CMI Selects 2005 Top Ten Religious News in China

The top ten religious news in China for 2005 were selected by China Ministries International (CMI), most of them are concerned about persecutions against Chinese Christians.
By Joseph Leung

The top ten religious news in China for 2005 were selected by China Ministries International (CMI), most of them are concerned about persecutions against Chinese Christians.

The result was listed in the latest CMI newsletter as follows:

1. New regulations on religious affairs took effect on March 1, 2005, which attempt to bring regulatory activities governing religious organizations, activities, places of worship and religious rights within a legal framework.

2. On Nov. 8, jailed prominent Beijing house church leader Pastor Cai Zhouhua was sentenced to three years for "illegal business operation" by the People’s Court of Haidian District, Beijing.

3. Chinese authorities exiled at least 10 foreign church leaders in late February and shortly detained 140 house church leaders. On Feb. 24, Christians in Haierbin region are being raided by over 100 government officials.

4. Around 600 believers are raided at an unregistered church in Jilin province on May. 22.

5. In Beijing, the number of believers is growing rapidly and there is a shortage of space for worship. Before 1949, there were over 50 Christian churches in Beijing, but now only 8 church buildings left.

6. State Council of the People's Republic of China released China Human Rights White Paper. In China, there are around 100 millions of people who have religious beliefs, 100 thousands of places of worships, 76 seminaries, 300 thousands of religious workers of all faiths and over 3,000 religious organizations. 3,500 copies of Bible are published. However, it does not imply that human rights in China has improved significantly, according to Agence France Presse (AFP).

7. Pope Benedict XVI becomes the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church following the late John Paul II. Benedict XVI is the first German pope in the past thousand year.

8. Christian Communication Inc. U.S.A. launched the Seedling Project to provide education to the second generation of poor Chinese missionaries and believers.

9. A new breakthrough in the diplomatic relationship between China and Vatican emerged as officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Beijing government met with the Vatican envoy for the first time after the installation of the new pope Benedict XVI.

10. Officials from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote to the U.S. Ambassador in Beijing, urging the Chinese government to allow family members and church members to visit the 80-year-old detained church leader Shi En Chang.

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