Chinese Authorities Arrest Leaders of Zion Underground Church
On Tuesday, 18 leaders of the Zion Underground Church were arrested by Chinese authorities. Since mid-October, around 30 pastors and staff have been detained without formal charges.
Zion Church operates as an underground or “house church,” which means it isn’t recognized or controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. The government employs a method referred to as “Sinicization” to impose its doctrines on organized religions. Churches, mosques, and temples that undergo this process are compelled to blend communist teachings with their religious beliefs.
Millions of Christians in China are increasingly choosing to worship in these house churches, which typically hold services in private residences. Founded in 2007 by Pastor Ezra Jin Mingli—who embraced Christianity following the Tiananmen Square incident in 1989—Zion Church has expanded significantly, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. They managed to provide online services and then resumed in-person gatherings, defying strict lockdown measures enacted by President Xi Jinping. Today, Zion Church stands as one of the largest underground congregations in the country.
Earlier this October, the Xi administration launched a major crackdown on house churches, leading to the detention of numerous pastors and staff, including Pastor Jin. While five detainees were released in October and four more in early November, according to Grace, Jin’s daughter, the fate of the other leaders remains uncertain.
Those 18 individuals were officially charged on Tuesday with “unlawful use of an information network.” Christian NGO China Aid criticized the charges as being politically motivated, asserting that these pastors are being criminalized solely for leading large, unregistered churches that defy the Communist Party’s oversight.
Dr. Bob Fu, the founder of China Aid, described the invasion of the Zion Church as an alarming indicator of the Communist Party’s aggressive stance against Christianity in China. He emphasized that the pastors’ only alleged wrongdoing is preaching the gospel and leading their congregations without bending to party propaganda.
Fu noted that by treating these pastors as political prisoners, the Communist Party is not only targeting them but also issuing a stark warning to all independent churches in China: comply with the party or face severe consequences.
In a global outcry, over 500 church leaders from 45 nations participated in an online petition on Tuesday, demanding the release of those imprisoned from Zion Church. Many signatories hailed from countries involved in China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
The petition urged Chinese leaders to understand that religious freedom can bolster the nation rather than threaten it, advocating for a future where Christians in China can worship openly and practice their faith without fear.
The U.S. Senate recently passed a bipartisan resolution condemning the arrests of Pastor Jin and other church members. Senator Chris Coons remarked that everyone has a right to practice their faith freely. He expressed satisfaction that the Senate stood united in calling for their release.
Senator Ted Cruz added that the daily struggle for religious rights against the Communist Party is ongoing. He pointed out that last month marked the largest nationwide crackdown on Christian house churches in over four decades, thanking his colleagues for voicing their support for Pastor Jin and emphasizing that any government suppressing faith is inherently tyrannical.
Other sponsors of the resolution echoed similar sentiments, with Senator Shelley Moore Capito asserting that faith should never be viewed as a crime. Meanwhile, Senator Tim Kaine highlighted that these arrests reflect a broader pattern of systematic repression against independent religious groups.
