China’s efforts to sinicize – or “make Chinese” – all official religions in the country have gained momentum in recent months. Evidence of this acceleration is, literally, blowing in the wind.
Sinicization of religions
Catholics Worship Outside a Locked-Up Pilgrimage Site
Established in the 19th century, the church and its parish in Shanxi’s Dongergou village was a massive draw for nearby believers and pilgrims alike. The use of the church was prohibited in July, but members of the congregation still hold mass outside it.
Elderly Christian Woman Detained Twice
A resident of Shandong was first detained in 1996 for her religious belief. This year, authorities arrested her again for the same reason.
Authorities Prevent Reconstruction of Churches
Churches that had been demolished due to their dilapidated state cannot be rebuilt now due to ongoing religious persecution in China.
Sentenced to Prison for an Old “Crime”
A farmer in Xinjiang was detained for teaching Arabic eight years ago. In 2017, he was arrested again for his old “crime” and sentenced to five years and six months in prison.
CCP Document Exposes Strict Supervision of Preachers
Chinese authorities are implementing policies to supervise Christian preachers, including evaluation tests and auditing of sermon content.
Instead of Bible, Preachers Evaluated on Party Statutes
To obtain licenses from government authorities, preachers have to prove their knowledge of Chinese culture and socialism rather than Christianity.
Foreign Religious Groups and Nationals on Target
Authorities in Liaoning seek to monitor foreign religious groups more strictly in the near future.
A House Divided: The Vatican-China Agreement, Myth or Reality?
The false scoop of The Wall Street Journal explained by Fr. Bernardo Cervellera, the leading Catholic expert on China.
The original Italian version of this article has been published in the Italian daily newspaper “Libero” on September 16, 2018.
Believers Forced to Attend Government-Controlled Churches
The CCP is implementing its “sinicization” policy by prohibiting Christians to attend house churches.