| The China Christian Council, Three-Self Patriotic Movement, and Amity Foundation warmly welcomed WCC leaders on 17-18 November, offering an introduction to the church in China, which is growing rapidly and has already drawn tens of millions of people. Some 350,000 people are newly baptized each year, and pastors are trained at 22 theological colleges across the nation. |
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 | | WCC leaders meeting with the leadership of National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement and China Christian Council in their headquarters in Shanghai, China. Photo: China Christian Council |
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Visiting the headquarters of the China Christian Council in Shanghai, WCC leaders were hosted by Rev. Xu Xiaohong, chairperson of the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Church in China; Rev. Wu Wei, president of the China Christian Council; and Rev. Dr Lin Manhong, residential vice president and general secretary of the China Christian Council. The China Christian Council, founded in 1980, works closely with the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China. Both serve to strengthen contacts with provincial, autonomous regional, and directly-administered municipal Christian councils through channels of communication, and exchanges of experience, study, and consultation. The China Christian Council and Three-Self Patriotic Movement advocate for theological renewal that is biblically grounded, rooted in Chinese culture, encapsulates the special experience of the Chinese church, and is able to provide a sound explanation of Christian faith in modern Chinese contexts. Nanjing Theological Seminary: spirit, virtue, knowledge After viewing a pilot project on green energy in Shanghai, the WCC leaders traveled to Nanjing, where they visited the Nanjing Theological Seminary, the flagship theological seminary of Protestant Christianity in China today. It is led by the China Christian Council. |
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 | | WCC leadership welcomed at the the Nanjing Theological Seminary. Photo: Marianne Ejdersten/WCC |
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Established in 1952, Nanjing Union Theological Seminary was designated the national seminary of the Church of China. Originally it represented a union of 12 seminaries in eastern China until the Beijing Yanjing Seminary joined it in 1962. Nanjing Union Theological Seminary has, since its beginning, focused on training pastoral workers, teachers, and researchers. In order to promote overall development of the students in both spirit and theological knowledge, the seminary emphasizes "spirit, virtue, knowledge, health, and community.” As the only national seminary in China, the structure of Nanjing Union Theological Seminary is similar to that of universities and colleges in secular society. It has two regular programs: the four-year bachelor’s degree in theology and the three-year post-graduate master’s degree of theology. In addition, it has a three-year correspondence education program. All students are nominated by their regional church and must pass a written test and interview before being admitted to the seminary. Nanjing Seminary is on a new campus in Jiangning District. The original campus will continue to be used as a research center. The new campus lies in the center of Jiangning University City and covers an area of approximately 33 acres with the aim of accommodating 500 students. The current design of the new campus includes the campus church, teaching and administrative areas, sports facilities, a student residence area, and a front garden. Amity Foundation celebrates 40 years Also on the agenda was a visit to the Amity Press and Amity Foundation, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. |
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 | | WCC leadership visits Amity Printing, jointly founded by the Amity Foundation and United Bible Societies in 1986 and celebrating its 40th anniversary. Photo: Amity Foundation |
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In 1986, Amity Printing was jointly founded by the Amity Foundation and United Bible Societies, first breaking ground in Dongshan Town, Jiangning County, Nanjing. In November 1987, the first Bible came off the production line. After decades of continuous efforts, Amity Printing has developed into a modern printing company with cutting-edge thin paper printing techniques. It is the main base of Bible printing in China and one of the world’s largest bases for Bible printing. Its mission is to serve the Chinese church to satisfy its needs for Bibles, to serve overseas churches for their needs for Bibles, and to serve the Chinese society and the people of China. On the day WCC leaders visited the printing facility, the number of Bibles printed to date topped more than 286 million. Amity Foundation, an independent Chinese social organization, was founded in 1985 on the initiative of Chinese Christians led by Bishop K.H. Ting and joined by people from all walks of society. The foundation works to promote education, public health, social welfare, community development, environmental protection, disaster relief, and other philanthropic undertakings in China and other parts of the world. Amity projects have benefited more than ten million people at home and abroad. A vibrant church “Our first days in China have been very impressive,” said Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, moderator of the WCC central committee. “We have experienced a vibrant church with 350,000 baptisms every year and and an intensive social work giving witness to the love that is nurtured by Christian faith.” Bedford-Strohm came to China directly from the COP30 climate talks in Brazil. “I was struck by the strong efforts for ecological transformation in China,” he said. “An estimated 80% of the cars in Shanghai are running on electric energy.” He noted that the air was much fresher than in other metropolitan areas. “We are witnessing how China takes a lead from a major polluter to a forerunner in ecological technology,” he said. “I am convinced that ecological transformation will be also good for the future success of economies all over the world. As churches we support this transformation as a consequence for our calling to care for God‘s creation.” |
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 | | WCC leaders meeting with the leadership of National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement and China Christian Council in their headquarters in Shanghai, China. Photo: China Christian Council |
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“It was really good to meet with the China Christian Council and learn about their work in contextualising Christianity in China, the rapid growth of Christianity in the country, and their relationships with other faiths and other Christian groups,” said WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay. “It is good to witness a strong commitment to Christian teachings and the desire to address ministry challenges in China.” Pillay expressed deep appreciation for the meeting with Amity Press, particularly its contributions to the printing and distribution of Bibles around the globe. “It is heartening to know that China, through Amity Press, prints the largest number of Bibles in the world, and a large number of these are distributed even in China,” he said. The WCC executive committee is convening from 20-25 November in Hangzhou, China. Delegation from China for the 17 November programme: - Rev. Xu Xiaohong, chairperson, National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Church in China
- Rev. Wu Wei, president, China Christian Council
- Rev. Dr Lin Manhong, residential vice president and general secretary, China Christian Council
- Rev. Xu Yulan, vice chairperson, National Three-Self Patriotic Movement; chairperson, Shanghai Three-Self Patriotic Movement
- Gu Jingqin, interim director, Overseas Relations Department, China Christian Council and Three-Self Patriotic Movement
- Du Peng, secretary, Theological Education Department, China Christian Council and Three-Self Patriotic Movement
- Zhou Xiaoyan, secretary, Overseas Relations Department, China Christian Council and Three-Self Patriotic Movement
- Cao Yi nan, staff, Media Department, China Christian Council and Three-Self Patriotic Movement
Delegation from the WCC for the 17-19 November programme: - Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, moderator of the WCC central committee
- Rev. Merlyn Hyde Riley, vice-moderator of the WCC central committee
- Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, WCC general secretary
- Doug Chial, director of the WCC Office of the General Secretariat
- Marianne Ejdersten, WCC director of communication
WCC shares congratulations on Amity Foundation’s 40th anniversary (WCC news release, 18 November 2025) WCC executive committee to convene in China with “Christ, culture, and context” (WCC news release, 14 November 2025) WCC Executive Committee meeting in Hangzhou, China |
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