China Steps Up Attack on ‘Illegal’ Religious Activity
Detention of Samuel Lamb sparks wide concern.
by Xu Mei
NANJING, China, July 19 (Compass) -- Chinese authorities detained and interrogated well-known house church leader Samuel Lamb, or Lin Xiangao as he is known within China, after worship services on Sunday, June 13. Ten of his younger co-workers were also detained and interrogated. Taken to a local police station in Guangzhou, all were released by the following day. Pastor Lamb reported the unpleasant experience to an overseas visitor to his house church in the center of Guangzhou a few days later.
The significance of Pastor Lamb’s detention lies in the fact that this is the first time in 14 years that Chinese authorities have taken repressive steps against him. The last time he was detained was on February 22, 1990, when 60 Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers detained him overnight and confiscated large amounts of Christian literature. Since then, apart from the occasional “friendly” visit to his house church, the PSB has left Lamb relatively undisturbed. The number of Christians and inquirers meeting openly at his new meeting place has grown to over 3,000 each week. Lamb’s previous meeting-place at Damazhan was demolished as part of a city development plan a few years ago. He relocated to larger premises nearby.
These latest detentions, therefore, came as a complete surprise. Sources in China say it is no coincidence that just two days earlier, on June 11, authorities detained 100 leaders of the China Gospel Fellowship house church network in the central city of Wuhan. They, too, were later released after detailed interrogation.
Reliable reports out of China received at the end of June indicated that, prior to these recent incidents of repression, a high-level Politburo meeting convened and members issued a secret directive calling for a crackdown on all “illegal” religious activities, such as unregistered house church meetings.
Some observers think Chinese authorities may be over-reacting to high profile publicity concerning house churches and the “Back to Jerusalem Movement.” Reports on these topics circulated in Western media have focused attention on the spectacular growth of the Chinese church and could have prompted the recent crackdown.
Beijing was chosen to host the 2008 Olympics on the tacit understanding that China would continue to open her doors to the world and act as a civilized member of the world community. Repression of religious believers and denial of basic human rights are in flagrant breach of both the Olympic spirit and the United Nations agreements to which China is a signatory. The international community will be watching the Chinese government closely over the next few years in the run-up to the Games.
Copyright 2004 Compass Direct
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