WCC Offers Condolences as Historical China Church Leader Passes Away

The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Rev Samuel Kobia has offered the organisation’s fullest condolences to the China Christian Council (CCC), after the death of its former president, Dr Han Wenzao.

|PIC1|Kobia stated that he was “deeply saddened” by the news of Wenzao’s death, and he expressed his sentiments in a letter of condolence addressed to Rev. Cao Shenjie, the current President of the China Christian Council.

The WCC head testified Dr Han as a “devout Christian”, and commented that he would always be remembered fondly as “one of the great personalities who provided leadership to the church in China in the post-revolutionary era”.

Dr Han also carried out many works with the WCC over his years in ministry, and along with Bishop K.H.Ting, played a significant role in re-establishing the official links between the church in China and the WCC.

Kobia told, “He was deeply involved in the planning and preparation of the first and second official visits of the China Christian Council (CCC) to the WCC in 1983 and 1989 and CCC’s subsequent decision to bring the church in China back into full membership in the WCC.”

The full text of Kobia’s letter follows:

Dear Rev. Cao,

|TOP|We are deeply saddened by the news of the death of Dr Han Wenzao, former president of the China Christian Council (CCC) and general secretary of the Amity Foundation.

Dr Han, a devout Christian, will always be remembered as one of the great personalities who provided leadership to the church in China in the post-revolutionary era. He discharged his duties at various important levels in Chinese society over the past several decades through his deep and passionate involvement in church and society, especially through his role as president of the China Christian Council, general secretary of the Amity Foundation, vice-chairperson of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and chairperson of the Advisory Committee of the Protestant Churches in China. Dr Han always tried to strengthen and forge the church-state relationships in the People’s Republic of China. He passionately articulated the integrity and dignity of the church in China. Along with a few other church leaders, he also helped create the official ‘Patriotic Protestant Church in China’ during the period after the liberation in 1949. He was convinced that the historical, progressive transition from pre-revolutionary ecclesiastical structures through the period of the formation of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, "was politically necessary to repudiate the imperialist sponsorship of foreign missionaries" in China.

|AD|The World Council of Churches has had the privilege of working very closely with him for many years. Dr Han, along with Bishop K.H.Ting, played a significant role in re-establishing the official links between the church in China and the WCC. He was deeply involved in the planning and preparation of the first and second official visits of the China Christian Council (CCC) to the WCC in 1983 and 1989 and CCC’s subsequent decision to bring the church in China back into full membership in the WCC. He was WCC’s main contact within the CCC for several years and helped to facilitate the official visits to China undertaken by two of my predecessors.

As a patriotic religious leader, Wenzao actively promoted the church’s mission in Chinese society, encouraged its members to take part in nation-building without compromising their faith, and helped them adapt their religious values to socialist society. He played an important role in the creation of the Amity Foundation and provided dynamic leadership in developing the Amity Foundation as a professional, social-development agency by ensuring Christian participation in social development. He was a man of great insight and personality.

We thank God for the life and witness of Dr Han Wenzao. Please convey our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, the members of the CCC and the Amity Foundation.

May his soul rest in peace.

Yours in His Service,


Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia
General Gecretary