A gathering to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the birth of Wu Yao-tsung, a late Chinese Protestant leader, and a seminar on the sinicization of Christianity were held in Guangdong Province.
Born in Shunde, Guangdong, in 1893, Mr. Wu Yao-tsung (hereinafter called “Y.T. Wu” for short) was the main initiator and leader of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement in China. In 1950, Wu drafted the "Direction of Endeavor for Chinese Christianity in the Construction of New China" (also called "The Christian Manifesto" or "The Three-Self Manifesto"), proposing “to establish a Chinese church hosted by Chinese on its own.”
During the gathering in Guangzhou on November 3, five speakers delivered lectures in memory of Wu’s life and contributions from a historical perspective and the viewpoint of the young generation, reported CCC&TSPM. The lectures encompassed Y.T. Wu’s thoughts, reflections on his three different identities in the contemporary context, and the meaning of adhering to the three-self principles on the path of patriotism and faithfulness.
According to Rev. Xv Xiaohong, chairman of the TSPM, Wu and other Christian leaders at that time helped the Church in China first realize the goal of being Chinese (self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation).
Rev. Wu Wei, president of CCC, concluded the seminar by noting that, commemorating Mr. Wu's 130th birthday, representatives from politics, religion, and academia gathered to discuss the development of Chinese Christianity and the sinicization of Christianity.
In the afternoon, attendees went on a study tour to the Ancestral Hall of the Wu Family in Shunde District, Foshan City, and Tianhe Church in Guangzhou City.
