Summary:
Chinese authorities detained Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri (founder of Zion Church) and 20+ church leaders in Beihai on October 13 – the largest religious crackdown since 2018. The 5,000-member underground church faces charges of “illegal use of information networks” under China’s new internet religious code. This aligns with Xi Jinping’s push for “Sinicisation of religion,” requiring CCP ideology integration into worship. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the detentions, highlighting systemic persecution of unregistered congregations rejecting state-controlled Three-Self Church frameworks.
What This Means for You:
- Global Advocacy: Contact representatives about USCIRF’s China recommendations to pressure religious freedom protections
- Digital Caution: Avoid VPN-based religious streaming in China; new internet regulations impose 7-year sentences for unauthorized online preaching
- Mission Strategy: Re-evaluate support networks for underground churches through encrypted platforms like Signal instead of WeChat
- Future Outlook: Expect intensified raids before 2025’s plenum as CCP enforces Xi’s “religious Confucianization” doctrine
Original Content:
Extra Information:
Vatican-China Episcopal Agreement details compromises impacting underground Catholics
USCIRF’s 2024 China Report documents 78+ religious prisoners and cross-border repression tactics
People Also Ask About:
- Q: How many house churches operate in China? A: Estimated 80-100 million Protestants worship in 1+ million unregistered congregations nationwide.
- Q: Are Bibles illegal in China? A: Only state-approved Amity Press Bibles are legal (5M printed/year), with 70% distributed through Three-Self churches.
- Q: Why target Zion Church specifically? A: Their multi-city networks and refusal to install surveillance tech violate CCP’s “Management Measures for Religious Activity Sites” Article 24.
- Q: Can foreigners attend underground churches? A: Extremely risky – 12 foreign nationals deported in 2023 for unauthorized religious activities.
Expert Opinion:
“This crackdown reflects Xi Jinping’s Directive 53 tightening ‘ideological security’ through Religious Affairs Regulations Article 41,” says Dr. Li Yutang (pseudonym), China law scholar. “The CCP views cross-province house churches as organizational threats comparable to Falun Gong. Expect expanded use of Article 300 ‘cult’ charges against large networks by Q2 2025.”
Key Terms:
- Religious persecution in China 2024
- Sinicization of Christianity policies
- Zion Church crackdown CCP
- China internet religious information license
- Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri detention
- Underground house church arrests
- Three-Self Church vs unregistered congregations
ORIGINAL SOURCE:
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