-

Self Announcement and fully demonstrated Chinese Christians‘confidence in becoming independent and enjoying self-rule.

This conference also established "The committee of theChinese Christian Churches for the Anti-U.S. Pro-Korean Warand the Three-Self Renovation Movement (Preparativecommittee)‘, and approved the name list of the committee. WuYaozong was appointed chairman. This committee became a newnational leadership for Chinese Christianity to push ahead theanti-imperialist and patriotic movement under the principle ofthe three-self renovation.