作者：xiaocai liu
《圣经·约珥书》1章3节说：“你们要将这事传与子，子传与孙，孙传与后代。”《申命记》4章9节也告诫我们，要谨慎保守自己亲眼所看见的事，并“传给你的子子孙孙”。
每当我读到这两处经文，都会想到一个非常重要的问题：如果我们的下一代无法接触我们的信仰，我们今天所坚持的一切，几十年以后还会存在吗？
在我看来，这正是今天中国基督徒不得不面对的一个严峻现实。
基督教信仰从来不只属于某一个人，也不只属于某一个时代。我们所经历的恩典、苦难、管教和见证，需要告诉自己的孩子，再由孩子告诉他们的下一代。正是在这样的代际传承中，信仰才得以延续，一个基督徒群体的历史、记忆和价值观也才能一代一代保存下来。
对于绝大多数基督徒家庭来说，一个孩子最初认识上帝，并不是因为他读过多少神学著作，也不是因为他能够理解复杂的教义。
孩子最早接触到的信仰，通常就在自己的家里。
父母祷告，他看见了；父母读圣经，他听见了；星期天父母去教会，他跟着父母一起去。在这样的家庭生活中，孩子一点一点认识圣经、教会和基督教信仰。
所以我一直认为，如果想要削弱一种宗教，最有效的方法之一，并不一定是立即让这一代成年人全部放弃信仰，而是切断信仰通往下一代的道路。
因为成年人终究会老去。
如果没有下一代，一个宗教即使今天还有很多信徒，几十年以后也面对完全不同的局面。
被挡在教堂之外的下一代
2018年2月1日，新修订的《宗教事务条例》正式实施。此后，在“教育与宗教相分离”等原则和地方宗教管理实践之下，未成年人参与宗教教育和宗教活动受到限制。
在我看来，这件事情真正值得警惕的地方，并不仅仅是“一个孩子能不能进入一座教堂”。
它真正影响的是：一个基督徒家庭还能不能把自己的信仰完整地传给下一代。
成年人已经拥有自己的信仰。即使面对压力，他们仍然可以自己祷告、读圣经，也想办法继续自己的信仰生活。
但是孩子不一样。
如果一个孩子从小不能正常参加教会生活，不能参加主日学，不能和其他基督徒家庭的孩子一起学习圣经，不能经历一个完整的信仰群体生活，那么他与父母信仰之间的联系很逐渐变弱。
今天，我们看到的只是一个孩子不能正常参加某些宗教活动。
可是十年以后呢？
二十年以后呢？
今天的孩子长大成人之后，如果他们对父母的信仰已经非常陌生，他们还会把这个信仰继续传给自己的孩子吗？
如果答案是否定的，那么再过一代，他们的孩子甚至完全不知道自己的祖父母曾经怎样祷告、怎样读圣经、怎样坚持自己的信仰。
所以我认为，这种影响绝不是几年就能够完全显现出来的。
它真正的后果，需要十年、二十年甚至三十年以后，我们才能看得清楚。
信仰首先是在家庭中传承的
我认为，要理解这个问题，首先必须明白一点：
宗教信仰不是普通的社会组织。
一个公司可以通过广告寻找消费者，一个协会可以通过宣传招募会员，但宗教信仰在很多情况下首先来自家庭。
对于一个基督徒父亲或者母亲而言，带自己的孩子去教会、教孩子祷告、给孩子讲圣经，并不只是在参加某一种社会活动。
这是家庭教育的一部分，也是父母把自己认为最重要的价值和信仰传递给孩子的一种方式。
如果一个基督徒相信圣经的话语是真实的，那么他自然希望自己的孩子也能够了解这些内容。至于孩子成年以后是否继续相信，最终应该由孩子自己根据良知作出选择。
但是，如果孩子连了解父母信仰的机会都越来越少，那么所谓“选择”又从何谈起？
更现实的问题是，当父母不能方便地带孩子参加教会活动时，一些没有亲属帮助照顾孩子的家庭，父母自己参加礼拜也会受到影响。
于是，我们看到的是一种连锁反应：
孩子不能正常参加教会，父母参加教会也越来越困难；家庭与教会之间的联系逐渐减弱，下一代对信仰越来越陌生。
最终受到影响的并不是一个人，而是整个家庭。
而当这样的情况发生在越来越多家庭中时，改变的也不只是几个家庭的宗教生活，而是中国教会未来的人口结构。文章原稿同样特别提出，如果年轻一代无法持续进入教会，长期造成教会老龄化和信仰传承断层。
今天走进一些教会，我们仍然能够看到很多中老年基督徒。
可是十年以后呢？
二十年以后呢？
当今天的中老年信徒逐渐老去，如果年轻人没有继续进入教会，那么谁来接过他们手中的圣经？
谁来继续他们的祷告？
谁来把他们的见证告诉下一代？
当信仰问题被政治化
在我看来，要理解中国基督教今天所面对的环境，还必须看到另一个背景，那就是中国政府长期以来对于境外宗教组织以及境外力量与中国本土教会之间的联系保持高度警惕。
在官方的政治安全话语中，“境外渗透”“和平演变”等概念长期存在。
当宗教被纳入这样的政治安全框架以后，许多原本属于个人信仰、家庭教育和教会生活的问题，也容易被赋予政治意义。
这正是我最担忧的地方。
一个父亲带孩子去教堂，只是希望自己的孩子知道父亲为什么相信上帝。
一个母亲教孩子祷告，也只是希望把自己的信仰和人生经验告诉孩子。
教会开设儿童主日学，本身也是一种宗教教育。
但是，当宗教传播、境外联系和政治安全被联系在一起之后，下一代的宗教教育就很容易成为严格管理的对象。原稿所讨论的核心问题，也正是宗教管理从教堂和成年人进一步延伸到家庭与下一代以后所产生的长期影响。
因此，我想提出几个非常简单的问题：
一个政府究竟应该在多大程度上介入一个家庭的宗教教育？
基督徒父母有没有权利让自己的孩子了解自己的信仰？
一个孩子有没有权利了解父母为什么相信基督教？
他能不能在了解以后，长大成人，再根据自己的良知决定相信或者不相信？
这些问题已经不只是教堂管理的问题，而涉及家庭、教育、信仰以及个人选择之间最基本的界限。
最可怕的变化往往看不见
关闭一座教堂，我们马上能够看到。
拆掉一个十字架，我们也能够马上看到。但是，有一种改变并不会立刻出现在我们的眼前。那就是信仰传承的断裂。
它不会在第一年产生明显结果。
五年以后，我们甚至仍然觉得没有发生太大的变化，因为教堂里还有成年人，还有老一代基督徒。
但是二十年以后，当今天这些孩子已经长大成人的时候，我们才真正看到后果。
如果一代孩子从小没有机会正常进入教会，没有机会参加宗教活动，也没有机会系统了解父母的信仰，那么他们成年以后继续父母信仰的性自然降低。
而一旦一个家庭出现了信仰断层，再想重新建立这种传承，就会变得非常困难。
因为信仰不仅仅存在于一本书里。
信仰也存在于生活里。
一个孩子看到自己的父亲在困难中怎样祷告，看到母亲怎样读圣经，看到教会怎样帮助陷入困境的人，看到不同家庭怎样一起敬拜——这些童年的记忆，本身就是信仰传承的一部分。
这些东西不是等到一个人三十岁以后，给他几本宗教书籍就能够完全补回来的。
所以，在我看来，真正决定中国基督教未来的，也许不仅仅是今天中国还有多少座教堂、多少牧师、多少传道人或者多少成年基督徒。
我们更应该问：
今天还有多少孩子能够真正认识父母所相信的上帝？
三十年以后，中国还有多少基督徒？
《圣经》为什么反复强调要“传给子孙”？
因为任何信仰一旦失去下一代，都很难拥有未来。
政府可以制定宗教法规，可以管理宗教场所，也可以限制宗教组织的活动范围。
但是，当这种管理进一步进入家庭，影响父母向孩子传递信仰的时候，它所触及的就已经不只是一场礼拜，也不仅仅是一座教堂，而是一个宗教群体延续自己的根基。
所以我常常想到一个让我不安的问题：
再过十年、二十年、三十年以后，中国大地上还会有多少基督徒？
我不知道答案。
今天也没有任何人能够准确回答这个问题。
但是我越来越相信，对一个宗教最深远的打击，未必是今天关闭了多少座教堂，而是让下一代逐渐不知道教堂意味着什么；
未必是今天拿走多少本圣经，而是让下一代再也没有机会、甚至没有兴趣打开圣经；
未必是强迫这一代人立即宣布放弃信仰，而是让他们的信仰无法继续传到下一代。
今天仍然坚持信仰的人终究会老去。
真正决定一种信仰能否继续存在的，是有没有年轻人接过上一代人手中的圣经；有没有父母能够把自己的信仰、经历和见证告诉孩子；有没有孩子能够自由地走进教堂，了解自己的父母究竟相信什么，然后在长大以后，按照自己的良知作出选择。原文最后同样把问题落在了“十年、二十年、三十年以后中国还有多少基督徒”以及下一代能否接续信仰之上。
《约珥书》说：“你们要将这事传与子，子传与孙，孙传与后代。”
过去，我读到这句话时，想到的是信仰的传承。
今天，当我再次读到这句话，我感受到的却多了一份沉重。
因为对于今天的中国基督徒而言，“传与子，子传与孙”已经不再只是两千多年前经文中的一句教导，而成为摆在我们这一代人面前一个非常现实的问题。
如果有一天，我们仍然相信，却无法把自己的信仰告诉孩子；我们手中仍然拿着圣经，下一代却已经不知道为什么要打开它；我们仍然记得教堂里的祷告和诗歌，下一代却再也没有这样的记忆。
那么，中国基督教真正失去的，就不仅仅是一代信徒。
失去的是信仰继续传下去的未来。
而这正是我今天最担忧的事情。
编辑：张致君 校对：周敏 翻译：戈冰
How the Chinese Government Cuts Off the Transmission of Christian Faith from the Next Generation
By Xiaocai Liu
Joel 1:3 in the Bible states: “Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.” Deuteronomy 4:9 also cautions us to take heed and diligently keep ourselves, lest we forget the things which our eyes have seen, and “teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons.”
Whenever I read these two passages of scripture, a vital question comes to mind: If our next generation is unable to access our faith, will everything we stand for today still exist decades from now?
In my view, this is precisely a grim reality that Chinese Christians must face today.
The Christian faith has never belonged solely to a single individual, nor to a single era. The grace, suffering, discipline, and testimony we have experienced need to be told to our children, and then told by our children to their next generation. It is precisely in such intergenerational transmission that faith endures, and the history, memory, and values of a Christian community can be preserved from generation to generation.
For the vast majority of Christian families, a child’s earliest knowledge of God is not because they have read numerous works of theology, nor because they can understand complex doctrines.
The earliest exposure a child receives to faith usually takes place within their own home.
When parents pray, the child sees it; when parents read the Bible, the child hears it; on Sundays when parents go to church, the child goes along with them. In such family life, the child gradually comes to know the Bible, the church, and the Christian faith.
Therefore, I have always believed that if one wishes to weaken a religion, one of the most effective methods is not necessarily to immediately force this generation of adults to abandon their faith altogether, but rather to cut off the path of faith leading to the next generation.
Because adults, after all, will grow old.
If there is no next generation, even if a religion still possesses many believers today, it will face an entirely different situation decades from now.
The Next Generation Barred Outside the Church
On February 1, 2018, the newly revised Regulations on Religious Affairs were officially implemented. Since then, under principles such as the “separation of education and religion” and local religious administration practices, minors’ participation in religious education and religious activities has been restricted.
In my view, where this matter truly warrants vigilance is not merely whether “a child can enter a church.”
What it truly impacts is: whether a Christian family can still fully pass its faith down to the next generation.
Adults already possess their own faith. Even when facing pressure, they can still pray on their own, read the Bible, and find ways to continue their religious lives.
But children are different.
If a child cannot normally participate in church life from an early age, cannot attend Sunday school, cannot study the Bible with children from other Christian families, and cannot experience a complete faith community life, then the connection between them and their parents’ faith will gradually weaken.
Today, what we see is merely a child unable to normally participate in certain religious activities.
But what about ten years from now?
What about twenty years from now?
When today’s children grow into adults, if they have already become very estranged from their parents’ faith, will they still continue to pass this faith down to their own children?
If the answer is no, then in another generation, their children will not even know at all how their grandparents once prayed, how they read the Bible, and how they persevered in their faith.
Therefore, I believe this impact is by no means something that can fully manifest in just a few years.
Its true consequences will require ten, twenty, or even thirty years before we can see them clearly.
Faith Is First and Foremost Transmitted Within the Family
I believe that to understand this issue, one must first comprehend a fundamental point:
Religious faith is not an ordinary social organization.
A company can find consumers through advertising, and an association can recruit members through publicity, but in many cases, religious faith stems first and foremost from the family.
For a Christian father or mother, taking their child to church, teaching the child to pray, and telling the child stories from the Bible are not merely participating in a certain type of social activity.
This is part of family education, as well as a way for parents to transmit to their child the values and faith they consider most important.
If a Christian believes that the words of the Bible are true, then they naturally hope that their child will also be able to understand this content. As for whether the child will continue to believe after reaching adulthood, the choice should ultimately be made by the child themselves according to their own conscience.
However, if a child has fewer and fewer opportunities even to understand their parents’ faith, then where can we begin to talk about so-called “choice”?
A more practical problem is that when parents cannot conveniently bring their children to participate in church activities, for families without relatives to help care for the children, the parents’ own attendance at worship services will also be affected.
Thus, what we witness is a chain reaction:
Children cannot normally attend church, and it becomes increasingly difficult for parents to attend church as well; the connection between the family and the church gradually weakens, and the next generation grows increasingly estranged from faith.
In the end, what is affected is not merely a single person, but the entire family.
And when such a situation occurs in more and more families, what changes is not just the religious life of a few households, but the future demographic structure of the church in China. The original manuscript of the article also specifically pointed out that if the younger generation is unable to continuously enter the church, it will in the long run cause aging within the church and a fault line in intergenerational faith transmission.
Stepping into some churches today, we can still see many middle-aged and elderly Christians.
But what about ten years from now?
What about twenty years from now?
As today’s middle-aged and elderly believers gradually grow old, if young people do not continue to enter the church, then who will take over the Bible from their hands?
Who will continue their prayers?
Who will tell their testimony to the next generation?
When Faith Is Politicized
In my view, to understand the environment facing Chinese Christianity today, one must also observe another background: the Chinese government’s long-standing, high level of vigilance toward overseas religious organizations and the connections between foreign forces and local Chinese churches.
Within official political security discourse, concepts such as “foreign infiltration” and “peaceful evolution” have long existed.
Once religion is brought into such a political security framework, many issues that originally belonged to personal faith, family education, and church life easily become endowed with political significance.
This is precisely what worries me the most.
When a father brings his child to church, he merely hopes his child understands why the father believes in God.
When a mother teaches her child to pray, she merely hopes to impart her faith and life experience to the child.
When a church runs Sunday school for children, it is itself a form of religious education.
However, once religious propagation, foreign contacts, and political security are linked together, the religious education of the next generation easily becomes an object of strict administration. The core issue discussed in the original manuscript is precisely the long-term impact generated after religious administration further extends from churches and adults to families and the next generation.
Therefore, I would like to raise a few very simple questions:
To what extent should a government ultimately intervene in the religious education of a family?
Do Christian parents have the right to let their children understand their faith?
Does a child have the right to understand why their parents believe in Christianity?
Can they, after understanding it, grow into adulthood and then decide whether to believe or not based on their own conscience?
These questions are no longer merely issues of church management, but concern the most fundamental boundaries among family, education, faith, and personal choice.
The Most Fearful Changes Are Often Invisible
Closing down a church is something we can see immediately. Tearing down a cross is also something we can see immediately. However, there is a kind of change that does not instantly appear before our eyes. That is the severance of faith transmission.
It will not yield obvious results in the first year. Five years later, we might even still feel that not much has changed, because there are still adults and the older generation of Christians inside the church.
Yet twenty years later, when today’s children have grown into adulthood, only then will we truly witness the consequences.
If a generation of children has no opportunity from an early age to normally enter the church, no opportunity to participate in religious activities, and no opportunity to systematically understand their parents’ faith, the likelihood of them continuing their parents’ faith upon reaching adulthood naturally diminishes.
And once a faith fracture occurs within a family, attempting to re-establish this transmission becomes extraordinarily difficult.
Because faith does not exist merely within a book. Faith also exists within life.
A child seeing how their father prays in times of difficulty, seeing how their mother reads the Bible, seeing how the church helps those in plight, and seeing how different families worship together—these childhood memories are themselves part of the transmission of faith.
These things cannot be fully made up for simply by giving someone a few religious books after they turn thirty years old.
Therefore, in my view, what truly determines the future of Chinese Christianity is perhaps not merely how many churches, pastors, preachers, or adult Christians remain in China today.
We should ask even more urgently: How many children today can truly come to know the God in whom their parents believe?
Thirty years from now, how many Christians will remain in China?
Why does the Bible repeatedly emphasize “pass it down to your sons and grandsons”?
Because once any faith loses the next generation, it can hardly have a future.
The government can enact religious regulations, manage places of worship, and limit the scope of activity for religious organizations.
However, when this administration further enters the family and affects parents’ transmission of faith to their children, what it touches is no longer merely a single worship service, nor merely a single church building, but the very foundation upon which a religious group sustains itself.
Therefore, I often think of an unsettling question:
In another ten, twenty, or thirty years, how many Christians will still exist on the land of China?
I do not know the answer.
Nor can anyone accurately answer this question today.
Yet I become increasingly convinced that the most far-reaching blow to a religion is not necessarily how many churches are closed down today, but making the next generation gradually ignorant of what a church signifies;
It is not necessarily how many Bibles are taken away today, but depriving the next generation of any opportunity, or even any interest, to open a Bible;
It is not necessarily forcing this generation of people to immediately renounce their faith, but making it impossible for their faith to continue to be passed on to the next generation.
Those who still persevere in their faith today will, after all, grow old.
What truly determines whether a faith can continue to exist is whether there are young people to take over the Bible from the hands of the previous generation; whether there are parents who can tell their children their faith, experiences, and testimonies; and whether there are children who can freely walk into a church, learn what their parents actually believe in, and then, upon growing up, make a choice according to their own conscience. The conclusion of the original text likewise brings the issue back to “how many Christians will remain in China ten, twenty, or thirty years from now” and whether the next generation can continue the faith.
The Book of Joel states: “Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.”
In the past, when I read this verse, what came to mind was the transmission of faith.
Today, when I read this verse once more, what I feel is laden with an added weight.
Because for Chinese Christians today, “tell your children, and let your children tell their children” is no longer merely an instruction in a scriptural verse from over two thousand years ago, but has become a very real issue confronting our generation.
If one day, we still believe, yet are unable to tell our children of our faith; if we still hold the Bible in our hands, yet the next generation no longer knows why they should open it; if we still remember the prayers and hymns inside the church, yet the next generation possesses no such memories whatsoever;
Then, what Chinese Christianity truly loses will not be merely a single generation of believers.
What is lost is the future in which faith continues to be passed down.
And this is precisely what worries me the most today.
Editor: Zhang Zhijun Proofreader: Zhou Min Translator: Ge Bing
