A major human rights group said Wednesday, June 29, it has received "credible reports" from China "that a nationwide campaign against unregistered house churches is underway" and that "hundreds" of Christians have been detained.
...continue reading this storyA major human rights group said Wednesday, June 15, it has obtained a copy of a government document outlining China's "new offensive" on underground house churches.
...continue reading this storyIn early March, China adopted the new Regulations on Religious Affairs, first announced by the government in December 2004. The government claims the new regulations are a step towards religious freedom. However, some Christian leaders have expressed serious concerns, particularly with the issue of church registration.
...continue reading this storyUnited States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was to attend a church service for Palm Sunday in Beijing, aides said Saturday, March 19, just hours after a Christian news agency published letters of alleged persecuted Christians.
...continue reading this storyCorrespondence reveals personal trials, challenges facing house church Christians in China.
...continue reading this storyAt least 10 foreign evangelical church leaders including eight Americans, one Taiwanese and an unknown number of South Koreans were detained and later deported by Chinese authorities, a Christian human rights watchdog said Thursday March 3.
...continue reading this storyChina has announced a new law, which comes into effect on March 1, governing the freedom of religion.
...continue reading this storyLast week before his resignation as U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell said relations between China and the U.S. were at the best point they had been in more than 30 years, according to Agence France-Presse. However, that relationship may change as further evidence emerges of a widespread crackdown on the Chinese church.
...continue reading this storyChinese contacts of The Voice of the Martyrs have learned that a prominent Beijing house church leader faces an extremely harsh sentence if convicted in his upcoming trial.
...continue reading this storyIn a two-day international conference on religion and law held in Beijing on October 18 and 19, Chinese officials said they were open to changes in religious policy.
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