For background on Orthodox Christianity in China, see here.
For previous ChristianPersecution.com coverage of the persecution of Christians in China, see here.
“Pastor and Employees of Christian Education Center Detained,” China Aid, May 27, 2023:
(Shunde, Guangdong province, China—May 27, 2023) Police raided the Shengjia Christian Education and Help Center in Shunde City, Guangdong province on May 24th. Authorities searched the building and confiscated all teaching supplies. Four co-workers and Pastor Deng were arrested.
On May 25th, all their families received criminal detention notices. Each Christian was given a 30-day criminal detention for “illegal business operations.” Pastor Deng and the four co-workers are detained at Shunde Nanhai District Detention Center.
On May 24 at 8:30 AM, a few dozen police officers, national security officers, and religious affairs personnel suddenly broke into the Christian Education and Help Center. They flooded into the office and searched the center, prying open doors and searching through personal belongings. The search ended in the afternoon as police took computers, desks, chairs, and coloring books. Once they sealed the door, officers dispersed everyone else who was present.
Shaoting, Preacher Deng’s wife, received a phone call that morning. Dispatch told Shaoting that the police took her husband to the station, so she needed to take care of his parents at home. Then, the phone call suddenly ended. Shaoting thought that her husband was being interrogated and thought he would return home soon.
That same afternoon, some staff of the Help Center returned home, but there was no sign of Pastor Deng. Later, his wife learned that four employees of the Christian Education and Help Center were arrested simultaneously. Shaoting went with some others to the Daliang police station and requested more details about Pastor Deng. The station told them that the notice would be available within 24 hours. The next day, Shaoting and other families received the message that four employees including Pastor Deng must serve a 30-day criminal detention.
Pastor Deng’s wife said that her husband is a devout Christian with a good reputation at his church. He cares and ministers for his brothers and sisters in Christ. Some of the tenants living in their complex speak highly of him, and Shaoting attests that Deng is a good husband and father. “How come he is detained at the detention center?” she asked in a social media post….
