The Politics of Inclusive Pluralism

A Proposed Foundation for Religious Freedom in a Post-Communist, Democratic China

Bob Fu

• Publisher: Pickwick Publications
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781725267541
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion, Politics & State

"Long live the red terror!" This and other political slogans were used by China's communist rulers as leverage for conflict and conflict management during 1949. China's Cultural Revolution movement understandably fueled anger, fear, and terror among Chinese citizens. Currently, contrary to the positive facade that China, under the control of the Communist Chinese Party (CCP), tries to project regarding human rights, a dark reality reveals a brutal authoritarian state with no concern for religious freedom. What guiding philosophy could best help procure, provide, and protect religious freedom for all in a post-communist, Christianized, democratic China? Bob Fu argues that while various Christianity-oriented theories may appear promising, they fail to provide an adequate pluralistic foundation for protecting the religious freedoms of people of all faiths and none. The predominant theory of political liberalism in the West likewise fails to prove sufficiently inclusive for all faiths and worldviews. As an alternative, the author defends Baorong Duoyuan (inclusive pluralism), his own contextualized theory modeled after principled pluralism. This model, he believes, has the potential to help ensure that religious freedom for all becomes a reality.

Chapter 1

Introduction

In a globalizing world, linked in so many ways

by economic, political, and security concerns,

it is important to recognize the local impact of the global and

the global impact of the local.1

– K. S. Nathan

“Help [. . .]. Help? Help!”

On 14 April 2016 in the Chinese jurisdiction of Guanjin sub-district, Zhumadian City, Henan Province, Pastor Li Jiangong repeatedly shouted, “Help!” as he frantically dug in the dirt to free his wife, Ding Cuimei, from beneath a massive mound of freshly bulldozed soil where he and Cuimei had been buried alive.2 On this particularly dark day when Jiangong attempted to save Cuimei, the dozer operator ignored the couple’s cries for help as he continued demolishing Beitou Church, the house church Jiangong pastored. Others ran to help Pastor Jiangong free Cuimei, but by the time they uncovered her, she had stopped breathing. As calling for police protection would have proved futile, none of those present phoned local authorities for help.

Earlier that morning, when Pastor Jiangong and Cuimei had tried to stop the demolition of Beitou Church, a man supervising the demolition crew abruptly shouted out, “Bury them alive for me! I am responsible for their deaths.”3 Initially, following Cuimei’s death by suffocation after being buried alive, the local government did not respond. Authorities did not begin investigating Cuimei’s tragic death until after critical, international outcries and pressure.

Several sources confirm that CCP authorities reportedly ordered that the church be demolished. Li Jiangong, in charge of the church, and his wife, Ding Cuimei, refused to turn the church grounds over to a local developer. This incident seriously violates the rights to life, religious freedom, and rule of law. Chinese authorities should hold those murderers accountable and take concrete measures to protect the religious freedom of these house church’s members. Bulldozing and burying Ding Cuimei, a peaceful and devout Christian woman, alive was a cruel, murderous act. This and other horrific examples of the unbalanced State–religion relationship in China reflect the failure of the State to protect the religious freedom of its citizens.

CCP authorities have heavily targeted Christians in China throughout the past few years due to their rapidly increasing numbers. Although Chinese officials claim that church demolitions and the forced removal of church rooftop crosses relate to building code violations, human rights activists and other Christian leaders perceive these acts as clear persecution against religious groups.

Contrary to the positive façade that China projects regarding human rights under the control of the CCP, a much darker reality reveals a brutal authoritarian State with no concern for religious freedom.4 China’s blatant disregard for religious freedom fueled the critical, hypothetical question launching my study: What guiding philosophy could best help procure, provide, and protect religious freedom for all in a post-communist, Christianized, democratic China? Researching to find “the” answer/answers for this question coupled with concerns for religious freedom in China founded this study which led to developing my theory, Baorong Duoyuan.

Baorong Duoyuan asserts:5

If Chinese citizens consent to protect religious freedom, then Baorong Duoyuan, a contextualization of principled pluralism, which closely aligns with international norms under a liberal constitutional framework, offers the most reasonable, consistent, and coherent guiding theory to help ensure that consensus.

Since 2013, the CCP has removed approximately 1,700 crosses from Catholic and Protestant churches in Zhejiang Province.6 The World Watch Monitor reports that in Zhejiang Province (known as the “Jerusalem of the East” for its strong Christian presence) the Chinese government formulates reasons to claim churches are illegal constructions and, therefore, demolishes them.7 The demolition campaign continues as the CCP reg...