China continues twisting legal church buildings to water down gospel

China, which already views Christianity as the enemy of the state, is taking new steps to impact state-accepted churches in the communist country.

"Three Self" is the identify of chinese churches which are allowed to overtly function as an alternative of hiding underground, and the cost for cooperating with a executive suspicious of Christianity is predictably steep.

Brynne Lawrence of China assist, a watchdog group that helps the underground Church, says Three Self churches are now being required to mix the Gospel message with the teachings of Confucius, and with a state-authorised book to "aid" them.

"And what this is doing," she warns, "is really giving them an avenue to sort of rewrite and therefore handle Christian theology and notion."

Confucianism, which dates returned to about 200 B.C., predictably conflicts with the gospel message of sin and redemption through Jesus Christ.

China aid is additionally reporting that Three Self church buildings are being influenced with Buddhist teachings, too, and congregations are being required to sing state-honoring patriotic songs alongside hymns.

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