James -- March 21, 1998

March 21, 1998

Three U.S. religious leaders, Rabbi Arthur Schneier, president of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation of the United States, Archbishop Theodore McCarrick of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey and the Rev. Don Argue, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, visited Beijing between Feb. 10 and 15 as the guests of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.

"The three members of the U.S. delegations told reporters that they were visiting as friends of China and hoped to help improve relations between the two countries," AP reported.

According to Chinese official statistics, China has 100 million religious believers, include Buddhists, Taoists, Christians and Muslims.

During their 6-day visit in Beijing, U.S. religious delegation met with Chinese officers (including Chinese president Jiang Zemin), religious leaders and scholars, visited seminary, temples and churches, attended Sunday mass and pray with thousand Chinese believers in downtown Beijing. The three prominent American religious leaders and their parties also visited Nanjing, Shanghai and Lhasa often apart from Beijing.

US religious mission, accompanied by Abbot Jiamyang Tubdan (second from left in the front), visit Yonghegong, a Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing. They are on an 18-days visit to China.

Mr. Schneier (left) and Archbishop Theodore McCarrick visit Beijing Xishiku Cathedral.

Rev. Don Argue (left) presents a video tape about JESUS to Archbishop Fu Tieshan, Archbishop of Beijing Archdiocese.

Archbishop Theodore McCarrick sings with Archbishop Fu Tieshan at Beijing Xishiku Cathedral. Fu told U.S. counterparts that:"We sing for Pope II also. We pray for Pope II also. There is no difference in the religious belief between us."

"Though we are from different cultures and different countries, we are united in one pride," President of the US National Association of Evangelicals Rev. Don Argue said in a 15 minute sermon at the crowded Chongwenmen Church in downtown Beijing in Feb. 15, 1998 morning. Rev. Argue brought greetings from all evangelics in the US to the crowd at the church, where Billy Graham preached sermons twice. "Though we are not physically related, I am glad that we are spiritually related. We are very honored to have the opportunity to pray and sing with you. Thank you very much. God bless you," he said.

Three US religious leaders pray with hundreds Chinese together at Chongwenment Church downtown Beijing in Sunday morning.

Archbishop Theodore McCarrick (left on the first sitting row), Mr. Rabbi Arthur Schneier (second from left on the first sitting row), and Rev. Don Argue (second from right on the first sitting row) attend a Sunday mass at Beijing Xianwumen Cathedral.

Three US religious leaders, Mr. Rabbi Arthur Schneier (the third from the right), Rev. Don Argue (second from right) and Archbishop Theodore McCarrick (the fourth from right), visit the Chinese Academy of Social Science to discuss the religious situation in China and the USA with Chinese scholars.

Rabbi Arthur Schneier (front) in the front of Beijing Xishiku Cathedral.

Three US religious leaders meet press in the front door of Yonghegong, a Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing.

James Zeng-Huang