China’s Pre-Christmas Church Crackdown Raises Alarm

China takes down crosses.




Joel Kontinen


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While China has liberated itself from communist ideology, the state’s ideology is seen in how it reacts to non-communism. Three years ago, it took down 1200 crosses and it has kept Christian lawyers and human rights activist behind bars.

Now, “A recent surge of police action against churches in China has raised concerns the government is getting even tougher on unsanctioned Christian activity.

Among those arrested are a prominent pastor (Wang Yi) and his wife, of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Sichuan. Both have been charged with state subversion.”

However, “the Christian population has grown steadily in recent years. There are now an estimated 100 million Christians in China, many of them worshipping in so-called underground churches.

Wang Yi is the leader of one such church, the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, the capital of south-western Sichuan province.”

Police have raided the church and its school. The society’s tactics will probably cause it to go deeper underground.

Source:

China's pre-Christmas church crackdown raises alarm. BBC NEWS (18 December).

China Takes Down 1,200 Crosses

It seems that the mere sight of a cross atop a church offends those who do not know the Saviour who died on a wooden one.





Joel Kontinen

The cross divides. While Christians will gladly sing about the old rugged cross and won’t hesitate to survey the wondrous cross, some others tend to see red.

For us, it is a sign of hope, but for others it is something to be afraid of.

American atheists have a nasty habit of litigating against outdoor crosses or anything that looks like one, or even a statue depicting Christ.

They are not the only ones who take a dislike to symbols that characterise Christianity.

Within a two-year period Chinese leaders have sanctioned (and probably ordered) the removal of over 1,200 large crosses from churches in the Zhejiang province. This has prompted protests from Christians whose religious freedom is being curtailed.

This reminds us that following Christ has never been easy – but it is incredibly rewarding, both for this life and the next. No other religion can offer us friendship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.


Source:

Phillips, Tom. 2015. China's Christians protest 'evil' Communist campaign to tear down crosses. The Guardian (27 July).

Sudanese Logic: Christian Doctor Faces Death Penalty for Marrying a Christian

Sudanese authorities are aiming to stamp out Christianity. A minaret in Port Sudan. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.



Joel Kontinen

For westerners, understanding Sudanese logic seems almost impossible. Take the case of Meriam Yahia Ibrahim, a 27-year-old Sudanese doctor. She faces the death penalty for marrying an American Christian.

According to a brief news item in Christianity today, “[Mrs] Ibrahim has been imprisoned, along with her 20-month-old son, in Khartoum since February. She is married to a South Sudanese Christian with U.S. citizenship—Daniel Wani—but because her father was a Muslim, the state does not recognize her marriage and charged her with adultery and apostasy in March.”

She is due to be executed once she gives birth to her second child. The charges against her are weird, as she has never been a Muslim and is legally married to a US citizen.

What is more, the Sudanese government is infringing on her basic human rights laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They include the freedom to choose one’s spouse and one’s religion.

Source:

Tracy, Kate. 2014. American's Wife Faces Sudan Death Penalty after Pregnancy.Christianity Today (13 May).

Catholic and Muslim Leaders Call For Religious Freedom

Let my people worship. The Vatican calls for religious freedom for minorities. Image from Wikipedia.

Joel Kontinen

More and more mosques are springing up in what was once a Christian Europe. While muezzins call faithful Muslims to prayers on Friday, we do not often hear church bells ringing in Saudi Arabia.

To discuss this issue and many others, Catholic leaders have been meeting with Muslim scholars in Rome. At the end of their three day forum (November 4 to 6) they issued a final declaration in which they also took up the issue of religious freedom for minorities. They said,

Religious minorities are entitled to be respected in their own religious convictions and practices. They are also entitled to their own places of worship, and their founding figures and symbols they consider sacred should not be subject to any form of mockery or ridicule.

It sounds good on paper. But former Muslims who turn to Christ should also have the right to worship freely with their new brothers and sisters without fear of losing their lives.

In other words, the “once a Muslim, always a Muslim” mantra should be dropped. People who turn to Islam in the west are not penalised for their decision. But all too often Muslims who find Jesus Christ as Saviour are persecuted, discriminated against and even killed in some Arab countries.

I sincerely hope that Muslim leaders would keep their promise. But promises are all too easily broken. Thus, as Christians, we will do well if we pray for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted for following Christ in the shadow of the crescent.

Source:

Vatican Information Service. Final Declaration of Catholic-Muslim Forum.
7 November 2008.