WI Pope Clement XI authorized Chinese rites?

[danteheadman]

In other words: what if the 17th century Chinese Rites controversy went the other way?

The Chinese Rites controversy was a dispute among Roman Catholic missionaries over the religiosity of Confucianismand Chinese rituals during the 17th and 18th centuries. The debate discussed whether Chinese ritual practices of honoring family ancestors and other formal Confucian and Chinese imperial rites qualified as religious rites and were thus incompatible with Catholic belief.[1][2] The Jesuits argued that these Chinese rites were secular rituals that were compatible with Christianity, within certain limits, and should thus be tolerated. The Dominicans and Franciscans, however, disagreed and reported the issue to Rome.

Rome's Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith sided with the Dominicans in 1645 by condemning the Chinese rites based on their brief. However, the same congregation sided with the Jesuits in 1656, thereby lifting the ban.[1] It was one of the many disputes between the Jesuits and the Dominicans in China and elsewhere in Asia, including Japan[3] and India.[4]

The controversy embroiled leading European universities; the Qing dynasty's Kangxi Emperor and several popes(including Clement XI and Clement XIV) considered the case; the offices of the Holy See also intervened. Near the end of the 17th century, many Dominicans and Franciscans had shifted their positions in agreeing with the Jesuits' opinion, but Rome disagreed. Clement XI banned the rites in 1704. In 1742, Benedict XIV reaffirmed the ban and forbade debate.[1]

In 1939, after two centuries, the Holy See re-assessed the issue. Pope Pius XII issued a decree on December 8, 1939, authorizing Chinese Catholics to observe the ancestral rites and participate in Confucius-honoring ceremonies.[1] The general principle of sometimes admitting native traditions even into the liturgy of the church, provided that such traditions harmonize with the true and authentic spirit of the liturgy, was proclaimed by the Second Vatican Council (1962–65).[5]

The big issues apparently were: the correct Chinese terminology for "God," the practice of Confucian seasonal rituals, and the practice of offering incense in veneration of dead ancestors.

Suppose the Jesuits win over the Holy See and the Pope issues a bull endorsing Confucian rites as civic rituals compatible with Catholicism. Christianity had already made inroads in China. It was even supported by official edict of the Kangxi Emperor, marking Christianity equal in status to Buddhism and Confucianism.

Would more Chinese people convert to Christianity? How large could the religion grow under the Qing? How would Europe react to the Pope legitimizing Confucian rites? How would European countries react to a major Asian power developing a Papal-legitimized Catholic population? How would ITTL China would react to Enlightenment ideas (which questioned both the Catholic Church and monarchism)?

IMO there would certainly be an increased Sinophilia / Chinoiserie movement in Europe and an contemporaneous Chinese embrace of European ideas. "Chinese Catholicism" would very much syncretise those endorsed rituals. I suspect that this will eventually lead to an Anglican-like schism between normative Catholicism and Chinese Catholicism at some point, because the institution of the Emperor cannot ideologically accept even a pro forma primacy of Papal authority. What do you all think?

 

[Byzantion]

In other words: what if the 17th century Chinese Rites controversy went the other way?



The big issues apparently were: the correct Chinese terminology for "God," the practice of Confucian seasonal rituals, and the practice of offering incense in veneration of dead ancestors.

Suppose the Jesuits win over the Holy See and the Pope issues a bull endorsing Confucian rites as civic rituals compatible with Catholicism. Christianity had already made inroads in China. It was even supported by official edict of the Kangxi Emperor, marking Christianity equal in status to Buddhism and Confucianism.

Would more Chinese people convert to Christianity? How large could the religion grow under the Qing? How would Europe react to the Pope legitimizing Confucian rites? How would European countries react to a major Asian power developing a Papal-legitimized Catholic population? How would ITTL China would react to Enlightenment ideas (which questioned both the Catholic Church and monarchism)?

IMO there would certainly be an increased Sinophilia / Chinoiserie movement in Europe and an contemporaneous Chinese embrace of European ideas. "Chinese Catholicism" would very much syncretise those endorsed rituals. I suspect that this will eventually lead to an Anglican-like schism between normative Catholicism and Chinese Catholicism at some point, because the institution of the Emperor cannot ideologically accept even a pro forma primacy of Papal authority. What do you all think?

Christianity might have seen some success in China.