Black is the New White
For those of you a little rusty on the heresies of 4th century Africa, Donatism flourished as the church experienced a dramatic reversal of fortunes, moving almost overnight from persecuted sect to state religion. The transition was a huge wrench for the faithful, particularly for those who had suffered, and the latter found it hard to share Communion with those who had fallen by the wayside. The Donatists insisted on rebaptism, which was condemned by the mainstream, and ended up splintering into all sorts of odd sub-cults before dying out at the beginning of the 5th century. The irony was that those most fervent under persecution proved to be unable to cope with the balmier environment of religious freedom (and later state protection) and spun off into dissent. Here endeth the lesson.
I write because the same situation is emerging here in China for the Catholic Church. In a week when the story of Tibet is filling western screens it is worth noting that, in general, the religious situation is improving here in China. For the Catholic Church in particular, one has a feeling that something like normality is just around the corner. More and more bishops are being recognised by both Church and State. While not without its difficulties, this leaves one with a real sense of enthusiasm about Catholicism’s future in this country. The fly in the ointment is the relationship between those who worship in public and those who remain underground.
For the Underground Groups, especially in dioceses which have Rome-legitimated “Open Church” Bishops, the situation has become very confused. Suddenly, as is the case of Beijing, the successor of Government-approved Fu Tian Shan, is the Rome recognised Li Shan. Nothing else has changed, no new tolerance laws have been enacted, it is still not possible to worship without government approval and non-registered associations are still illegal, but, in a flash, the ecclesiastical comfort blanket has been snatched from the underground Church and been given, by the Pope himself, to their former nemesis, the “government appointed” bishop. Black, as it were, is suddenly the new white.
Most Catholics welcome the new rapprochement, but the more militantly underground are developing a charismatic, personal-ist legitimation to justify staying in the catacombs. Before, one could be against the “Overground Church” because its bishops did not have Roman approval. According to the new narrative, the bishops with joint government/Roman approval all lack the necessary personal qualities for their posts. Their own leaders, on the other hand are all confessors of proven virtue. (Many are, indeed, deeply spiritual people) If the Pope had all the facts, he would not have legitimated those impious, government lackeys, and thus, fealty can reasonably be withheld. The justification is without any foundation in Canon Law, and makes personal holiness a standard for sacramental validity. Leadership becomes charismatic and personal in such circumstances. However, cut loose from the moderating influence of a central authority, the fear is that these leaders will lead their holy flock down a Donatist-like cul de sac into ecclesial obscurity.
These groups deserve our prayers and support. Qualities of steadfastness and long suffering have helped these good Catholics endure what, to me, would have been the un-endurable. However those same qualities leave them ill-equipped to accept the compromises which, viewed from the catacombs, look too much like sell out. As a visitor here, it is easy to be interested and even genuinely concerned for a proper solution, but I cannot feel the issues which have been forged in a far hotter crucible than most of us have had to endure. I fear that, though formal relations between China and the Holy See will come (and relatively soon), it may be time to revisit my school books and see how, respectfully and with genuine regard for the sufferings of these confessors of our Faith, to better understand the concerns of the Donatist heretics of 4th century Africa.