Chinese Baptist Convention
Encyclopedia
The Chinese Baptist Convention (Abbr: CBC; ) is a cooperative association of Baptist churches in Taiwan
and the territories administered by the Republic of China
.
and the Macau Baptist Convention
, the CBC traces its origins from the original missionaries sent by the Triennial Convention
to China
. The Revd. John William Shuck and his wife, Henrietta Shuck, established their work in Portuguese
ruled Macau
in 1835 whereas Dr. and Mrs. William Dean began work at the same time among Chaozhou speaking Chinese in Bangkok
, Thailand
.
The work was relocated to Hong Kong
in 1842 where both the Shucks and the Deans worked with the Cantonese
and Chaozhou speaking Chinese respectively. They were joined by other missionaries, including Issachar Jacox Roberts
, who began mission work in Canton (present day Guangzhou
) in 1844, becoming one of the first Western missionary to work outside the relative safety of the protected European factories and the Deans relocated their mission headquarters to Swatow (present day Shantou) in 1860 .
By 1949, the American Southern Baptist Mission
in China had 220 missionaries working in 392 congregations, 410 outreach points, serving a total of 123,000 Baptist Christians . The bulk of the work was located in the provinces of Kwangtung, Kwangsi, Kiangsu, Honan, Ahnwei, and Shantung and it included institutions like hospitals, schools, and colleges in Pingtu, Longkow, Kweilin, Yangchow, K'aifeng, and a few other cities and towns . By 1951, most foreign missionaries were expelled from mainland China with the establishment of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement
.
. With the retrocession of Taiwan
to China following the surrender of Japan
in 1945, plans were made to expand the mission to Taiwan. A visit was made by a Shanghai missionary, Lila Florence Watson, in February 1948.
In 1948, the National Baptist Convention of China was established in Shanghai
and Yang Mei Chai (楊美齋) was sent to Taiwan to establish a frontier mission in June of the same year. Yang was also appointed the head of the Taiwan district of the national convention. Bertha Smith of the American Southern Baptist Mission in Shantung arrived in Taiwan on October 19, 1948 and the first church was inaugurated on December 26 of the same year .
language ministry with significant support from the Southern Baptist Convention
in the United States
. The first Taiwanese Hokkien service was conducted in at the Amoy Street Baptist Church (廈門街浸信會). In February 1957, the first Taiwanese congregation was established as the Mu Yi Church (慕義堂).
Work among the Hakka
s began in 1958 in Miaoli
and further work was planted in Pingtung. Work began with the aboriginal peoples
of Taiwan as early as 1951 in Liouguei, Kaohsiung
with the establishment of the Liouguei Baptist Church (六龜浸信會). Work in languages apart from Mandarin was however generally slow due to the lack of standard materials and work among the aboriginal people was not significant until the first Ami pastor graduated from the Taiwan Baptist Theological Seminary in 1982 .
Similar to Baptist churches elsewhere, churches affiliated with the CBC are autonomous and self governed and the CBC doesn't exercise any executive authority. The CBC's role is primarily in the coordination of work among the associated churches and the management of inter-church institutions .
passed a resolution to provide for the framework of recognition of religious academic institutions and seminaries allowing the seminary to initiate the procedure of gaining full recognition from the authorities .
and the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation
.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and the territories administered by the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
.
Background
Similar to the Baptist Convention of Hong KongBaptist Convention of Hong Kong
The Baptist Convention of Hong Kong is a cooperative association of Baptist churches in the Hong Kong.- Background :Baptist work in Hong Kong traces its roots from the first missionaries sent by the Triennial Convention to work with the Chinese...
and the Macau Baptist Convention
Macau Baptist Convention
The Macau Baptist Convention is a cooperative association of Baptist churches in the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. It was until very recently known as the Macau Baptist Association ....
, the CBC traces its origins from the original missionaries sent by the Triennial Convention
Triennial Convention
The Triennial Convention, founded in 1814, was the first national Baptist denomination in the United States of America. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it was formed to advance missionary work...
to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The Revd. John William Shuck and his wife, Henrietta Shuck, established their work in Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
ruled Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
in 1835 whereas Dr. and Mrs. William Dean began work at the same time among Chaozhou speaking Chinese in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
The work was relocated to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1842 where both the Shucks and the Deans worked with the Cantonese
Standard Cantonese
Cantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
and Chaozhou speaking Chinese respectively. They were joined by other missionaries, including Issachar Jacox Roberts
Issachar Jacox Roberts
Issachar Jacox Roberts was an American Baptist missionary in 19th century China. Roberts was born in Sumner County, Tennessee, and graduated from Furman University, a Baptist school in Greenville, South Carolina...
, who began mission work in Canton (present day Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
) in 1844, becoming one of the first Western missionary to work outside the relative safety of the protected European factories and the Deans relocated their mission headquarters to Swatow (present day Shantou) in 1860 .
By 1949, the American Southern Baptist Mission
American Southern Baptist Mission
American Southern Baptist Mission is an American Southern Baptist missionary society that sent workers to countries overseas, such as China during the late Qing Dynasty...
in China had 220 missionaries working in 392 congregations, 410 outreach points, serving a total of 123,000 Baptist Christians . The bulk of the work was located in the provinces of Kwangtung, Kwangsi, Kiangsu, Honan, Ahnwei, and Shantung and it included institutions like hospitals, schools, and colleges in Pingtu, Longkow, Kweilin, Yangchow, K'aifeng, and a few other cities and towns . By 1951, most foreign missionaries were expelled from mainland China with the establishment of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement
Three-Self Patriotic Movement
The Three-Self Patriotic Movement or TSPM is a state-controlled Protestant church in the People's Republic of China...
.
Work in Taiwan
In October 1936, a resolution was passed during the centenary celebrations of the Baptist mission in China to engage in the extension of work to the frontier regions, which then included Taiwan which was a part of JapanEmpire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
. With the retrocession of Taiwan
Retrocession Day
Retrocession Day is an annual observance in the Republic of China to commemorate the end of 50 years of Japanese colonial rule of Taiwan on October 25, 1945.-Background:...
to China following the surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
in 1945, plans were made to expand the mission to Taiwan. A visit was made by a Shanghai missionary, Lila Florence Watson, in February 1948.
In 1948, the National Baptist Convention of China was established in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Yang Mei Chai (楊美齋) was sent to Taiwan to establish a frontier mission in June of the same year. Yang was also appointed the head of the Taiwan district of the national convention. Bertha Smith of the American Southern Baptist Mission in Shantung arrived in Taiwan on October 19, 1948 and the first church was inaugurated on December 26 of the same year .
Local ministry
In the 1950s, the CBC saw an influx of missionaries and refugees from the mainland. This led to the rapid growth of the church particularly in the MandarinStandard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
language ministry with significant support from the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The first Taiwanese Hokkien service was conducted in at the Amoy Street Baptist Church (廈門街浸信會). In February 1957, the first Taiwanese congregation was established as the Mu Yi Church (慕義堂).
Work among the Hakka
Hakka people
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
s began in 1958 in Miaoli
Miaoli
Miaoli may refer to:*Miaoli County , a county located in central Taiwan, Republic of China*Miaoli City , the seat of Miaoli County*Miaoli, Zhengzhou , town in Jinshui District, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China...
and further work was planted in Pingtung. Work began with the aboriginal peoples
Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines is the term commonly applied in reference to the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. Although Taiwanese indigenous groups hold a variety of creation myths, recent research suggests their ancestors may have been living on the islands for approximately 8,000 years before major Han...
of Taiwan as early as 1951 in Liouguei, Kaohsiung
Liouguei, Kaohsiung
Liugui District is a rural district of Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan....
with the establishment of the Liouguei Baptist Church (六龜浸信會). Work in languages apart from Mandarin was however generally slow due to the lack of standard materials and work among the aboriginal people was not significant until the first Ami pastor graduated from the Taiwan Baptist Theological Seminary in 1982 .
Later developments
From the period of 1948 to 1954, a total of 11 churches and 22 outreach points had been established by Baptist missionaries and workers. On July 5, 1954, the Taiwan Baptist Association (台灣浸信會聯) was established. It was later renamed the Chinese Baptist Church, Taiwan Province Convention and the Chinese Baptist Church, Taiwan Convention before assuming its current name in 1972 .Similar to Baptist churches elsewhere, churches affiliated with the CBC are autonomous and self governed and the CBC doesn't exercise any executive authority. The CBC's role is primarily in the coordination of work among the associated churches and the management of inter-church institutions .
Taiwan Baptist Theological Seminary
The seminary was established in 1952 for the training of national workers . Until recently the seminary had faced problems from the authorities as it was an unrecognized institution and had faced accusations of awarding fraudulent academic degrees in the past. In 2005, the Legislative YuanLegislative Yuan
The Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China .The Legislative Yuan is one of the five branches of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China, which follows Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People...
passed a resolution to provide for the framework of recognition of religious academic institutions and seminaries allowing the seminary to initiate the procedure of gaining full recognition from the authorities .
Affiliations
The CBC is a member of the Baptist World AllianceBaptist World Alliance
The Baptist World Alliance is a worldwide alliance of Baptist churches and organizations, formed in 1905 at Exeter Hall in London during the first Baptist World Congress.-History:...
and the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation
Asia Pacific Baptist Federation
The Asia Pacific Baptist Federation is a regional organization of the Baptist World Alliance, a worldwide fellowship of churches that subscribe to Baptist distinctives. The APBF was formed in the then British colony of Hong Kong in 1973 as the Asian Baptist Federation...
.
See also
- Christianity in TaiwanChristianity in TaiwanTaiwan was seized by the Dutch in 1624. It is a densely populated, mountainous island, about long, lying off the China coast, between Japan and the Philippines.-Dutch Protestant missions :...
- Christianity in ChinaChristianity in ChinaChristianity in China is a growing minority religion that comprises Protestants , Catholics , and a small number of Orthodox Christians. Although its lineage in China is not as ancient as the institutional religions of Taoism and Mahayana Buddhism, and the social system and ideology of...
- Asia Pacific Baptist FederationAsia Pacific Baptist FederationThe Asia Pacific Baptist Federation is a regional organization of the Baptist World Alliance, a worldwide fellowship of churches that subscribe to Baptist distinctives. The APBF was formed in the then British colony of Hong Kong in 1973 as the Asian Baptist Federation...
- Baptist World AllianceBaptist World AllianceThe Baptist World Alliance is a worldwide alliance of Baptist churches and organizations, formed in 1905 at Exeter Hall in London during the first Baptist World Congress.-History:...