In the latest version of the "Church Order of Protestant Churches in China" (later referred to as the Order) released in November 2018, the ordained offices recognized by the registered Chinese church include bishop, pastor, and elder. The Order retains the office of bishop; however, there are currently no bishops in the Three-Self churches in the Chinese mainland. The debate over whether to establish bishops has become a microcosm of the wider effort to shape the Chinese church in the post-denominational era.
According to the Order, candidates for the bishopship must meet specific requirements: they must be over 40 years old, have served as pastors for more than 10 years, possess substantial theological knowledge, and be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Standing Committee of the CCC&TSPM. Bishops are to bear greater responsibility in interpreting doctrine and regulating sacraments, but they do not hold special administrative authority.
In The Oral History of Cao Shengjie, published by Shanghai Bookstore Press in 2016, Rev. Cao Shengjie, former president of the China Christian Council, devoted an entire chapter to explaining the bishop issue. The following passage is drawn from that book, with some abridgment.
Although not every denomination in China historically had bishops ("zhujiao" or "jiandu" in Chinese), most Protestant groups still recognized this office, including some independent churches. For example, the Shanghai Federation of Pentecostal Churches elected Zhu Guishen as bishop (jiandu) in 1946. For this reason, the office of bishop was retained in the Order.
Before 1958, denominational structures existed alongside the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, and ordinations followed each denomination's practice. The Anglican and Lutheran churches had bishops, while the Methodist Church used the title "Jiandu," equivalent to bishop in English.
Most Anglican bishops in pre-1949 China were foreigners, with few Chinese holding the office, usually as assistants. Zheng Hefu became the first Chinese presiding bishop of the Chung Hua Sheng Kung Hui, succeeded by Bishop Chen Jianzhen of Anhui. After foreign missionaries departed in the 1950s, the Anglican Church consecrated several Chinese bishops, including K. H. Ting, Zheng Jianye, and Wang Shenyin.
After the reopening of churches in the reform era, the remaining bishops still held their office, but by the 1980s, most were elderly or had passed away.
In 1988, Shanghai consecrated two bishops: Sun Yanli, formerly of the Methodist Church, and Shen Yifan, formerly of the Anglican Church. This was a local decision, recognized by CCC&TSPM. Bishop Ting attended their consecration service, preached, and laid hands on them.
According to Anglican tradition, at least three bishops must participate in a consecration, tracing back to apostolic times and the doctrine of "apostolic succession." To avoid reviving denominational divisions, the Shanghai CC&TSPM created a precedent: alongside former Anglican bishops, senior pastors from other denominations also joined in the laying on of hands, including Baptist pastor Qi Qingcai, Methodist pastor Wu Gao, and Presbyterian pastor Yin Jizeng. All were respected church leaders, and their participation symbolized unity and catholicity.
Regarding the relationship between bishops and the CC&TSPMs, in the past, bishops had diocesan jurisdiction, but now the churches are led by the CC&TSPMs. It was therefore made clear that bishops hold no administrative authority but only spiritual authority, with an honorary nature. Bishop Sun continued as president of East China Theological Seminary, while Bishop Shen remained pastor of the International Church in Shanghai. Sadly, in the summer of 1994, Bishop Shen, then serving as general secretary of the China Christian Council, died suddenly of a heart attack during a meeting in Weihai. In 1995, Bishop Sun also passed away, leaving no continuation of the episcopal succession in China.
In May 2004, facing the absence of bishops, Bishop Ting convened a small group to discuss whether the Chinese church should reintroduce the office. He said someone had suggested that if Chinese Christianity had a bishop, they could provide equal treatment in foreign affairs, because overseas Christianity, especially mainstream denominations, all have bishops, and bishops hold a high status within the church and in society. Declaring this a major issue, Ting believed that the appointment of bishops must have a theological basis within the Church, and that there must be a distinction between bishops and pastors in their sacred office. He opposed the idea of bishops being merely honorary.
Later that year, he invited everyone to discuss how CCC&TSPM could strengthen its ecclesiastical nature at a meeting. Naturally, the question of whether bishops should be appointed came up, and many people expressed support. By December, the Standing Committee of CCC&TSPM passed a resolution on "Continuing to Elect Bishops and Related Work in Chinese Christianity" and published the relevant information in Tianfeng (flagship magazine of CCC&TSPM). A preparatory committee was formed under Bishop Ting's leadership, with two working groups: one to consider candidates and another to study the functions of bishops.
The news sparked much discussion. Supporters argued that bishops offered several advantages: (1) they represented historical continuity, since historic churches have always had bishops; the Chinese church should not be divorced from history, but it would not be a revival of a particular denomination; (2) they could regularize the sacraments and strengthen pastoral care, with bishops ordaining future pastors; (3) they could contribute to theological development, as bishops hold doctrinal authority and bear responsibility to defend orthodoxy against heresy.
Others, however, voiced concerns. Some believe this is a revival of denominationalism because some churches do not have this tradition. Especially in the Northeast, which has a Presbyterian background and has never had a bishop, they feel that there is no need for it. Others felt it was unnecessary, as the existing CC&TSPM structure already functioned effectively. How will the relationship with bishops be handled going forward? Furthermore, the bishops elected will likely be the leaders of the CC&TSPMs; are they seeking greater honors?
Rev. Cao herself supported retaining the bishop office but noted three major obstacles in the book: (1) the relationship between bishops, who hold lifelong spiritual authority, and the rotating leadership of the CC&TSPMs, which are officially recognized by the state; (2) the need for more than one bishop and whether to establish a bishops' conference, and what meaning such a body would carry; (3) the challenge of theological diversity, which would make it difficult for bishops alone to regulate doctrine and sacraments. For these reasons, she urged caution. Bishop Ting himself, faced with the complexities, did not pursue the matter further, and the plan eventually stalled.
In 2012, Bishop Ting, the last bishop of the Chinese church, passed away at the age of 98. With his death, the Christian church in the Chinese mainland was left without bishops. The future of the office of bishop, as Rev. Cao noted, depends on how circumstances unfold.
