Banning the founder Witness Lee’s edition of the Bible may open the way to liquidating the movement itself.
March 18, 2025
On March 7, 2025, Russian media reported that the Moscow City Court declared “extremist” the book “New Testament: The Restoration Translation,” distributed by the Local Church founded by Chinese preacher Witness Lee.
The court found that the comments by Witness Lee on what it called a “non-canonical translation of the New Testament” contain signs of “exclusivism,” a frequent Russian accusation against groups banned as “extremist.” “Exclusivism” means implying that the Biblical interpretation by Witness Lee is superior to others, including the one by the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).
The decision stated that the translation includes “special linguistic signs of propaganda and humiliation” against other religions, including the ROC, based on specific “linguistic analyses” by anti-cult “experts.”
Finally, the court believed that the translation includes hidden or subliminal messages persuading readers to send donations to the Local Church.
The Local Church originated from an international Evangelical Christian movement that began in China during the 1920s. It is characterized by the belief that there should be only one active Christian church within each city, as a response to denominational disputes. This movement was founded on the teachings of Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian who was influenced by the Plymouth Brethren. In the 1930s, Nee authored books on his beliefs and established churches across China.
After the establishment of the Communist regime, the CCP reviewed Nee’s activities and initiated an investigation. Consequently, he was removed from Shanghai and subsequently imprisoned in 1952 for life.
In 1948, Nee sent Witness Lee to lead the mission in Taiwan. Lee’s church expanded to nearby countries and the United States, gaining members from Chinese American communities and beyond.
In 1962, Lee founded Living Stream Ministry in California to support his writing and teaching. This publishing arm offers guidance to autonomous congregations in the Local Church movement, which follow the teachings of Nee and Lee.
Having its literature banned as “extremist” normally in Russia paves the way to declaring “extremist” the movement itself, thus prohibiting all religious activities in Russian territory.
Source: bittrewinter.org
Comments