Abstract
This paper discusses the types, faith attributes, development characteristics, and limitations of Christian social organizations in China. China’s religious social service organizations mainly include four types of organizations: associations, private non-enterprise units, foundations, and venues for religious activities. From the perspective of faith attributes, they can be divided into faith-permeated organizations, faith-centered organizations, faith-affiliated organizations, faith-background organizations, and faith–secular partnerships. Since the reform and opening up in 1978, China’s Christian social services have been in a period of organizational reconstruction. The main development characteristics are as follows: (a) social services have begun to take on multiple forms; (b) institutional services have transferred their original focus on those with disabilities to the elderly, and the services have been gradually extended from the low-income populations to other target groups; and (c) the basic functions of social services are still in the recovery stage, and the organizational system and service scale are not complete and sufficient. The multiple limitations of Christian social services involve (a) the social development stage and institutional background; (b) government policy text and implementation; and (c) maturity of its own organizational structure and service ability. There is still a long way to go to achieve the basic goals of reconstruction and development.
Highlights
Introduction and ContextReligious organizations have consistently engaged in social services (Garland 2008).This paper explores the situation and policy environment of Chinese Christian groups and their members participating in social services based on literature research and field evidence, with the aim of promoting the legalized management and professional development of religious organizations in the domain of social services.1.1
This paper tries to answer some indistinct questions regarding the current practice of Christian service in China: What are the key points in the development process and policy background of social service? What are the legal status types and belief characteristics of various social service organizations? What are the development features of social services and the main obstacles? By presenting and analyzing the relationship between the structural characteristics of Chinese Christian social service organizations and the policy environment, the academic and professional communities will be better informed about the Chinese context
The specific performance is as follows: (a) government departments have issued policies to encourage religious charity and equal treatment, (b) the religious community has formed a basic consensus on the task of developing social services, (c) national and local religious organizations have started to set up social service coordination departments, (d) various types of religious social service organizations are increasing, and (e) all kinds of charity activities tend to be active
Summary
This paper tries to answer some indistinct questions regarding the current practice of Christian service in China: What are the key points in the development process and policy background of social service? What are the legal status types and belief characteristics of various social service organizations? What are the development features of social services and the main obstacles? By presenting and analyzing the relationship between the structural characteristics of Chinese Christian social service organizations and the policy environment, the academic and professional communities will be better informed about the Chinese context. According to the research theme and framework, the existing literature was collected and analyzed to form a new and scientific understanding of the facts: the development process, organization types and characteristics of Christian social services, and the government policy connotations and attributes in contemporary China. In China, faith-based social service organizations, like secular social service organizations, are registered as associations, private non-enterprise units, and foundations (MCA 2018). Since 2013, the Amity Foundation has been able to raise more domestic funds than overseas ones This change in the structure of service resources reflects the increase in social donations with the fast growth of China’s economy, the increase in the government purchase of special services, and the new restrictions on donations and grants from overseas. As a “donation juridical entity”, the social service functions of Christian venues are mainly reflected in (a) public welfare and charity activities through donations and related projects, (b) community voluntary service through social ministry, and (c) “church reordering”, which provides a place for the third-party social services (e.g., the case of Jinan Hongjialou Catholic Church mentioned above)
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