China detains two leaders of influential underground church
Summary
Chinese authorities detained two leaders of the Early Rain Covenant Church during a police raid on a Sunday service in Jiangyou city. More than 30 church members, including children and elderly, were taken for questioning, while others were temporarily locked in a ballroom and released later.Key Facts
- The Early Rain Covenant Church is a Protestant church founded in 2008 in Chengdu, China.
- Police stormed the church service on Sunday with about 50 officers present, including SWAT members.
- Two leaders, Yan Hong and Wu Wuqing, were detained; the reasons for their detention are not clear.
- Over 30 church members were taken to a detention center for interrogation and later released.
- Congregants were asked to sign affidavits to gain release but refused to do so.
- The church’s founding pastor, Wang Yi, was arrested in 2018 and is serving a 9-year prison sentence.
- The Chinese government only allows state-approved churches and closely monitors underground "house churches."
- Similar police actions have happened before, including a raid on Zion Church in 2023 where leaders were arrested.
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