The Chinese Catholic Church in Conflict: 1949-2001

Abstract

This is a sociological and historical analysis of the conflict between the state and the Catholic Church in China between 1949 and 2001 during half of a century of the socialist regime. The relationship began with conflict, followed by accomodation and finally a cooperative spirit had developed for a complex web of political and diplomatic reasons. Never in the past the Catholic Church has shown a rigorous growth under the encouragement of the Communist Party to shape the Church in the image of a indigenous and local church and to minimize the influence of the Vatican. There remains a persistent struggle between the underground church, those who remain loyal to early missionaries and to the Holy See, and the official national church controlled by the Party/State. The authors argue that there is hope that the conflict will eventually disappear as the new leadership in Beijing may one day restore a diplomatic relationship with the Vatican.

About the Author

Beatrice Leung is a Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Taiwan Ursuline College. She previously taught at the University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Lingnan University. She has written extensively on the Sino-Vatican Relations.

William T. Liu is Professor Emeritus of the University of Illinois. He has previously taught at the University of Notre Dame for nearly two decades. He also taught at Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He was Visiting faculty at the School of Public Health of Johns Hopkins University, the University of California at San Diego, Hong Kong Lingnan University. William Liu has written extensively and contributed to professional journals in Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Neurology and Mental Health. He now lives in La Jolla, California