From ‘Renunciation of Parents’ to Filial Piety: An Ethnographic Study of Chinese Catholic Clergy

Before the 1990s, Chinese Catholicism primarily adhered to pre-Vatican II principles that required clergy to take a vow of 'renunciation of parents' (qijue fumu 弃绝父母). However, after the 1990s, the ethical framework of the Catholic clergy in China evolved rapidly, emphasising the importance of expressing filial piety. Taking a rural Catholic community in southwestern Hubei, China, as an example, this paper analyses the trajectory and logic of the changing relationship between Chinese Catholic clergy and their families through an ethnographic approach. I argue that the shift in the discourse from 'renunciation of parents' to filial piety is not only related to the renewal of the Catholic theology since Vatican II but also closely linked to social transformation and moral changes in post-Mao China. Utilising various cultural resources, Chinese Catholics have reconstructed their ethical system to maintain a dynamic balance between religious faith and social development.