House church (China)
They represent a tradition of independent churches that would not come under the control of the Chinese Communist Party dating back to Wang Ming-Dao in the 1950s.
[2] Some scholars prefer to use terms such as "unregistered church" to speak about the Protestant phenomenon, because these groups can reach several hundred and do not always literally meet in someone's home.
He also played a key role in creating and leading the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), a state-sanctioned governing body for Protestant Christianity in China.
However, China's independent churches, championed by Wang Ming-Dao, strongly resisted the TSPM both for its allegiance to a political entity and its liberal theological leanings.
As a result of their refusal to join with the TSPM, an entire generation of China's independent pastors were severely persecuted and their churches forced to close.
[7] Due to the changes in religious policy after the end of the Cultural Revolution, in 1980, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement would be reinstated and the China Christian Council would be formed.
They had demonstrated national-level influence when Christians organized to provide relief to the deadly 2008 Sichuan earthquake, a disaster which the government was slow to handle.
[13] American political scientist Carsten T. Vala argues that house churches are subject to persecution when they cross red lines, which include, apart from size, rapid growth, active proselytization, the attempt to form national networks, contacts with foreign Christian organization, and criticism of the government.
[21] The Assemblies of God theologian Simon Chan argues that "an adequate definition of Pentecostalism cannot be restricted to phenomenological description" – that is, based on experiences.
[22] Chan continues to explain that classical Pentecostal beliefs such as Spirit-baptism and speaking in tongues are not prevalent in Chinese churches, when compared with miraculous healing.
[25] While foreign media often focus discussion about house churches mainly with relation to Protestantism, other religious traditions in China have chosen a similar form of organization.
