Beijing police on Sunday detained dozens of worshippers from an unapproved Christian church who were trying to hold services in a public space after they were evicted from their usual place of worship, a parishioner said. ...
China's Communist government allows worship only in state-approved churches, but many Christians belong to unregistered congregations. Such "house churches" are subjected to varying degrees of harassment by authorities.
More than 60 million Christians are believed to worship in China's independent churches, compared with about 20 million who worship in the state church, according to scholars and church activists.
Churches approved by the communists is quite a concept to wrap one's head around, I think. But the real story is the apparent fear that the ruling elite has of these church-goers who don't go to approved religious services. They are probably right to be afraid.
