China's governing Communist Party is set to launch a nationwide crackdown on the Christian Church.
By Matthew Carney - ABC
The Communist Party has just enacted much tougher laws that criminalise Christians if they do not pledge loyalty to the state.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned that all religions now have to become "Chinese" and the new laws will attempt to bring churchgoers and their leaders under party control.
The new laws will put the state firmly in charge, giving the Communist Party the ability to hire and fire church leaders and change religious doctrine to make it more Chinese...
That means churchgoers will have to pledge loyalty to the Communist Party first.
There is good reason to be afraid. Chinese Authorities have already started the crackdown in the Christian heartland in the southern province of Zhejiang.
It's been extensive and brutal. In the past two years they have torn down nearly 2000 crosses and in some cases demolished churches.
Church leaders and their followers have been arrested and imprisoned.
There's also good reason to why the Communist Party is threatened by the Church.
Some say there are 100 million Christians in China — that's more than Communist Party members.
The Chinese Government admits there are about 25 million Christians registered at state-run churches where pastors are appointed by the state and theology approved by the governments Religious Affairs Bureau.
ABC http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-08/chinese-communist-partys-crackdown-on-religion/7912140
See also:
New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/world/asia/china-religion-regulations.html
