With nearly 100 million Christians, the Church is the largest social force in China not controlled by the Communist Party. As a result, there are increasing efforts to restrict the way Christians operate. A considerable number of Christians are still imprisoned. Church meetings continue to be disrupted in several provinces. Churches have also been closed and landlords pressured to stop renting to Christians. In 2017 some of China’s underground churches were pushed to join the state-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement, while a new law on religion is being rolled out in 2018.
Children arrested during raid on Chinese church
Children were among 100 Chinese Christians detained after police raided a house church in Guangdong province, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Members of Mount Olivet church were held in custody for up to 20 hours. Police say they were detained for conducting an “illegal gathering”. The church of 170 parishioners […]
China’s anti-church drive jails pastor for 10 yrs
“A Chinese preacher is facing up to a decade in prison after he was detained on what supporters say are trumped up charges intended to weaken resistance to an ongoing crackdown targeting the country’s rapidly growing Christian community,” The Telegraph reports. Pastor Huang Yizi, 40, was arrested in Wenzhou on […]
China’s Nobel nominee lawyer released after three years
Geng He, wife of imprisoned Chinese dissident Gao Zhisheng, speaks at a press conference. January 18, 2011Nina Lincoff/Medill News Service / Flickr / Creative Commons Prominent defender of persecuted Christians, and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Gao Zhisheng was released from prison last week after his most recent three-year sentence. […]
China crackdown on charities along its North Korea border
According to Reuters, ‘China is cracking down on Christian charity groups near its border with North Korea … with hundreds of members of the community forced to leave the country and some who remain describing an atmosphere of fear.’ The action is believed to be aimed at closing off support […]
China’s church crackdown jails pastor for 12 years
A prominent Chinese pastor of the ‘official’ state-sanctioned church was jailed for 12 years on Friday morning for “gathering crowds to disturb public order” and fraud. World Watch Monitor reported on Pastor Zhang Shaojie, of the Nanle County Church in eastern China, and 23 other members of its congregation, who were […]
40 detained in relation to Sanjiang Church
More than 40 people from China’s Wenzhou area have been summoned by police or detained in connection with the efforts to protect Sanjiang Church. The church, among many others, was demolished on April 28 in a state campaign claiming to eradicate illegal buildings. A complete list of detentions and summons […]
More destruction of Chinese churches and crosses
Weeks after the demolition of Sanjiang Church on April 28, more than 15 churches have reported maltreatment relating to coastal Zhejiang province’s “Three Rectifications and One Demolition” campaign. Additionally several believers are facing charges, after being detained around the time Sanjiang Church, in Wenzhou was demolished. “Everybody is crying. According […]
Sanjiang church demolished
Church standoff a study in China’s complexity
Crowds on the steps of Sanjiang Church. Government demolition equipment was poised nearby.Photo anonymously provided to World Watch Monitor It had all the appearances of a brutal government crackdown. Bulldozers were stationed at the perimeter of the Sanjiang Church in Wenzhou, China. Hundreds of church members formed a protective […]
Chinese church growth attacked by Communist Party
Thousands of Chinese Christians have set up camp around Sanjiang church in Wenzhou, an eastern port city, to prevent it from being demolished by the government. Last week nearly 5,000 people from the area arrived to protect their church, since then at least 100 people per shift are guarding the […]