On November 3, 2023, the symposium on the celebration of the 130th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Wu Yaozong and the Chinanization of Christian Church in China was successfully held in Guangzhou.

Mr. Wu Yaozong, born on November 4, 1893 in Shunde, Guangdong province, was the main initiator and leader of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China. In 1950, Wu drafted a declaration entitled “Direction of Endeavor for Chinese Christianity in the Construction of New China”, proposing to“establish a Church in China led by the Chinese ourselves”.

Rev. Wu Wei, the president of CCC, moderated the symposium, and Rev. Fan Hong’en, the vice president of CCC and chairperson of Guangdong TSPM, led the prayer. More than 40 people from the political, religious and academic circles across the country attended the symposium.

At the meeting, participants made themed speeches on the ideological value of Mr. Wu Yaozong, the contemporary reflection on the three identities, the practical significance of adhering to the Three-Self Principles to love country and love church, and from a historical perspective of the young generation. They jointly commemorated Mr. Wu Yaozong’s life story and outstanding contributions, learned from his noble character of loving country and loving church, and explored how to continue to deepen the Chinanization of Christian Church in China.

During the free speech session, several pastors, experts and scholars present shared their personal feelings and inspirations on the life and thought of Mr. Wu Yaozong from their own study, work and life.

Rev. Xu Xiaohong, the chairperson of National TSPM, made a speech. He pointed out that Mr. Wu Yaozong was an advocate and practitioner of loving country and loving church, and his life was in step with social development and the progress of the times. The Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Church in China initiated by Mr. Wu Yaozong and other predecessors had laid a solid foundation for the all-round implementation of the Chinanization of Christian Church in China today.

To conclude, Rev. Wu Wei pointed out that the symposium was of great and far-reaching significance as people in different fields could gather together to explore the Chinanization of Christian Churches in China on the occasion of commemorating the 130th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Wu Yaozong, which bears on the future development of Christianity in China. He emphasized that the Three-Self Patriotic Movement had fundamentally shaped Christianity in China, making it a religious cause of the Chinese people to stick to the Three-Self Patriotic Principles. Since then, the development of the Church in China had been aligned with the development of the country and the nation.

In the afternoon, attendees went to visit Wu’s Ancestral Hall in Shunde District, Foshan City and Tianhe Church in Guangzhou City.

Translator & editor: Bei Feng