Freedom of religion shouldn't be taken lightly by Americans

"There used to be a saying: 'One more Christian is one less Chinese.' Today, nobody says that anymore."

-- Ma Xiu Hong, director State Administration of Religious Affairs People's Republic of China

There is a new openness to Jesus in the world's most populous country, a nation that as a boy I called "Red China." There is a price for religious liberty, however. (You have probably already noted above that the state controls religion in China, a nation whose importance on the world stage can no longer be minimized.)

The communist party permits Christianity only in the state-controlled Christian Church. One church, no denominations. Largely Protestant in tone, the individual churches are assigned pastors who are trained and approved by the government. The official churches follow strict state-mandated rules for worship. They observe a gospel that adheres to socialist principles, which brings Jesus' message into line with communism. Popular, then, is the biblical text that declares that all things were held in common by the first followers of Jesus (Acts 2:44-45). If you haven't heard this text preached often in your place of worship, it's because we live in a capitalist nation that holds to a belief in private property. It is interesting to note how often Christians choose to highlight certain parts of the Bible and dismiss others based on secular circumstances. Anyone who denies this is the case is being disingenuous.

In the last few months, I've gotten to know a representative of the official Christian church in Beijing, Guang You. He holds a high position. When U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice went to Beijing to worship on Palm Sunday 2005, Guang acted as interpreter. You give that role to someone whom you know will toe the party line. Guang is a Christian communist and is currently studying at Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves. Next month he returns to Beijing to act as a chaplain at the Olympic Games. He has promised to bring me back a souvenir.

Guang fully supports China's one-child policy. Violation does not result in jail time but in a stiff fine. The law is designed to control China's population, which stands at 1.3 billion. Guang and his wife have one child, a son. They could have more children by exercising a legal loophole but will not do it. Their fealty to the state is taken as seriously as faithfulness to Christ. They note Paul's admonition to obey the civil authorities found in Romans 13:1: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established." From this verse, the divine right of kings was derived; it was a notion that John Wesley followed in opposing the American colonists' revolt against England. Americans tend to view Romans 13:1 with some suspicion, realizing that the Apostle Peter had a very different message. To wit: "We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29)

The notion of an official, state-licensed church with clergy trained and appointed by the government gives me the willies. The vibrancy of Chinese Christianity is happening in the underground "house" churches; these are illegal but growing. These guerrilla churches have no doubt that Peter's call to put God first takes precedence over Paul's notion of fealty to the state. That's why they meet in secret and their members are subject to harassment and arrest. My prayers are with them.

The notion of an official state-run church is a cautionary tale. In our nation, we must always be on guard to ensure freedom for all forms of religious expression, even those with which we disagree or find distasteful. If you sing "God Bless America" in your congregation tomorrow or next Sunday, remember that the state should keep its hands off the church. Our collective history is that America has always done so; may that tradition continue.

Jeff Long is pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. Married with two daughters, he is of Scots and Swedish descent, loves movies and is a lifelong fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers.