Chinese Arrests and the Power of Hope in a Resurrected King
by Hope Rawlson, Juicy Ecumenism:
Roman Catholic Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin of Yongjia (Wenzhou), China was arrested by Chinese authorities on April 7, according to reports this week from advocacy groups including International Christian Concern. Locals believe that Shao was detained to prevent celebration of Holy Week and Easter Sunday. It is typical for Chinese officials to arrest bishops before important church events and holy days, National Catholic Reporter states.
There is no information on where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is holding Shao, and his friends and family are unable to contact him.
The arrest follows Shao’s refusal to join the state-sanctioned Catholic Church in China. In 2018, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) passed legislation requiring all religious groups to possess a permit before conducting services. However, churches affiliated with the state are closely monitored and subject to interference on religious doctrine and practice. The CCP “regularly reviews sermons and sometimes required church leaders to attend education sessions with religious bureau officials,” according to a U.S. State Department report.
As a result of refusing to join the state-sanctioned Catholic Church, Chinese police have arrested Shao six times, once detaining him for seven months. Officials have previously placed Shao in a facility for ten to fifteen days where he undergoes “thought transformation,” a government-sanctioned brainwashing process.
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