wfn.org | Cross-strait ecumenism encounters bumpy ride

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>3012 Edition

>November 16~22, 2009

>Cross-strait ecumenism encounters bumpy ride

>Reported by Lin Yi-ying

>Written by Lydia Ma

In the past, whenever Christian books written by Taiwanese authors  were presented during

book fairs in China, these books would often wind up with several  pages crossed out using

black markers after merely one day on the shelf. Recently, on the  eve of a cross-strait

Christian forum in Taiwan on “Modern city churches and their  ministries”, delegates from

churches in China requested that one Taiwanese delegate omit  several sections from his

speech to be presented during the forum before they would agree to  come to Taiwan.

The Taiwanese delegate in question was former PCT General  Secretary J.K. Lo who had

originally planned to include in his speech topics such as  “the role of Taiwanese churches in

Taiwan’s political reform” and “a call to Beijing  to remove 1,500 missiles aimed at Taiwan”.

Such topics were deemed too controversial for Chinese delegates,  who requested their

removal before they would board the plane to attend the forum held  in Taiwan.

The cross-strait forum co-hosted by National Council of Churches  Taiwan and Taiwan

Methodist Church was scheduled on November 13~14 and included six  Chinese church

delegates. Chinese pastors made their request one day before the  forum and just before their

departure. According to reports, their intentions were mostly to  ward off suspicion and

monitoring on the part of Chinese government agencies.

To promote ecumenism and mutual respect among churches, as well as  to safeguard

dialogue among churches in China and Taiwan and harmony between  Taiwanese churches,

Lo agreed to back down and respect the wishes of Chinese  delegates.

“It is unfortunate that a huge chunk of content was omitted  from “the role of Taiwanese

churches in Taiwan’s political reform” because it was  deemed too sensitive,” said Lo during

the forum. “But the truth is, nothing is too sensitive in  light of God’s love. I hope people will not

muddle hard facts because the truth is the truth. Since this is a  cross-strait forum, everyone

has the right to disagree with what they hear, but no topic should  be off-limits.”

During his speech, Lo also urged churches across China and Taiwan  to protect the human

rights of ethnic minorities and disabled people, raise awareness  for the economic rights of the

poor, and care for the environment. As for the 1,500 missiles  aimed at Taiwan, Lo said he

hoped Chinese churches would speak out on behalf of Taiwan and  expressed his desire to

see a free and democratic China because it would be good for all  mankind.

In response to Lo’s speech, Rev. Sun Renfu, a delegate  representing Chinese churches, said

that many Chinese churches had prayed for peace between China and  Taiwan for many

years. He also confided that Chinese churches were growing yearly,  with as many as one

million people being baptized every year. Chinese church leaders  not only wished Taiwanese

Christians well, but also hoped for more cooperation between  Chinese and Taiwanese

churches in spreading the gospel across China and training more  pastors.

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