On December 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs held a consultation conference with religious dignitaries, clergy, and representatives of religious organizations and belief establishments.
The meeting, chaired by Vu Hoai Bac, Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, welcomed participants from various provinces including Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Can Tho, An Giang, and Ca Mau.
Vu Hoai Bac, Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, chairs the conference. Photo: Nguyen Hue
Bridging the legal–practical divide
Many delegates expressed concern about the persistent "gaps" between the law and on-the-ground realities - particularly in areas like international cooperation, religious activities in cyberspace, administrative procedures, and digital transformation.
Most Venerable Thich Thien Thong, Vice President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), noted that although the Law on Belief and Religion has been in effect for eight years, it still lacks a decree on administrative sanctions in the religious sector. This legal vacuum complicates enforcement and allows for a culture of impunity.
Most Venerable Thich Thien Thong speaks at the event. Photo: Nguyen Hue
The VBS also urged greater transparency in regulating religious activity online, especially in imposing penalties on individuals or organizations that exploit religion for profit or harm legally recognized faith groups - despite lacking government approval.
On administrative procedures, Pastor Dinh Thien Tu, President of the Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship, shared his church’s prolonged struggle for recognition. Since 2017, they’ve been unable to hold a national congress due to procedural deadlock. Despite following their charter, which calls for a general assembly every two years, authorities cited “insufficient paperwork” without providing guidance, leaving their leadership structure in limbo.
Pastor Dinh Thien Tu speaks at the conference. Photo: Nguyen Hue
Another concern was the overlapping responsibilities in religious personnel appointments. Venerable Thich Thien Tri of the VBS in Dong Nai pointed out an inconsistency: while appointing a provincial-level VBS leader only requires registration with the provincial People’s Committee, appointing a principal to a Buddhist intermediate school - under provincial authority - requires approval from the central Government Committee for Religious Affairs. Such bureaucracy, he argued, is unnecessarily burdensome.
Legal contradictions on land and heritage
One hot topic raised by multiple speakers was the mismatch between the Law on Religion and other legal frameworks - especially the Land Law and Cultural Heritage Law.
Father John Baptist Pham Quy Trong, Chief of Office for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam, highlighted a legal paradox. Under new land regulations, a religious organization must already be licensed to obtain a land use certificate. But under the Religion Law, establishing a new organization like a parish or religious order requires a legal address. Without prior land recognition, the group cannot be officially formed, creating a catch-22.
Father Pham Quy Trong addresses land law inconsistencies. Photo: Nguyen Hue
Representative Thuong Phong Thanh of the Cao Dai Tien Thien Church shared an example from Ca Mau province, where restoration of the Minh Chan Dao heritage site has stalled for years due to back-and-forth between religious authorities and heritage regulators. While the religious side is ready to rebuild, the cultural heritage department has yet to approve.
Representative Thuong Phong Thanh of the Cao Dai Tien Thien Church speaks at the event. Photo: Nguyen Hue
Pastor Nguyen Vo Khanh Giam from the Vietnam Baptist Church explained that despite being recognized as a legal entity, their theological training has remained unofficial for nearly two decades. Labeled merely as “supplementary classes,” their programs cannot be formalized due to unresolved land status and bureaucratic hurdles - even though the Religious Affairs Committee has shown flexibility.
Faith in the digital age
Digital transformation is no longer a slogan - it’s part of religious life. But it also brings new management challenges.
Huynh Van Nghia, head of the Bien Hoa Co Temple Management Board, asked how the revised law would distinguish between unauthorized individuals posting religious content online and actual religious institutions. He stressed the need for clear regulatory frameworks in such cases.
Sharing this concern, Representative Thuong Phong Thanh of the Cao Dai Tien Thien Church warned about false teachings spreading online. He proposed that the amended law should clearly define the responsibilities of three key parties: religious organizations, state management agencies, and online service providers - to protect the integrity of recognized religions.
Vu Hoai Bac responds to delegates' concerns. Photo: Nguyen Hue
Addressing the delegates, Vu Hoai Bac acknowledged that policymaking often lags behind real-world developments. He cited Vietnam’s 130 million mobile subscriptions and 65 million social media accounts - despite a population of around 100 million - as an example of the scale and complexity of managing digital religious activity.
He warned that online platforms could be exploited by new religious cults and emphasized the urgent need for legal reforms to address these challenges.
Regarding administrative reform, he said the government's new approach is to shift from passive management to proactive facilitation. The revised law will simplify processes, moving from a “permission-based” model to one that enables religious activity from the outset.
Bac concluded that the revised law must provide a stable, long-term framework. Specific implementation details will be delegated to decrees and circulars - underpinned by a commitment to respect and empower each recognized religious group.
Religious dignitaries and representatives attend the consultation. Photo: Nguyen Hue
Faith-friendly policy as investment advantage
At the forum, Pastor Tran Thanh Truyen of the Vietnam Seventh-day Adventist Church shared an unexpected insight: foreign investors - especially from Europe, the U.S., and South Korea - often ask if a city has a place for prayer before inquiring about schools for their children.
He emphasized that enabling religious practice for foreigners is key to attracting global talent and capital.
Venerable Thich Dat Ma Quang Tue from Dong Nai echoed this view, saying religion is a vital driver not just for culture and ethics, but also national development. However, he warned that rigid policies are limiting this potential.
According to many religious leaders, if religion is to truly serve as a developmental resource, the revised law must redefine religious groups as special legal entities with clear rights and financial obligations - free from the old “permission-based” framework and red tape.
Vietnamnet.vn
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