A Chinese government agency last week fined a Christian $2,870 for holding an online Bible study it says violated a new anti-religion law.
The man, Zhang Wenli, lives in Yunnan province and was contacted Aug. 11 by the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau and accused of hosting “illegal religious education training” online, according to International Christian Concern (ICC).
The letter quoted a new law, the 2018 Regulations on Religious Affairs, which states that “non-religious groups, non-religious schools, non-religious activity sites, and temporary activity sites not appropriately designated as religious ones cannot conduct religious activities, accepting religious donations, carrying out religious training ….”.
Christians in China are allowed to join government-sanctioned churches that are part of the Three-Self movement. Because such congregations face heavy regulations and even persecution, millions of Chinese Christians worship in illegal house churches.
ICC said in a statement –“This shows that it will be increasingly risky for any Christian in China to hold Bible study or conduct church activities online.” From Wuhan, Sichuan, to Yunnan, the local authorities have been keeping their eyes on Christians, especially those from house churches. Many of their online activities were bugged and interrupted.
“The objective of their action is to coerce the house church members to join state-sanctioned churches.”