Group: Officials destroying crosses, burning bibles in China
Sep 10, 2018
A group that monitors Christianity in China says the government is ratcheting up a crackdown on congregations in Beijing and several Chinese provinces, destroying crosses, burning bibles and ordering followers to sign papers renouncing their faith
BEIJING — China's government is ratcheting up a crackdown on Christian congregations in Beijing and several provinces, destroying crosses, burning bibles, shutting churches and ordering followers to sign papers renouncing their faith, according to pastors and a group that monitors religion in China.
The campaign corresponds with a drive to "Sinicize" religion by demanding loyalty to the officially atheist Communist Party and eliminating any challenge to its power over people's lives.
Bob Fu of the U.S.-based group China Aid said over the weekend that the closure of churches in central Henan province and a prominent house church in Beijing in recent weeks represents a "significant escalation" of the crackdown.
"The international community should be alarmed and outraged for this blatant violation of freedom of religion and belief," he wrote in an email.
Under President Xi Jinping, China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, religious believers are seeing their freedoms shrink dramatically even as the country undergoes a religious revival. Experts and activists say that as he consolidates his power, Xi is waging the most severe systematic suppression of Christianity in the country since religious freedom was written into the Chinese constitution in 1982.
Fu also provided video footage of what appeared to be piles of burning bibles and forms stating that the signatories had renounced their Christian faith. He said that marked the first time since Mao's radical 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution that Christians had been compelled to make such declarations, under pain of expulsion from school and the loss of welfare benefits.
A Christian pastor in the Henan city of Nanyang said crosses, bibles and furniture were burned during a raid on his church on Sept. 5.
The pastor, who asked not to be identified by name to avoid repercussions from authorities, said several people entered the church just as it opened its doors at 5 a.m. and began removing items.
He said the church had been in discussions with local authorities who demanded it "reform" itself, but no agreement had been reached or official documents released.
Chinese law requires religious believers to worship only in congregations registered with the authorities, but many millions belong to so-called underground or house churches that defy government restrictions.
A local official reached by phone at the Nanyang city government disputed the account, saying officials respected religious freedom. The man declined to give his name, as is common with Chinese bureaucrats, while a person answering phones at the local religious affairs bureau said they were "not clear" about the matter.
In Beijing, the Zion church was shut on Sunday by around 60 government workers who arrived at 4:30 p.m. accompanied by buses, police cars and fire trucks, the church's pastor, Ezra Jin Mingri, said Monday. Zion is known as the largest house church in Beijing, with six branches.
The officials declared the gatherings illegal and sealed off church properties, Jin said, after already freezing the pastor's personal assets in an apparent attempt to force him to comply with their demands.
"Churches will continue to develop. Blocking the sites will only intensify conflicts," Jin told The Associated Press by phone.
A notice posted Sunday on the website of the Chaoyang district government in Beijing said the Zion Church had been closed because it failed to register with the government.
All of China's officially recognized religions appear to have been affected by the crackdown. In the most extreme example, an estimated 1 million Uighurs and other members of Muslim minority groups in the country's northwest have been arbitrarily detained in indoctrination camps where they are forced to denounce Islam and profess loyalty to the Communist Party.
The government says it is taking necessary measures to eliminate extremism, but denies setting up the camps.
China has an estimated 38 million Protestants, and experts have predicted that the country will have the world's largest Christian population in a few decades.
MORE NEWS
Zheng Yongnian on what to expect from future Xi-Trump meetings
Zheng Yongnian is a political scientist in China and a government adviser. His academic work is mainly about contemporary China, particularly politics, the country’s transformation and its external relations. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions series. Many have offered a lukewarm assessment of the Xi-Trump summit in Washington, citing the lack of a breakthrough. What is your take? There are two primary views right now. One is nihilism, which holds that China and...
Asian Games 2026 Live Updates, Day 14: Lovlina Borgohain, Women's Archers Win Gold Medals
Asian Games 2026, October 2 Live Updates: Follow all the latest updates from the 14th day of the event with Indian contingent in action across various sports.
David vs Goliaths: Singapore builds most accurate clock ever, leaves US and China in dust
A small Singaporean research team has beaten scientists in China and the United States to build the world’s most accurate atomic clock. The clock, built with a single ion of a rare earth metal element known as lutetium, is so precise that it would lose one second every 260 billion years – nearly 20 times the age of our universe. It is about four times as accurate as the previous record holder, a calcium-ion clock developed by a Chinese Academy of Sciences team in Wuhan, and also surpasses an...
In 1956, Houston postman Jeff McKissack began building with things he found on roadsides; 23 years later, those materials filled a strange 3,000-square-foot maze
Jeff McKissack, a retired mail carrier, built the Orange Show in Houston over 23 years. He used various found materials to create a vibrant art space advocating for healthy living. After his passing, a nonprofit was established to preserve the site, reopening it in 1982. Currently, the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art is undergoing restoration and will remain closed until early 2027.
Government extends RoDTEP export tax refund scheme by three months till December 31
The government has extended the RoDTEP scheme until December 31, 2026, to support exporters amid challenges. This extension maintains the existing reimbursement rates and value caps for various export units. The RoDTEP scheme reimburses taxes and duties that are not refunded through other means, helping ease export costs. It has already covered over 10,700 tariff lines, with substantial disbursements made.
Alaska spent $46.9 million to lower electric bills in 186 communities in FY2025, covering 148.5 million kWh, where rural power costs can be far higher
In fiscal year 2025, Alaska committed around $46.9 million to assist 186 remote communities with rising electricity expenses. By targeting the high costs associated with diesel-generated power, the initiative aims to lessen financial burdens on approximately 80,000 residents benefiting from the Power Cost Equalization Program. While this support is crucial, there remain significant challenges around transitioning to renewable energy sources, underscoring equity issues in rural energy access.
SEBI relies on amended rules in Embassy REIT 'Fit and Proper' matter, tells Bombay HC no disqualification made out
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has told the Bombay High Court that its examination of complaints concerning the "fit and proper" status of persons associated with Embassy Office Parks REIT was completed after the regulatory framework was amended in April 2026, and that the material available did not warrant disqualification under the amended provisions.
SEBI relies on amended rules in Embassy REIT 'Fit and Proper' matter, tells Bombay HC no disqualification made out
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has told the Bombay High Court that its examination of complaints concerning the "fit and proper" status of persons associated with Embassy Office Parks REIT was completed after the regulatory framework was amended in April 2026, and that the material available did not warrant disqualification under the amended provisions.
SBI Research sees CPI inflation at 5.65% in Sept, above 6.5% in Oct-Nov
SBI Research forecasts a rise in CPI inflation to around 5.65 percent in September. They expect it to exceed 6.5 percent during October and November. Inflationary pressures have broadened significantly since the last monetary policy meeting. Additionally, the weakening rupee poses further risks to economic stability. The Reserve Bank of India may adjust its GDP growth and inflation projections during the upcoming policy review.
In 1977, Rich Man, Poor Man star Peter Strauss paid about $225,000 for a run-down 64-acre California ranch; 10 years later, it became a National Park Service site
Peter Strauss purchased a ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains in 1977 and sold it to a state agency in 1983. The land has a rich history, including use as a resort before being acquired by the National Park Service. The ranch has opened to the public, allowing visitors to enjoy nature after extensive restoration work. Although the site suffered from the Woolsey Fire in 2018, it has since reopened.
Smit Machchhar’s journey: From ‘why become a pilot?’ to ‘Captain, you are a hero’
Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot praised for helping save a flydubai flight after a violent cockpit attack, had never originally planned to enter aviation. A textile engineer who discovered flying at 19, Machchhar went on to become a Boeing pilot, train on the 737 Max and mentor aspiring aviators, describing the profession as a career in which constant learning and composure are essential.