The crackdown on underground Zion Church Christians and their leaders seems to be escalating, as the Chinese government is now targeting lawyers who come to their aid. Reports indicate that lawyer Zhang Kai has had his law license revoked, while several others have experienced suspensions or received verbal warnings for their involvement.
China asserts that its constitution guarantees religious freedom, but this privilege is limited to state-registered churches. The government exercises strict control over the expressions and practices within these organizations.
Zion Church representatives expressed their discontent in a letter, stating, “We feel this is a blatant violation of justice and the rule of law.”
Grace Jin, the pastor’s daughter, noted that the situation with these lawyers complicates her quest to ascertain her father’s status.
Pastor Jin, who became a Christian following the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 and is an alumnus of California’s Fuller Theological Seminary, is a significant figure in China’s house church movement.
Reports show that 18 members of the Zion Church are currently detained in a southern Chinese facility. According to U.S. Representative Chris Smith, this marks the initial phase of possible legal action against them, with potential prison sentences lasting up to three years.
US experts warn Congress to consider persecution a national security threat
A coalition of experts has urged the U.S. Congress to view China’s increasing persecution of Christians as a potential national security threat.
Former Kansas Governor and Ambassador Sam Brownback echoed this sentiment, urging that the issue be addressed seriously. He remarked, “China is at war with faith, it’s at war with us, and we must stand unapologetically against our adversary,” as noted on Chris Smith’s website. “China fears religious freedom more than it fears aircraft carriers or nuclear weapons.”
Brownback added that if an authoritarian regime like China could eliminate religious freedom without repercussions, it would undermine the foundational values of the United States and its global standing.
During a testimony before a joint committee, Grace Jin shared her own experiences of persecution by the Chinese government after relocating to the U.S. She mentioned that her mother was contacted by someone impersonating a U.S. agent and that they monitor Grace’s daily activities in Washington.
An ABC News Australia interview highlighted the views of reporter Max Walden, who suggested that the current Chinese government is fundamentally atheistic and that unregistered faith groups are viewed as a “national security threat.” He pointed out that there are around 90 million Christians in China, roughly matching the size of the Chinese Communist Party, which the government fears might unite against them. As tensions with other nations, like the U.S., rise, China often intensifies its crackdown on unauthorized religious groups.
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