by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - Chinese government authorities in recent days have raided Christian schools and detained staff members who have not been heard of since, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. It is believed the raids were triggered by the ruling Communist Party’s “Administrative Measures for Religious Institutions” which came into effect on September 1 and which extend governmental control of religious schools in China.
On October 12 authorities in Jiangsu province raided the Abeka Academy, which is affiliated with the US Pensacola Christian College and which offers a Christian homeschooling program, ICC reports. The police detained five Chinese staff, including the director Wang Jian, about whom there has been no news since. Prayer has been requested for those detained.
A day after the raid on Abeka Academy, police also raided a Christian school in Zhenjiang, ICC reports. Ten children and three parents were taken into custody. The children were released but the parents were not.
Authorities have also raided Christian institutions at Wuxi, Foshan (Guangdong province), and Zhijiang Covenant High School (Zhejiang province), ICC said.
According to a report by Asia News, the recent raids on schools point to a “growing and coordinated effort by the government to crack down on Christian educational programs.” China ranks 17 on the US Open Doors Watch List of top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.