{"id":43445,"date":"2022-08-16T14:00:31","date_gmt":"2022-08-16T05:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=43445"},"modified":"2022-08-16T15:31:38","modified_gmt":"2022-08-16T06:31:38","slug":"vomk-report-216","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2022\/08\/16\/vomk-report-216\/","title":{"rendered":"VIETNAM: AUTHORITIES USING REGISTERED CHURCHES TO SUPPRESS UNREGISTERED ONES"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”43454″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”Local authorities harassing members of unregistered churches is nothing new in Vietnam. But what is new is authorities using registered churches to do the harassing.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Churches i<\/span>n Vietnam<\/span> have always <\/span>hesitate<\/span>d<\/span> to register <\/span>with the government because <\/span>it\u2019s difficult to register, and then after they register, it\u2019s difficult to comply with <\/span>all the ongoing government restrictions,\u201d says Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr<\/span>.<\/span> Hyun Sook Foley.<\/span> \u201cNow <\/span>in addition to complying with government requirements, registered churches are <\/span>more and more being <\/span>expected to assist the government in <\/span>cracking down on <\/span>unregistered <\/span>Christians<\/span> in their area or denomination.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]According to Representative Foley, <\/span>this can create mistrust and <\/span>conflict<\/span> between registered and unregistered <\/span>Christians<\/span>,<\/span> especially in regions like <\/span>Dak Lak Province in Vietnam\u2019s Central Highlands<\/span> where registered and unregistered churches often exist side by side<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”43436″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Dak Lak Province in Vietnam\u2019s Central Highlands” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>The <\/span>registered churches say, \u2018<\/span>According to Romans 13<\/span>:1<\/span>, we must <\/span>be subject to the governing authorities<\/span>\u2019<\/span>, <\/span>and <\/span>the unregistered churches say, \u2018<\/span>But a<\/span>ccording to Acts <\/span>5<\/span>:29<\/span>, we must obey God rather than human beings\u2019,\u201d says Representative Foley. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>In practical terms, that means that t<\/span>he registered churches hav<\/span>e<\/span> to report a lot of information about their congregations to the <\/span>government<\/span>, and they have to apply <\/span>for permission <\/span>from the government whenever they want to do any special events<\/span>. They also <\/span>are <\/span>limited to doing ministry in the specific geographical area <\/span>for which they have received permission to operate. Meanwhile, the<\/span> unregistered churches <\/span>carry out their<\/span> ministry<\/span> freely<\/span>, despite the danger<\/span>. They go where the Spirit leads them and do what the Spirit guides them to do. And even<\/span> when they are persecuted or imprisoned, they give thanks<\/span> to the Lord.<\/span> It\u2019s not difficult to see how <\/span>the issue<\/span> can <\/span>creat<\/span>e<\/span> division between Vietnamese churches<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]According to <\/span>Representative Foley<\/span>, <\/span>government officials <\/span>are <\/span>quick to exploit that <\/span>division<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>There is a pastor <\/span>from an unregistered church background <\/span>in the Central Highlands<\/span>*<\/span> who <\/span>loves the Lord with all of his heart and <\/span>who goes to the <\/span>remote and inaccessible areas to preach the Gospel to the unreached people<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span>.<\/span> \u201c<\/span>T<\/span>he local authorities were not happy <\/span>with him <\/span>and were trying everything they could to stop him<\/span>, <\/span>including<\/span> allegedly <\/span>jamming a wooden stick into one of his motorbike wheels when he and his wife and son were <\/span>riding<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d <\/span>(*name and location withheld for security reasons)<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”43439″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Pastors from unregistered churches in Vietnam frequently use motorbikes to serve Christians across a wide geographical area. Churches which register with the government are required to limit their work to a specified local area.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]She says that even though the pastor and his family members were injured, they <\/span>are <\/span>continu<\/span>ing<\/span> their ministry work.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cSince the authorities couldn\u2019t stop the pastor directly, they <\/span>reportedly <\/span>went to<\/span> a registered church leader who had been <\/span>appointed as the delegate of the region by <\/span>the <\/span>E<\/span>vangelical Church of Vietnam<\/span> (ECVN<\/span>)<\/span>. The authorities <\/span>told this leader that he had to stop the unregistered pastor.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that the <\/span>ECVN is the oldest and largest Protestant church in Vietnam, established by Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) missionaries from North America in 1911.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cThe delegate from the registered church called the unregistered pastor <\/span>and rebuke<\/span>d<\/span> him<\/span>,<\/span> exhorting him to evangelize only within the local area<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>But the unregistered church pastor says <\/span>that <\/span>he <\/span>obeys God rather than <\/span>human beings, and that he will continue the ministry the Lord has entrusted to him, no matter what the cost.<\/span> So the government and its registration process has come between these two brothers and created division in the body of Christ in Vietnam.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The United States Department of State designates Vietnam as one of ten <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Countries of Particular Concern<\/span>\u201d<\/span> under the terms of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998 due to <\/span>what it regards as <\/span>\u201csevere violations of religious freedom\u201d<\/span>.<\/span> The other countries on the <\/span>State Department\u2019s <\/span>list are <\/span>Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, <\/span>North Korea, <\/span>Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The <\/span>Executive Summary of the <\/span>State Department\u2019s <\/span>2021 Report on International Religious Freedom<\/span> in <\/span>Vietnam <\/span>notes, \u201c<\/span>Religious activists blamed authorities for <\/span>\u2018<\/span>manipulating<\/span>\u2019<\/span> recognized religious groups and accused their agents or proxies of causing conflicts in order to suppress the activities of unregistered groups<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a \u2018divide-and-conquer\u2019 strategy,<\/span> and <\/span>it certainly wasn\u2019t invented by the Vietnamese government<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Christians <\/span>have been getting caught in this trap going all the way back to the New Testament<\/span>. <\/span>Paul\u2019s letters <\/span>all deal with outside forces <\/span>seeking <\/span>to divide the <\/span>early <\/span>Christians<\/span>.<\/span> No matter what the source of division was\u2014whether circumcision or food laws or<\/span> following certain leaders\u2014Paul\u2019s advice was always the same: <\/span>Trust <\/span>Christ<\/span> alone for salvation<\/span>,<\/span> don\u2019t force anyone to violate their conscience, and <\/span>love one another.<\/span> Even in the letter to the Hebrews, the situation <\/span>described there is that <\/span>some Christians have <\/span>returned to Judaism, likely in order to avoid persecution from Roman authorities because Judaism was a \u2018protected\u2019 <\/span>religion,<\/span> but Christianity was not.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”43442″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Unregistered churches in Vietnam continue to grow despite facing pressure from both the government and now, registered churches.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that Voice of the Martyrs Korea <\/span>primarily <\/span>partners<\/span> with Christians in unregist<\/span>e<\/span>red church settings <\/span>and has <\/span>published <\/span>a series of books entitled \u201cPreparing for the Underground Church\u201d on how churches <\/span>in any country <\/span>can transition from registered to unregistered status.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Still, she says her organization <\/span>makes every effort <\/span>to help Christians in <\/span>both <\/span>registered and unregistered churches<\/span> avoid <\/span>conflict between each other<\/span>. \u201c<\/span>Nothing makes governments happier than when Christians fight other<\/span> Christians<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley. <\/span>\u201cWith registered churches we try to help them understand that Romans 13 doesn\u2019t teach <\/span>us to render unto Caesar whatever Caesar <\/span>demands<\/span>—<\/span>only God deserves our unconditional obedience<\/span>. With unregistered churches we try to help them understand that <\/span>while <\/span>Acts 5 <\/span>does teach us that only God should receive our unconditional obedience, it also teaches us that <\/span>we must <\/span>willingly and joyfully accept the <\/span>punishments governments lay upon us for <\/span>obeying God, even when those punishments are unjust.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]More information on <\/span>Christian persecution in Vietnam <\/span>is available at <\/span><\/span>https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/country-profile\/VIETNAM\/<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>. <\/span>The \u201cPreparing for the Underground Church\u201d series is available at <\/span><\/span>https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/store\/<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”43454″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”Local authorities harassing members of unregistered churches is nothing new in Vietnam. But what is new is authorities using registered churches to do the harassing.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":43433,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,869,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43445","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-china-special","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43445","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43445"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43445\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43433"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}