Chongyi Church

Hangzhou Chongyi Church

Hangzhou Chongyi Church (Chinese: 杭州崇一堂; pinyin: Hángzhōu chóng yī táng) is one of the largest Protestant churches in mainland China, registered under the state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement.

History

The church traces its history back to November 1866, when the China Inland Mission founder Hudson Taylor established the first settlement for the mission in Hangzhou, renting an old haunted mansion and converting it as a home for living.[1] The mission would buy land on 77 Qintai Street (Chinese: 清泰街77号; pinyin: Qīngtài Jiē 77 Hào) in 1901 and build the original Chongyi Church in 1902.[2]

Chongyi Church would participate in the newly formed Three-Self Patriotic Movement in 1951. However, by October 1958, when unified worship services were mandated across China, consolidating churches in a given region,[3] the land owned by Chongyi Church was converted into warehouses for railway materials. Chongyi Church would only be reopened in the 1980s after religious policies changed.[2]

As Christianity was rapidly growing in Hangzhou, plans were made to build a larger property. After collecting CN¥ 40,000,000 (US$6,700,000), ground was broken in December 30, 2003 and the building was completed in May 5, 2005.[2]

Megachurch

Chongyi Church is one of the largest churches in mainland China. The building covers an area of 12,480 square meters and its main sanctuary can accommodate 5,500 parishioners.[4]

A number of well-known evangelists have preached from its pulpit, including Franklin Graham, before 12,000 attendees in May 2008,[5] and Luis Palau, to an estimated 14,000 in March 2010.[6]

Senior Pastor

Until January 2016, the senior pastor of the church has been Reverend Joseph Gu (simplified Chinese: 顾约瑟; traditional Chinese: 顧約瑟; pinyin: Gù Yuēsè), who was removed from his post in a probe into the embezzlement of funds. As head of the Zhejiang Christian Council, Gu in July 2015 published an open letter denouncing the government-supported "Three Rectifications and One Demolition" campaign to remove crosses from churches and destroy church buildings throughout Zhejiang province.[7][8] The state-run media agency Global Times has challenged foreign media agencies for too quickly connecting Gu's removal with his open letter and to underscore that all activities must be regulated by the government.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Austin, Alvin (2007). China's Millions: The China Inland Mission and Late Qing Society 1832-1905. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans. pp. 123–126. ISBN 978-0802829757.
  2. 1 2 3 "教堂历史 - 崇一堂". Chong-Yi Church. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  3. ↑ Wickeri, Philip L. (1988). Seeking the Common Ground: Protestant Christianity, the Three-Self Movement, and China’s United Front. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. pp. 219–27. ISBN 978-0883444412.
  4. ↑ "Chong Yi Church". Cultural China. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  5. ↑ Vu, Michelle A. (May 12, 2008). "Franklin Graham Preaches to 12,000 in Mainland China". Christian Post. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Luis Palau Back in China to Meet with Officials, 14,000 Hear the Evangelist and Rev. James Meeks". www.prnewswire.com. Luis Palau Association. March 26, 2010. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  7. ↑ Staff, Reuters (January 31, 2016). "Leading China pastor probed for suspicion of embezzling funds – church authorities". Reuters Blogs. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  8. ↑ Iyengar, Rishi (January 31, 2016). "China Detains Pastor of Its Largest Official Church". TIME.com. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  9. ↑ Su, Tan (February 1, 2016). "Religious activities not immune from regulation - Global Times". www.globaltimes.cn. Retrieved April 4, 2016.

Coordinates: 30°15′34″N 120°12′32″E / 30.259506°N 120.208786°E / 30.259506; 120.208786

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