The Chinese Communist Party reportedly now requires religious groups seeking to conduct online activities to secure a license before being allowed to do so.
According to the International Christian Concern, the Chinese government's Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services banned on March 1 all online religious activities. Local churches are required to get from the government a license to be exempted from the ban.
The government explained that the requirement intends to protect the country's security and social stability. Though the International Christian Concern revealed that the government's true intention is to tighten its control on religion.
The announcement came after the Chinese Communist Party's State Administration of Religious Affairs revealed in December that it will limit churches from conducting religious activities online.
The Internet Religious Information Services ban was supported by a February 28 announcement made by Zhejiang Province's Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee that their licensing exam will begin in March. All other provinces followed suit except for one. The Jiangsu province announced only recently that their license examination will be held in mid-March. Though the Shandong Province was reportedly the first to ban churches from holding or sharing sermons online. The province's ban was announced in February 2021.
"The legal person organization or unincorporated organization that intends to engage in Internet religious information service shall apply to the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee of Zhejiang Province, which will make a decision of approval or disapproval within 20 days from the date of accepting the application," the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee announcement said.
The said announcement further elaborated that a training course will be given to examiners so that applicants seeking the license would effectively be facilitated. The training also intends to improve the ability of religious information examiners to conduct the licensure exam.
In line with the requirement for a license, China Aid Pastor Bob Wu disclosed in an interview with World Magazine that local Christians have already begun preparations for the licensure exam. Wu said some people found the requirement a joke and a part of the persecution of Christians in 'China. The same people warned that Christians should not compromise. They said things are not going to get better for Christians in China since the requirement is but part of the norm.
The norm in China is government control of religious entities and organizations. T,he pandemic highlighted the persecution experienced by Christians, who were hunted down from gathering in-person or online by the Chinese government. Unapproved churches were the first to experience the government's crackdown during the pandemic.
Christian leaders, such as Nanjing Road Church Pastor Lu,o were arrested just a few months after the pandemic began. Luo was arrested before an investigation was made on him for conducting Christian meetings online.
While Shenzhen Trinity Gospel Harvest Church Pastor Mao Zhibin was arrested while conducting an online worship service in his own home last July 11, 2021. The arrest was conducted by a mob of security agents, police officers, religious affairs bureau officials, and subdistrict office staff. The incident was caught in the video of the Zoom meeting that was released on Twitter. The video ended by showing the pastor leaving his room with the officials.
Such arrests do not include those made on pastors who performed in-person religious services. One pastor involved Early Rain Covenant Church Preacher Wu Wuqing who was arrested for officiating a funeral last May 2021.
