China and Christianity
Regulations For Chinese Ministry New government measures, which will include a database of church leaders, look set to introduce even more state control over Christian ministry in China. It was confirmed this week that the Measures for the Administration of Religious Personnel issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA), first announced in November 2020, will come into effect on 1 May 2021. New government measures require all church leaders to “support the leadership of the Communist Party of China … [and] practice the core values of socialism” Key among the new measures, according to Article 33 of the document, is the creation by SARA of “a database of religious personnel” listing all those authorised by the state to perform religious ministry. Church leaders not registered in this database will not be permitted to undertake ministry. In order to be registered church leaders must, according to Article 3, be those who “love the motherland, support the leadership of