Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Ministry Vũ Chiến Thắng hands over Decision on recognition of religious organization to Vietnam United Gospel Outreach Church
Vietnam is located in Asia, a place of cultural exchanges between Southeast Asia, India, China and later Western civilizations.
With a geographical location converging mountains, plains, rivers, and seas stretching across the country, and a favorable climate for the agricultural development, the country is also heavily affected by natural disasters and epidemics. Thus it has formed a system of rich belief worshipping activities praying for peace, favourable weather and a prosperous life. The development process with cultural exchanges has additionally formed a system of religions across regions in the country, reflecting the diversity of spiritual needs of Vietnamese people, traditionally as well as at present. As a country with a religious diversity, Vietnam has early promulgated policies and laws in order to ensure freedom of belief and religion for people and prevent illegal religious activities harming people's lives and social stability.
1. Overview of belief & religion in Vietnam
1.1. Worshipping beliefs in Vietnam
About 95 percent of the Vietnamese population have worshipping beliefs. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the country currently has over 8,000 festivals, including 7,039 folk carnivals, 544 religious fesivals, 332 historical festivals, and ten festivals imported from overseas. The country also has tens of thousands of historical-cultural relics and scenic spots, including over 6,000 classified provincial relics, nearly 4,000 recognized national relics, 72 special national relics and seven world heritages.
The country has a diversity of worshipping beliefs including traditional and imported beliefs. Belief worship figures include human and natural spirits. Traditional belief worship in Vietnam can be grouped into four main types: 1) Ancestral worship, including totem worship and worship of Hung Kings, village tutelary god (village god), and family ancestors; 2) Worship relating the human life cycle with rituals from birth, adulthood and death; 3) Occupational worshipping relating farming, fertility, professional founders, fortunes, fishing in the sea, etc; 4) Worship of gods and saints such as Tho Cong (Kitchen God), Tho Dia (God of Land), God of Tan Vien mountain, God of Water, Saint Giong, Saint Tran, Mother Goddess, etc.
Belief worshipping in Vietnam bears following basic characteristics: 1) Worshiping many kinds of deities relating to living and dead people, places as well as natural surroundings; 2) Consecration of historical people and natural phenomena, the deities are worshiped equally and each has its own role in the spiritual life of the people. Therefore, in worshipping establishments, Vietnamese people often worship polytheism, intertwining many deities; 3) In belief worshipping in Vietnam, the female aspect is often featured predominantly in the divine system. For example, the Mother Goddess Worship (Tam Phu, Tu Phu) is an outstanding and unique worship of Vietnam. This type of worship is increasingly expanding in space and scale.
Belief-related activities have been organized more systematically by the people, in both ceremonial and festive parts, attracting a large number of people, especially during festivals. Many belief festivals have been restored, and attracted large numbers of locals and visitors, such as the festivals of Con Son Kiep Bac in Hai Duong province, Tran Temple in Nam Dinh province, Co Loa and Hai Ba Trung in Hanoi, Chua Xu Goddess in An Giang province, etc. Most of belief festivals are organized solemnly with cultural exchanges and folk games, meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people, and preserving fine traditional features of the festival. The positive values of morality and traditions of ancestral worship, honoring and showing gratitude to those who have contributed meritorious service to the country have been promoted.
1.2. Overview of the religious situation in Vietnam
Vietnam is a country of religious diversity, and currently has 41 religious organizations belonging to 16 imported and endogenous religions recognized organizationally and granted with operation registration. Nine religions imported from abroad are Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Brahmanism, Baha’i Faith, Adventism, Mormonism, Minh Su Faith. Seven endogenous religions are Caodaism, Hoa Hao Buddhism, Tu An Hieu Nghia Buddhism, Buu Son Ky Huong Faith, Vietnam Pure-land lay Buddhism, Minh Ly Faith, Hieu Nghia Ta Lon Buddhism.
Religions in Vietnam may be split into two groups: Religions with only religious organization each and others with more than one religious organizations.
Religions with only religious organization include Buddhism with the only organization called the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Catholicism with just only organization called the Vietnam Catholic Church, Hoa Hao Buddhism having its sole organization called the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church, Baha’i Faith with the only one organization called the Baha’i Community of Vietnam, Vietnam Pure-land Buddhism with the only organization called the Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists, Tu An Hieu Nghia Buddhism with the sole organization called the Tu An Hieu Nghia Buddhist Association, Minh Su Therevada Buddhism with one organization called the Faith Association of Minh Su, Minh Ly Church with one organization called the Faith Association of Minh Ly, Adventism with its organization called Vietnam Adventist Church, Hieu Nghia Ta Lon Buddhism with one organization called the Hieu Nghia Ta Lon Buddhist Association, and Mormonism with one organization called the Vietnam Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (granted with certificate of religious operation registration).
Religions with more than one religious organization include Protestantism, Caodaism, Islam, and Brahmanism.
In particular, Protestantism has 11 recognized organizations of Evangelical Church of Vietnam (South), Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North), Vienam General Baptist Church, Vietnam Baptist Church, the Vietnam Presbyterian Church, Vietnam Mennonite Church, Vietnam Christian Fellowship Church, Vietnam Assemblies of God Church, Vietnam Full Gospel Church, and Vietnam United Gospel Outreach Church.
Caodaism has 10 organizations of Tay Ninh Caodai Church, Ban Chinh (Corection-Path) Caodai Church, Tien Thien (Ante-Creation) Caodai Church, Minh Chon (Verity-Truth Path) Caodai Church, Truyen Giao (Missionary) Caodai Church, Chieu Minh (Dazzling) Cao Dai Church, Bach Y (White Cloth) Caodai Church, Cau Kho - Tam Quan Caodai Church, Chon Ly (Truth) Caodai Church, Vietnam (Binh Duc) Caodai Church, and the Practicing Sect of Cao Dai Tam Thanh Chieu Minh Vo vi granted with the registration certificate for religious exercise.
Islam has five recognized organizations of representative committees of Islamic communities in Ho Chi Minh city and An Giang, Tay Ninh, Ninh Thuan provinces, and Al Noor Mosque’s Management Board in Hanoi.
Bani Islam has two recognized organizations of dignitary councils of Bani Islamic communities in the two provinces of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan.
Brahmanism has two recognized organizations of dignitary councils of Cham Brahman communities in the two provinces of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan.
The country currently has 27.7 million members of 41 religious organizations recognized or granted with the registration certificate for religious operation, accounting for about 27.7 percent of the country's population, with over 54.5 thousand of religious dignitaties, over 144 thousand of leading personnels and over 29.8 thousand of worshipping places1. Religious organizations are guaranteed to operate in accordance with the law and their charters, to develop appropriate religious exercise orientations, proactively engage in social welfare provision and humanitarian charities in the country, expand the missionary into urban areas, industrial zones, and mountainous and ethnic minority areas with increased numbers of dignitaries and lay followers, and new affiliated organizations and worshipping places established. The majority of religious dignitaries and lay followers have expressed their trust in the leadership of the Party and State of Vietnam, as well as supported and proactively contributed to the country's socio-economic development.
Besides normal & stable religious activities, the religious situation in Vietnam always contains and bears issues of concern affecting the religious environment and social stability. The internal disunity in most religious organizations has potentially caused complicated issues, and has been increasingly more vigorous; the rise of secession to form new organizations, especially amongst Mong Protestant groups due to their internal conflicts and disagreements over leadership and management; the moral degradation of some religious dignitaries who pursue fame and profits by organizing superstitious activities for personal gain, such as “Thing vong oan gia trai chu” (summoning retributive spirits) and “Buddha's hair-relics moving automatically”; some religious dignitaries taking advantage of followers’ trust to raise fund for building large worshipping places, thus affecting people's life; violations of the Land Law in some localities such as disputes, lawsuits, sales, transfers violating construction laws and causing difficulties in management and handling; many "New religious phenomena, cults, and groups" taking advantage of religion to promote propaganda with complicated developments and violations of the law; and bad elements taking advantage of instabilities to distort the religious situation and the implementation of religious policies in some localities.
1.3. Main characteristics of religion in Vietnam
First of all, Vietnam is a country with many religions but no religion is defined as the national religion.
Vietnam currently has 41 religious organizations belonging to 16 religions recognized organizationally or granted operation registration, and also other operative organizations and sects that do not meet the requirements for recognition yet. Thus the number of religious organizations and religions in Vietnam will increase in the coming time.
Vietnam currently has the presence of almost all religions in the world, including Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Orthodox, Baha’i Faith, Adventism, Mormonism, etc. Buddhism also has various sects, including Kinh Therevada Buddhism, Khmer Therevada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Mendicant Buddhism; and Protestantism with 11 recognized denominations.
The country also has a number of endogenous religions. These religions include Caodaism, Vietnam Pure–land lay Buddhism, Tu An Hieu Nghia Buddhism, Minh Su Faith, Minh Ly Faith, Brahmanism, Hieu Nghia Ta Lon Buddhism, Buu Son Ky Huong Faith. In particular, Caodai Faith has various branches, (there are 11 Caodai sects recognized organizationally, and other 21 denominations operating independently).
In the context of innovation and integration of the country, new religious phenomena including evil faiths and heresies have constantly appeared and developed. The country currently has about 80 new religious phenomena, with some of them have proposed to the Government for registration of operation and recognition as religious organizations, and others with activities being heretical and against the law.
The religious diversity in the country, with each religion has its own characteristics, would pose challenges in governing religious exercise and applying the law in dealing with relating illegal activities.
Secondly, religion in Vietnam has diverse international relations.
Several religions in Vietnam, such as Catholicism, Protestatism, Islam, Baha’i Faith, have central organizational bodies abroad, with close and inseparable relationships. That also means that these religions are subject to external leadership and influence in religious exercise.
In addition, in the context of globalization, integration and digital age, religions in Vietnam have sought and expanded global relations, such as development of Caodaism in United States, the missionary work of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in many countries.
Vietnam currently has about 2.5 million religious followers living and working abroad, with most of them are residing in the United States, France, and Germany, etc. The integration of the country has created favourabe conditions for overseas religious Vietnamese to return homeland for visiting relatives, doing business, tourism, and religious practices. This not only creates further international relations but also religious activities connecting overseas Vietnamese to their homeland.
Relations between Vietnam and the Vatican have seen many positive developments. Through rounds of negotiations and visits of high-ranking leaders, the two sides have agreed to upgrade their relationship to the level of Resident Papal Representative, opening a new era of the bilateral relation between the two states, as well as helping solve issues related to Catholicism in Vietnam.
Thirdly, the development history of religion in Vietnam has always been abused by evil forces for sabotaging the country.
Most of religions in Vietnam were imported from abroad and have relationships with many foreign organizations, taking advantage of that, some bad forces have used religions for attacking the state and the people. Besides, hostile forces from domestic and abroad always take advantage of belief and religion for hindering the country's development.
Fourthly, religions in Vietnam have been tightly organized.
Religions in Vietnam have tightly organized bodies from the central level to the grassroots level, with some having organizational bodies abroad. Each religion is closely linked internally according to its religious tenets and charters, and has a rapid inter-connection and communication throughout its entire community. In particular, Catholicism in Vietnam has three organizational levels of Vatican, diocese and parish, with 27 dioceses under three archdioceses, 3,266 parishes, ten seminaries and institutes, 5,000 seminarians, 51 bishops, and 5,990 priests. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam currently has 17 functioning committees in charge of different fields of the Catholic church. Catholicism in Vietnam also has a diverse system of religious orders, including 163 international orders and 106 diocesan orders, with 1,678 religious priests and 33,087 clergymen and clergywomen2.
Buddhism in Vietnam has one religious organization, which is the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS). The VBS currently has four organizational levels of the central (with the Executive Council and Discernment Council), provinces, districts and grassroots.
Fifthly, religious dignitaries, leading personnels and monastics in Vietnam are numerous and influential in society and the church.
The profound religious belief is the most important characteristic of religious dignitaries, leading personnels and monastics in Vietnam. They have a strong and profound faith in the religious founders, teachings and tenets of the church, and therefore follow and practice religion voluntarily.
Religious dignitaries, leading personnels, and monastics in Vietnam have increasingly better religious knowledge. The vast majority of them have met the required levels of religious education before being ordained, appointed or elected according to church regulations and state laws. Religions like Catholicism and Buddhism have also fostered basic understanding in social fields. Catholic bishops who have PhDs account for 100 percents of the bishops in the country, and have been trained abroad and fluented in one or two foreign languages; all of Catholic priests, clergymen and clergywomen also met the bachelor level or higher education, with most of them reaching the master level. The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha currently has over 600 Buddhist dignitaries holding the PhD degree, about 2,000 monastics reaching the master level, and about 250 monks and nuns studying abroad. Many dignitaries with master and doctor degrees were trained at universities in Vietnam.
Religious dignitaries, leading personnels and monastics have played important roles in their religious organizations and communities. They are the ones who create, maintain and develop the religion, as well as develop systems of religious tenets and philosophies, and propagate those philosophies into religious followers’ life. They are the pillar in the missionary work and enlisting followers, and trainers of the next generation of religious leaders. They also the one who represent their religious organizations in international religious activities.
The role and position of the religious dignitaries and leading personels in each religion are shown differently. In some religions they play the role of "divine authority" like Catholicism with religious rituals performed through Catholic dignitaries; for other religions they only guide religious practices of religious followers like Protestantism, Hoa Hao Buddhism, Caodaism and Buddhism... However, in religious exercise, they always play their role as "on behalf of the supreme being and the founder of the religion" in guiding religious practices of lay followers. They are entrusted by lay religious followers for both of their hierarchy, personality and ethics.
Religious dignitaries have a social status in the Vietnamese society. They are considered as the bridge between religion and the state authorities, serving as members of religious organization as well as citizens of the country. This relationship must comply with both the Constitution and the law, as well as the church’s charter and regulations. With these characteristics, religious dignitaries, leading personnels and monastics are the ones supported by religious followers, which means that they have a spiritual strength. They are the ones who play the decisive role in building the relation between religion and the State.
Sixthly, lay religious followers have a profound religious faith, but not fully understanding of religious tenets and religious laws.
The majority of lay religious followers in Vietnam are agricultural workers, so their lives are still poor and difficult as compared to the general level of the society. With a residential diversity, there are provinces with a large concentration of religious followers of a religion, such as Catholicism in Nam Dinh, Dong Nai, Thanh Hoa, Caodaism in Tay Ninh, Khmer Theravada Buddhism in Ca Mau and Kien Giang. Other areas where lay followers of religions such as Catholicism, Buddhism and Protestantism live side by side such as in Bac Ninh province and Hanoi, etc; there are also places where religion and belief are intertwined, creating an intermingle in social life as well as in religious practices.
Compared to the general level of society, lay religious followers have not been highly educated socially, making them easy to be enticed to believe in superstitions and cults, and follow the crowd mentality. Though with limited knowledge of religious tenets, teachings and state laws, they have profound religious beliefs, and obeyed religious dignitaries.
2. State policies and laws and the state administration on belief & religious in Vietnam
2.1. State policies & laws on belief & religion
The promulgation of policies and laws has been an achievement of Vietnam in ensuring freedom of belief and religion for all people, and served as a fundamental ground to stabilize the religious situation for the development of the country. In each period, the promulgation of policies and guidelines has been inherited and developed to suit the situation of the country’s renovation and the development of beliefs and religions.
In 1986, Vietnam entered a period of renewal, and began the renovation in understanding of religion and religious affairs in 1990. After 23 years implementing the new religious policy, on March 12, 2003, the 7th Central Committee of the Communist Party promulgated Resolution 25 on religious affairs in the new situation. Its key content includes five viewpoints, six objectives and four solutions. The resolution has comprehensively assessed the religious situation and religious affairs; defined viewpoints and policies on religion; set out tasks and main solutions, and organized the implementation of religious affairs in the new situation, with basic contents: (1) Belief and religion are spiritual needs of one segment of the population and will coexit with the nation during the process of building socialism of the country, (2) Religious people are part of the great national unity bloc, (3) To preserve and promote of the ethical, cultural values and resources of religion for national development, (4) To strictly prohibit the abuse of religion for undertaking superstitious and illegal activities and sabotaging the country, (5) the core of the state administration on religion is the advocacy work, and (6) the state administration on religion is the responsibility of the entire political system.
On the basis of legal documents regulating religion generally, the National Assembly, state Government, ministries and central agencies also in this period promulagated other resolutions, directives and circulars on several religions or specific fields of management, such as the Directive 1940 dated on December 31, 2008 on religion-related land and construction, and the Directive 01 dated on February 4, 2005 on some tasks toward Protestantism.
Along with the Resolution 25, the right on freedom of belief and religion has also been affirmed in Article 24 of the Constitution 2013: “Everyone has the right to freedom of belief and religion; belief and religious worshipping places are respected and protected by the State”3. In the report on the 10-year socio-economic development strategy 2021-2030, the 13th National Party Congress continued to inherit and develop the Party's major viewpoints on religion, which emphasizes three viewpoints: (1) Well implementing the goal of the religious solidarity and great national unity, (2) Safeguarding the belief and religious freedom of all people according to the provisions of law, (3) Promoting fine cultural values and good religious ethics in the preservation and enhancing of social traditions, building the cultural life in residential areas, contributing to prevent social evils. For well implementing these viewpoints, the congress’s report also set out four tasks and solutions for the 5-year period 2021-2025: (1) To create favourable conditions for religious exercise of religious organizations in accordance with the law, (2) to proactively help and find solutions for meeting people’s religious, belief and spiritual needs, (03) to proactively prevent and resolutely fight against activities taking advantage of belief and religion to divide and undermine the national unity bloc, (4) to improve the capacity, effectiveness and efficiency of the state management on religion.
Institutionalizing the Party's viewpoints, meeting people’s belief and religious needs and requirements of the state administration on religion, the National Assembly promulgated on December 1, 2016 the Law on Belief and Religion, aimed at both detailing Resolution 25, overcoming limitations in the Ordinance on Belief and Religion, and concretizing the human rights prescribed in the Constitution 2013 with the goal to build a socialist rule of law state in Vietnam, ensuring compatibility with the international law on religion and the consistency and feasibility in implementing the new religious law, limiting negative impacts of belief and religion on social life, and promoting cultural and ethical values, and belief and religious resources in the course of the national construction and defense. On the basis of the law on belief and religion, the government promulgated Decree No. 162/2017/NĐ-CP dated December 30, 2017, detailing a number of articles of the Law on Belief and Religion and prescribing measures for its implementation. In 2023, the government promulgated Decree No. 95/2023/NĐ-CP dated December 29, 2023 detailing a number of articles and enforcement measures to implement the law on belief & religion, replacing Decree No. 162/2017/NĐ-CP. On other social activities of religion such as health, education, social sponsoring, land and construction, etc, specialized laws have been amended for ensuring the legitimate right and needs of religions.
2.2. Implementation of state policies and laws on belief & religion in Vietnam
Firstly, on the religious organization recognition.
The consideration of organizational recognition and operation registration for religions has been stipulated in the Law on Belief and Religion, and is one of the highlights in the law enforcement in Vietnam. This ensures the rights of legitimate organizations and religious exercise of religious organizations and religious practices of followers, maintains a stable religious environment, as well as prevents activities taking advantage of religion by non-religious organizations and individuals. Therefore, this is a task of due interest by the government, and now the country currently has 41 religious organizations belonging to 16 religions granted with the legal status and the registration certificate for religious exercise. For several unrecognized religious organizations, registration certificates for religious group’s activities have been granted. Since 2018 when the Law on Belief & Religion came into effect, the country has recognized three more religious organizations, namely the Vietnam United Gospel Outreach Church, Hieu Nghia Ta Lon Buddhist Association and Vietnam Full Gospel Church, and granted the certificate of registration for religious exercise to the Vietnam Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Along with the recognition of religious organizations and the granting of registration for religious exercise, the establishment of religious schools and courses of religious organizations have been approved for creating conditions for religious organization to have enough personnel in managing and organizing religious exercise. The country currently has 64 religious training establishments in 38 provinces and cities. As of December 2023, the country had over 54,000 religious dignitaries and 144,000 leading personnels, contributing to better meet the need for guiding religious practices of lay religious followers.
In recent years, with the country’s opening up for global integration, more foreigners have come to Vietnam to invest and live, along with that is the need for religious practices. For some religions not existing in Vietnam or not having the same denomination in the country, due attention has been given by authorities at all levels for creating conditions allowing foreigners to rent locations for religious practices in groups. The globalization in religion has made Vietnam an attractive destination for foreign religions in seeking preaching opportunities and establishling new organizations.
The continued consideration of organization recognition and granting the operating registration for qualified religions, on the one hand, reflects the due attention of the country in implementing the right on freedom of belief & religion and the equality of all religions before the law, and on the other creates favourable conditions for the state administration of belief & religious activities in localities.
Secondly, the guidance and management of belief and religious exercise.
Annually, belief & religious practices have been carried out in accordance with programs registered with local authorities. In the field of religion, the religious exercise has to be also based on the resolutions of the religious congress, the charter and regulations of the religious organization, and comply with state laws. Many religious activities have been organized solemnly and in a large scale, such as the Buddha’s Birthday, Buddhist Parents’ Day, Christmas, Easter, Dieu Tri Palace Banquet Festival, founding anniversaries of religions, Kate festival, Ramadan, etc, attracting large numbers of religious followers and people.
Many international religious events have been hosted and organized in Vietnam, such as the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) has successfully hosted United Nations Day of Vesak thrice, the 14th secretarial meeting of the Asian Buddhists Conference for Peace; the Catholic Church of Vietnam has successfully organized the 10th Federation of Asian Bishops' Conference in 2012, the FABC themed “50 years of FABC: looking back at documents and its applications” in 2023, and La Vang pilgrimage festival annually held in Quang Tri province; the 100th anniversary of Protestatism in Vietnam and the 500th anniversary of Protestant reformation have been held in Vietnam, and the “Spring of Love" program held by Protestant churches in Ho Chi Minh city in 2023; Baha’i Faith Community in Vietnam has marked the 200th Birthday of Baha'u'llah, etc. Those events have drawn the participation of religious dignitaries, lay followers at home and abroad, and foreign scholars and politicians. In addition, religious congresses and annual conferences of all religious organizations have taken place regularly in the country.
Supporting and assisting religious organizations to successfully organize international religious events not only affirm the implementation of Vietnam's consistent policy on the freedom of religion and the due attention extended to religious practices, but also contribute to introduce the image of a Vietnam capable of hosting international events with a security safety and a healthy, cultural and spiritual environment, and an attractive destination for both investment and tourism, as well as serve as actual evidences in the fight against the abuse of human rights in Vietnam and prevents evil forces from taking advantage of religion for hindering the country’s development.
Thirdly, external affairs related to religion of the state competent bodies.
External affairs related to religion are one of important tasks in the state administration on religion. These affairs have taken place in many fields from religious training, conferences and seminars, to sharing of experiences and missionary, with the number of delegations coming in and out to study and learn about the religious life and policies in the countries always on increase with facilitations by regulations. The Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA) under the Ministry of Home Affairs has actively coordinated with concerning agencies in guiding religious organizations to participate in appropriate external activities. In 2023, the GCRA has approved for the exit of 48 religious delegations with 313 people and the entry of 18 religious delegation with 340 people, and 40 foreign pastors entering Vietnam for religious exercise4. These external religious activities have met the need to expand international relations and created favorable conditions for religious organizations to enhance their role and position in international religious activities, as well as helped foreign organizations better understand about Vietnam and facilitated external affairs of the country.
The external affairs of the competent agencies have also been promoted, contributing to religious and human rights affairs of the country. In 2023, the GCRA officially released the “White book” on religion and religious policies in Vietnam, providing information on achievements in ensuring the right to freedom of belief and religion in Vietnam, and refuting incorrect information about the religious situation in the country.
Strengthening dialogues with international delegations and foreign diplomatic agencies coming to Vietnam, in 2023, leaders of the Ministry of Home Affairs received 14 delegations of foreign diplomatic agencies and international organizations coming to learn about the religious situation and state policies and laws of Vietnam on religion.
The country currently maintains dialogues with the United States, some Western countries and the Arab bloc on tasks relating Islam for serving international economic integration, implements an agreement on cooperation in the field of religion between the GCRA and the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) in 2022-2026 period, maintains and develops bilateral relations between Vietnam and Vatican with the upgrade of the relation to the level of Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam. The GCRA regularly strengthens dialogue with embassies and international organizations in Vietnam in order to provide updated information on the religious situation and religious policies in Vietnam, refute distorted and ill-will allegations about democracy, human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam.
Fourthly, the advocacy work promoting religious dignitaries’ engagement in social work.
Ensuring social welfares is a major policy of the Party and State of Vietnam in the course of national renewal. In the field of religion, the Party's policy is to promote religious resources for the country development, and has been specified in the Documents of the 13th National Party Congress. Accordingly, relevant ministries and central agencies have made efforts to institutionalize the Party’s policy into legal regulations in order to unleash religious resources for country development, and these regulations also serve as a tool for guiding and managing social welfare activities of religion.
State functioning bodies have well carried out the advocacy work for encouraging religious dignitaries and lay followers to well implement state policies and laws, consolidate the great national unity bloc and proactively engage in movements launched by the state authorities. Especially in special circumstances such as storms, floods and epidemics, religious individuals and organizations have not only well observed state regulations but also raised a lot of money, necessities and human resources, making important contributions to, together with the Party and state, and other organizations and individuals, timely help disadvantaged areas in the country.
In the state administration, departments and local agencies, based on their functions and tasks, have advised the provincial Party Committee and People's Committee at all levels in guiding and encouraging religions to participate in activities of social welfares and charities in accordance with state regulations; guiding the implementation of legal procedures for religious individuals and organizations in establishing educational, medical and social protection establishments; inspecting activities for promptly encouraging results, reminding and correcting misdeeds, and handling violations, in order to ensure activities of religions carried out in accordance with right purposes and regulations. The number of religious individuals and organizations participating in social charities is constantly increasing, so is the number of social sponsoring places; the financial resources contributed by religion each year are always higher than the previous one. Many religious individuals and organizations have been praised by the Prime Minister and the Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels for their contributions to social welfares in localities. The country currently has 415 medical clinics established and operated by religions, mainly using the Oriental medical method or combined Oriental and Western medical methods; 22 vocational training establishments, including 12 facilities at school and center levels; about 270 kindergartens, nearly 800 preschool groups and classes; and 125 social sponsoring places established and effectively operated by religious individuals5.
In the field of social charities, all religions have proactively engaged in according to their capacity with a variety of models, such as the construction of charitable houses, rural bridges and roads, contributions for rural development, operation of charity kitchens, donation of learning materials and scholarships; building of clinics and provision of drug rehabilitation and HIV/AIDS counseling; offering of free ambulances and relieve supplies to people badly affected by natural disasters, epidemics, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Every year, religious organizations have spent hundreds of billion VND on social activities in the country. Contributions of religions have been helping to reduce the state expenditure and narrow the gap between social groups in the country.
The advocacy work has motivated religious dignitaries, leading personnels and monastics to become deputies of the National Assembly, People's Council and members of socio-political organizations, promoting their role in encouraging lay religious followers to actively engage in patriotic movements launched in localities, ensuring a healthy social environment in religious residential areas, preventing religious abuse and incitement causing ethic and religious divisions.
Conclusion
In regards to religion, Vietnam follows a secular State model and accepts the religious diversity. Therefore, maintaining a stable religious situation and developing policies and laws on religion in the field of land, health, education, social sponsoring, etc, have received due attention by Vietnam in order to create uniformity in the country’s legal regulations. The legal basic has been created for encouraging religious organizations with their strengths and resources to contribute to and participate in developing the country. Along with it is the dissemination of policies and laws on religion to dignitaries, lay followers and people in order to raise their awareness and responsibility in law enforcement. Resources have been allocated for supporting and governing religious exercise in accordance with regulations, timely and thoroughly handling of complicated cases related to belief and religion, and proactively preventing and solving conflicts related to religion and abuse of religion by ill-will forces in order to undermine religious and ethnic unity, create negative impacts on the social life in the country.
Dr. Lê Thị Liên,
Head of Government Committee for Religious Affairs’ Institute for Religious Policy Studies
Translator: Nguyên Hải
References:
1. Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (2003), Resolution No. 25/NQ-TW, dated March 12, 2003 on religious affairs.
2. The Communist Party of Vietnam (2021), Report on the 10-year socio-economic development strategy 2021-2030, Documents of the 13th Party National Congress, Volume 1, Truth National Political Publishing House.
3. The Government (2017), Decree No. 162/2017/NĐ-CP dated December 30, 2017, detailing a number of articles of the Law on Belief and Religion and prescribing measures for its implementation.
4. The Government (2023), Decree No. 95/2023/NĐ-CP dated December 29, 2023 detailing articles and measures to implement the Law on Belief & Religion 2016.
5. Thảo Nguyên (2012), Implementation result of Directive No. 1940/CT-TTG dated December 31, 2008 by Prime Minister on religion-related housing and land in Thai Binh province, Religious Affairs Magazine, Volume 6.
6. National Assembly (2013), Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
7. National Assembly (2016), Law No. 02/2016/QH14 dated November 18, 2016 on Belief and Religion.
8. National Assembly (2013), Law No. 45/2013/QH13 dated November 29, 2013 on Land.
9. Dr. Vũ Chiến Thắng (2021), Theoretical and practical basis for promotion of religious resources in the process of construction and sustainable development of the country, Ministerial-Level Scientific Theme Project.
10. Prime Minister (2008), Directive No. 1940/CT-TTG dated December 31, 2008 on religion-related housing and land.
11. Nguyễn Thanh Xuân - Lê Tâm Đắc (2019), Religious life in Vietnam during the renovation period, Religious Publisher, Hanoi.
Note:
1. Statistics of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs (Home Affairs Ministry) in 2023.
2. Statistics of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs
3. Article 24 of the Constitution 2013.
4. Statistics of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs in 2023.
5. Statistics of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs’ Institute for Religious Policy Studies as of December 2022.
