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The complex story of the Catholic Church in post-Mao China, particularly in Shanghai, is the focus of a new study by Jesuit priest and historian Paul P. Mariani. His book, China’s Church Divided: Bishop Louis Jin and the Post-Mao Catholic Revival, explores the delicate negotiations and internal conflicts that arose as the Church attempted to rebuild following decades of persecution. The narrative centers on Bishop Louis Jin Luxian, a key figure who navigated a challenging landscape of political pressure and religious loyalty and the broader tensions between those seeking alignment with Rome and those prioritizing cooperation with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Mariani’s work delves into a period of significant change, beginning in the 1980s, when the Catholic community in Shanghai emerged from the shadow of the Cultural Revolution. This revival, however, was not without its divisions. The choices made by Church leaders, including Jin, Vincent Zhu, and Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei, shaped the trajectory of Catholicism in China and continue to resonate today. Understanding these choices requires acknowledging the unique political and religious context of the time, where the CCP demanded allegiance and sought to control religious institutions.
Born into a long line of Catholic family members, Louis Jin Luxian demonstrated early aptitude for languages and a strong sense of patriotism. His path to leadership was marked by both promise, and adversity. Arrested in the 1950s for refusing to participate in the creation of an independent Chinese Catholic Church, Jin spent 18 years in prison before being released in 1978, according to Mariani’s research. Upon his release, he was approached by Chinese authorities to assume responsibility for the Catholic Church in Shanghai – an offer described as difficult to refuse.
Navigating a Political Minefield
Jin’s leadership was characterized by a pragmatic approach, seeking to expand the Church’s reach through engagement with the CCP. He undertook extensive international travel, visiting the Philippines, Europe, Hong Kong, and the United States, fostering relationships that facilitated the training of priests, the printing of Bibles in Chinese, and the renovation of churches. However, his willingness to accept ordination without papal approval and to collaborate with the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association – an organization established by the CCP – created a rift within the Shanghai Catholic community. This association, established to control and administer Catholicism in China, required Chinese Catholics to claim autonomy from the Vatican, a point of contention for those who wished to maintain loyalty to Rome.
The situation was further complicated by the actions of other key figures. Vincent Zhu, also a Jesuit, attempted to re-establish direct ties with the Vatican but was subsequently rearrested and imprisoned. Cardinal Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei, the aging Bishop of Shanghai, initially resisted his own release, seeking international pressure to ensure greater religious freedom. Bishop Louis Zhang, another Jesuit, opted for closer cooperation with the authorities, representing the Church at high-level government meetings. These divergent paths illustrate the spectrum of responses within the Catholic community to the CCP’s policies.
The Legacy of Division
Mariani’s account highlights the deep divisions that emerged within the Shanghai Catholic Church, a split between those who prioritized collaboration with the state – often referred to as the “patriotic” church – and those who remained loyal to the Vatican – the “underground” church. This division, rooted in the post-1949 era, continues to shape the landscape of Catholicism in China today. According to a 2025 review in Foreign Affairs, Jin’s actions, while expanding the Church’s physical presence, ultimately deepened this rift.
Interestingly, Mariani’s study does not reference another biography of Jin, Le Pape Jaune, which includes interviews with the Bishop and addresses criticisms leveled against him. Despite this omission, Mariani portrays Jin as a capable and ambitious leader committed to the renewal of the Chinese Church under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Prior research by Mariani, detailed in his 2011 book Church Militant: Bishop Kung and Catholic Resistance in Communist Shanghai, explored the earlier period of Catholic resistance in Shanghai, providing crucial context for understanding the later developments under Jin’s leadership.
What Lies Ahead for the Catholic Church in China?
The story of Bishop Louis Jin and the post-Mao Catholic revival offers a valuable lens through which to examine the ongoing relationship between the Vatican and China. In 2025, Zenit News reported that the Harvard University Press published Mariani’s work, noting its importance for understanding the current situation of the Church in China and Shanghai specifically (Zenit News). The future of Catholicism in China will likely continue to be shaped by the delicate balance between religious autonomy and political control, and the ongoing efforts to bridge the divide between the “patriotic” and “underground” churches.
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