(Christiantoday.com)
by Jennifer Gold
The World Council of Churches’ General Secretary, Rev Dr Samuel Kobia, has concluded his tour of China on 22 November 2006.
Leading an ecumenical delegation, Kobia publicly affirmed that, “it is in the best interests of the government to actually expand the space for the practice of religion”.
The WCC general secretary said he had been impressed by the way in which Christian communities are growing in the country, and by the enabling and safe environment in which Christians practice their faith.He encouraged the government to ensure wider participation and involvement of religious people in efforts to bring about the Chinese vision of a “harmonious society”.
“It would be detrimental to the government if it is not seen to be providing freedom of religion,” he said.“If China wants to be the kind of global player that it is clearly becoming, then there are norms and standards" in terms of religious freedom "which will be expected of its government, and I think they are aware of this,” he said.
On 22 November, Kobia and members of an ecumenical delegation visited the Dong Zhou Children's Village in San Yuan County, Shaanxi Province.They spent time with 29 children under the age of 14 whose parents are in prison, or were executed or unable to meet their basic needs. “Although the parents of these children paid for their own crimes, their children are innocent,” an official told the delegation.
