Sen. Ted Cruz from Texas is spearheading a significant initiative in the Senate to hold the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable for its ongoing persecution of Christians. Cruz’s efforts come in response to the CCP’s latest wave of crackdowns targeting religious groups, specifically highlighting the situation faced by Pastor Jin and the Zion Church. “The Chinese Communist Party is conducting yet another sweeping crackdown on Christians, and they are again targeting Pastor Jin and the Zion Church,” he stated. His words emphasize the CCP’s fear of unregulated faith, which poses a threat to its control.
The resolution sponsored by Cruz aims to condemn the CCP’s increasingly aggressive actions and reaffirms the United States’ commitment to promoting religious freedom worldwide. The resolution calls for the protection of individuals facing persecution and violence, pressing for the release of members of the Zion Church currently detained by authorities.
According to Cruz, this recent wave of oppression marks the most extensive coordinated attack on a Christian urban house church in the past four decades. He stressed the importance of using the tools available to the United States to advocate for those suffering under the CCP’s oppressive regime. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has continually designated China as a land of “particular concern for religious freedom,” a label it has held annually since 1998, as stipulated by the International Religious Freedom Act.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito also lent her support, stating, “The Chinese Communist Party’s campaign of repression against Christians… is a violation of fundamental religious freedom rights.” Her role as an original co-sponsor of the resolution signals a collective condemnation within the Senate of the CCP’s actions against faith-based communities. The rise of alarming arrests of church leaders strengthens the resolve for this resolution, affirming that faith should never equate to a crime.
Recent events have seen the arrest of several prominent church leaders within China, notably Pastor Jin Mingri of one of the nation’s largest underground evangelical churches. His family, deeply concerned, has received support from figures such as Cruz. Grace Jin, Mingri’s daughter, expressed gratitude for Cruz’s intervention. “His efforts demonstrate that the world is watching as the Chinese government unjustly imprisons pastors and church leaders for the peaceful exercise of their faith,” she remarked.
Reports indicate that nearly 30 pastors and workers associated with the Zion Church have either been arrested or reported missing in various cities throughout China, including Beijing and Shanghai. Grace Jin recounted the harrowing account of her father’s detainment, noting how authorities took leaders one by one from their homes. She recalled moments of desperation as they faced external threats just before being taken into custody. The uncertainty surrounding the future of Pastor Jin and other church leaders remains a point of distress for concerned families and communities.
This push from Cruz and other senators is not only about dissent against the CCP’s actions but is a broader reaffirmation of the United States’ historical and ongoing commitment to human rights, including the freedom of religion. As these events unfold, the response of the international community and its leaders will be crucial in shaping the discourse surrounding religious freedom in China and beyond.
"*" indicates required fields
