4th Chinese church raid could portend broad crackdown

Police monitored and interrogated members of Beijing’s Shouwang Church March 23 at a local school.
ChinaAid photo from Twitter

By David Roach - Posted at Baptist Press:

BEIJING (BP) -- Beijing's Shouwang Church has become the fourth major underground church raided by authorities in China during the past seven months. The raids have led some to speculate the Chinese government may be preparing for a broader crackdown against Christians.

"China's oppression against house churches will not be loosened," ChinaAid President Bob Fu said, according to International Christian Concern (ICC), an organization that monitors persecution of believers worldwide. "A systematic, in-the-name-of-law crackdown will continue to take place," Fu said.

More than 20 police officers raided a Bible school class at one Shouwang Church location March 23, ICC reported. Attendees were taken to a nearby school, questioned and asked to sign a letter pledging not to attend the church anymore. They refused to sign.

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