It has been alarming to see the increasing repression of Christians in China in recent years. With the banning of children in church, restrictions on Bibles, closure of churches and imprisonment of leaders, it is now very difficult to live as a faithful Christian in China.
Among those currently imprisoned in China are Zhang Chunlei, David Lin, Zhang Shaojie, Wang Yi, Hao Zhiwei, Xing Wenxiang & Bao Guohua and Fu Xuanjuan.
Church in Chains wants to highlight this situation and also publicly call for its reversal by launching a petition to President Xi Jinping, who has driven the repression of religion.
This petition is a small step that we can take to show our solidarity with our Chinese fellow-Christians, who are our brothers and sisters in the worldwide church family. The petition aims to stand up for the church in China and to highlight the persecution that it is experiencing.
It will also highlight the issue in wider Irish society. Repressive governments, especially those with great power like China, try to discourage the expression of any human rights concerns by foreign governments or organisations and will often go to great lengths to cover up the repression, dismissing concerns as “foreign interference in China’s internal affairs”.
However as a member of the United Nations and many other international organisations, China is very much involved in world affairs and hence it is totally legitimate for Irish people to express concern for Christians in China.
Petition wording
To PRESIDENT XI JINPING:
We are alarmed at the increasing restrictions on religious freedom in China and appeal to you to change your government’s policy and to revise all religious regulations and legislation to ensure they align with the right of all people in China to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in accordance with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
We are deeply concerned for our many Christian brothers and sisters who face ongoing restrictions and harassment because of their expression of their Christian faith and we particularly wish to express our deep concern for the many pastors who have been imprisoned by your government. We appeal for their immediate release.
PRINT PETITION (for others to sign)