Tag: Bibles

China: ‘For Christians, the “grey” area is shrinking’

April 16, 2018 China Beijing, Bibles, China, Churches, Communism, Facebook, Nanjing, Social media, Three-Self Patriotic Movement, WhatsApp, Xi Jinping

China's Christians wonder what is next. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

China’s Christians may not be surprised by recent tighter government control of religious affairs, including a ban on online Bible sales. But they are unsure what comes next. Following this month’s announcement that Bibles could no longer be made available online, large websites like Taobao, Jingdong, Weidian, Dangdang and Amazon . . . Read More

China pledges to protect religious freedom, days after Bible ban

April 6, 2018 China Bibles, Catholics, China, Protestants, Religious freedom, Xi Jinping

Women, married to pastors who work in rural areas in China, meet in a church. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

China presented an official ‘white paper’ on religion on Wednesday, 4 April, guaranteeing “protection” for religious freedom, just four days after banning the online sale of Bibles. The policy paper, titled ‘China’s Policies and Practices on Protecting Freedom of Religious Belief’, was presented by the State Council Information Office at . . . Read More

North Korean explains growing up under Kim dynasty, and how his perception of Christianity changed

March 20, 2018 North Korea Bibles, Children, China, Communism, Crosses, Education, Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-Un, Missionaries, North Korea, Pyongyang, USA

Every year, for the birthdays of North Korea’s Kim dynasty founder, Kim Il-sung, and his son and successor, Kim Jong-il, John Choi* would receive a large pack of sweets from his parents. So would all his primary-school peers. However, before unpacking his present, John was told to follow the ritual . . . Read More

Kazakh ‘sting operation’ to catch out Christian backfires

March 19, 2018 Kazakhstan Bibles, Churches, Kazakhstan, Missionaries, New Life Church, Shymkent

A Kazakhstan court has acquitted a Christian women accused of “missionary activity” after she was caught in an “apparent sting operation”, reports regional news agency Forum 18. Police officers arrested Dilobarkhon Sultanova in January after she helped Elmira Inibekova download a Bible app to her mobile phone. The two women . . . Read More

Saudi Arabia is modernising, but will this mean greater freedom for religious minorities?

February 23, 2018 Saudi Arabia Apostasy, Bibles, Churches, House churches, Iran, Islam, Islamic extremism, Minorities, Mohammad bin Salman, Muttawah, Religious freedom, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sunni, Syria, Wahhabism, Yemen

The political landscape in the strict Islamic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is changing, and quickly. A charismatic crown prince seems determined to modernise his country and even speaks of a shift towards a more “moderate” Islam. But will the changes taking place in Saudi also ease the situation for members . . . Read More

Belarus renews pressure on Baptists after 10 years without conflict

December 13, 2017 Belarus Baptists, Belarus, Bibles

Baptists in Vebel, north-eastern Belarus, have been detained and fined for singing songs and offering Christian books to passers-by in the market square, reports regional news agency Forum 18. Two church members complained to the authorities at their treatment during their detention. Andrei Fokin sustained an injury to his face; . . . Read More

Algerian church closed for ‘illegally printing Bibles and material intended for evangelism’

November 20, 2017 Algeria Algeria, Bibles, Churches, Proselytism, Protestant Church of Algeria

A church in Algeria’s north-western town of Aïn Turk (15km from Oran city) has been closed down by local authorities. The church, affiliated to the Protestant Church of Algeria (known as EPA, its French acronym), was sealed off by police on 9 November. Authorities in Oran claimed the church had . . . Read More

Will end of sanctions against Sudan ease Bible shortage for 1 million Christians?

October 26, 2017 Sudan Bibles, Khartoum, Port Sudan, Sanctions, Sudan, USA, USCIRF

Measures by the Sudanese government to prevent Bibles from entering the country are leaving the churches there with a serious shortage of Scripture and teaching materials. One senior church leader, who has overseen the import of hundreds of thousands of Bibles and other pieces of Christian literature to Sudan, told . . . Read More

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard confiscates Christian literature as ‘publicity stunt’

September 26, 2017 Iran Bibles, House churches, Iran, Pardis, Shia, Tehran

Photographs released by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard showing large quantities of confiscated Christian materials were a “publicity stunt” that reflected the Iranian regime’s fear of Christianity, says religious freedom advocate Mansour Borji. Borji, from advocacy group Article 18, told World Watch Monitor that the photographs, which were initially released in July, . . . Read More

China is world’s largest producer of Bibles

March 2, 2016 China Bibles, China, Nanjing

China continues to be the largest producer of Bibles in the world, thanks to the Amity Printing Company in Nanjing. Twelve million copies came off Amity’s presses in 2015, the majority for export. The company stated in a press release that it has the capacity to print 20 million Bibles each . . . Read More

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