"a balanced view of religious freedom in China" during his upcoming visit.
Lambeth Palace said the two-week visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is the head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion, is expected to provide a greater understanding of the context for Christian communities in China .
However UK-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said it was concerned that the visit, which begins Sunday, October 8, will be hosted "by the leadership of the government-controlled Three Self Patriotic Church denomination, the China Christian Council and the State Administration of Religious Affairs (SARA)."
In a statement to BosNewsLife, CSW National Director, Stuart Windsor noted that because "the Archbishop leaves to meet with Chinese religious officials and official church representatives it is important to point out that it is impossible to receive an accurate picture of Christianity in China via these bodies."
OFFICIAL OPPRESSION
Windsor stressed that, the State Administration of Religious Affairs is "responsible for implementing policies to repress the Church and the official church is criticized for complicity as well as compromise."
He said the "vast majority" of China ’s estimated 70 or 80 million Christians "refuse to worship in the state controlled churches due to major misgivings over the atheistic state control of the church and serious restrictions on its practice and even teachings."
Human rights groups like CSW claim China continues to repress Christianity and to punish Christians who meet outside the official church. Penalties can be fierce including imprisonment, forced labor, torture and harsh financial measures, Christians and rights groups say.
"NO FREEDOM"
"China does not practice religious freedom as defined by international law and there are very grave concerns over its violations. We hope the Archbishop will heed the cry of the vast majority of Christians in China," CSW said.
"We have been told time after time by Christians in China of the anguish they feel when those from outside the country fall for the propaganda of these bodies and fail to acknowledge the reality and the pain of Christians inside China."
China’s government has denied human rights abuses and has also condemned the United States for criticizing the Communist nation’s religious rights record. (With BosNewsLife Research and reports from China and the UK).
