The management of minority heritage: critical challenges to Vietnamese Catholic heritage seen from the case study of Bui Chu Cathedral

Abstract

ABSTRACT On 1 August 2020, wrecking balls began to demolish the Catholic cathedral in Bui Chu town, in the Vietnamese province of Nam Dinh, putting an end to more than a decade of lively debate over whether the 1885 cathedral building was to be preserved. The losing camp had favoured retaining the original structure and taking essential steps to enhance its integrity and safety; the prevailing camp argued to demolish the old church and replace it with a (larger) replica built with modern construction methods and materials. The present paper examines the positions and alignments among various actors, including church clergy, state officials at different levels, scholars of religion, heritage experts, journalists, and congregation members. These debates involved complex questions of the continuity and value of colonial heritage, the effectiveness of Vietnam’s legal system for protecting built heritage, and the sensitive historical relations between the state and Vietnam’s Catholic minority.