There are four religions practiced in Thanh Hoa province, namely Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Caodaism. Followers of religions in Thanh Hoa province numbers about 250,000, resides in 308/637 communes and accounts for more than 5% of the total population in the province.
Regarding Protestantism, currently there is one Protestant church under the
To implement the Prime Minister’s Instruction 01/CT-TTg on some tasks regarding Protestantism, Thanh Hoa provincial authorities have carried out the grasping of the Prime Minister’s Instruction for key officials in the province, made survey and statistics on Protestantism’s situation and development in the province in general and Muong Lat district in particular, and the made plan for the implementation of the Prime Minister’s Instruction 01/2005/CT-TTg and the guidance of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs. Up to now there are 22 Protestant congregations in the province registered with local authorities for religious activities, of which, 20 congregations belongs to Mong residential areas in Muong Lat district, the other two congregations belong to Nong Cong district and Thanh Hoa provincial city.
After being granted registration certificates, Protestant congregations have conducted religious activities on stable basis and in accordance with the laws; people of ethnic minorities live in harmony and abide by the Party and State’s policies and laws as well as local regulations. Heads of congregations are open-minded and cooperative with local authorities. Efficiency in state governance on religious affairs has been improved; social stability and public order has been maintained in areas where Protestants congregations registered. Registered Protestant congregations have fruitfully encouraged followers to actively join in movements for community development and humanitarian activities, and live for ‘a better religious and secular life”…
To continues the implementation of the Prime Minister’s Instruction 01/2005/CT-TTg according to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs’ Plan 15/KH-TGCP dated October 12, 2012 and guiding document 186/TGCP-TL dated March 11, 2013 for further carrying out tasks regarding Protestant affairs in the Northern mountainous region in the period 2012-2015, the Thanh Hoa provincial Committee for Religious Affairs has proactively coordinated with concerned functioning departments and services in proposing the provincial authorities to issue the Plan 62/KH-UBND dated May 15, 2013 for implementation of several tasks regarding Protestantism in the period 2013-2015. This plan contains the following main contents:
1. To well carry out dissemination of State’s policies and laws on religion and encourage religious followers to conduct religious activities in compliance with laws provisions. To continue opening of training courses for state officials and civil servants of concerned departments and agencies at provincial, district and commune levels to fully grasp the Prime Minister’s Instruction 01/2005/CT-TTg, the Government Committee for Religious Affairs’ Plan 15/KH-TGCP dated October 12, 2012 for further carrying out tasks regarding Protestant affars in the Northern mountainous region, and guiding documents of provincial People’s Committee.
In April, 2014, the Thanh Hoa provincial Committee for Religious Affairs coordinated with Department for Protestant Affairs under the Government Committee for Religious Affairs organized a three-day seminar for about 200 participants who are chiefs and assistants of both registered and unregistered Protestant congregations.
The Thanh Hoa provincial Committee for Religious Affairs organized 2 seminars on dissemination of the Ordinance of Belief and Religion, Decree 92 detailing and providing measures for implementing the Ordinance of Belief and Religion, and the Prime Minister’s Instruction 01/CT-TTg on some tasks regarding Protestantism for local cadres (commune and village/hamlet levels) and Protestant followers at Phu Nhi and Muong Ly communes, Muong Lat district.
2. To create favorable conditions for religious activities of registered Protestant congregations and ensure the transfer of land and donation of assets at places of religious activities, and building of chapels conducted in compliance with legal provisions…
3. To step up the registration of Protestant congragations that have met sufficient conditions as prescribed by law provisions in order to ensure that all Protestant congregations in Muong Lat district will be registered for religious activities by 2015…
4. To be ready for pilot recognition of certain congregations as churches under recognized Protestant Church according to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs’ Plan 15/KH-TGCP dated October 12, 2012 for further implemeting tasks regarding Protestant affairs in the Northern mountainous region in 2012-2015 period./.
