Fearing that their leaders and congregations are undermining President Xi Jinping’s communist regime, Chinese authorities continue to bulldoze the sites of megachurches.
The latest building to get leveled by the ruthless state forces was Fuyang Christian Church, a massive structure located in Fenan, Anhui province. According to persecution watchdog, ChinaAid, the church could seat some 3,000 people and was part of the country’s official church network. The organization also noted that the demolition was undertaken as congregants worshipped, and that the action was carried out with no supporting legal documentation.
It is still unclear why the church was flattened, though the pastors, Geng Yimin and Sun Yongyao, were subsequently arrested on suspicion of “gathering a crowd to disturb social order.”
“This is yet another clear example showing the escalation of religious persecution today by the Chinese Communist regime,” said ChinaAid President Bob Fu in a statement. “The total disregard of religious freedom’s protection as enshrined in the Communist Party’s own Constitution tells the whole world President Xi is determined to continue his war against the peaceful Christian faithful. This campaign will surely fail in the end.”
The demolition comes just a week after a church in Henan province was leveled as more than 200 congregants gathered to worship.
Faithwire has reached out to ChinaAid for an update on the current situation regarding the latest incident. We will update this article when we hear back.