Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Open Doors: China (Direct Post)

Chinese Government Plans Crackdown on House Church Leaders

As the Olympics have concluded, there is new evidence of religious freedom abuses that reveals a stark contrast to China’s effort in providing religious services for athletes and visitors during the Games. According to Compass Direct News, China hired religious clerics and published a special bilingual edition of the Bible for distribution to athletes and official churches during the event. Simultaneously, officials asked house church leaders in Beijing to sign documents agreeing not to hold services during the Games, the China Aid Association (CAA) reported on August 13. As most Olympic athletes, tourists, and journalists will be gone by October, China has a new strategy on dealing with what they call four “troublesome elements,” which includes house church leaders, CAA reported on August 18. Read more about the government crackdown on house church leaders in China.

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