On Sept. 15, China enacted new measures to further restrict the spread of religious content online. The State Administration for Religious Affairs issued the Code of Conduct for Religious Clergy on the Internet, an 18-article directive banning any unapproved religious materials from being published. These rules prohibit livestreams, online courses, and commercial promotion of religious content on social media, WeChat groups, and other digital platforms. The use of AI for religious purposes, once a loophole for online evangelists, is now forbidden as well. First introduced under President Xi Jinping in 2016, these regulations have steadily tightened as part of the government’s push for Sinicization, reshaping all religions and philosophies to fit within state-approved boundaries. A 2023 Pew Research report noted that only 3% of Chinese now consider religion “very important” in their lives, reflecting the long-term impact of these policies.

Officials describe the regulations as part of a broader strategy to bring all online religious activity under government control, fearing that religion could serve as an ideological “gray zone” if left unchecked. Article 3 of the code instructs clergy to align with socialism, foster harmony, and adapt faith practices to China’s state narrative. Penalties for violations include loss of clergy credentials, censorship, and possible criminal prosecution—even for those working outside of China. “If any cleric was caught having anything to do with a missionary, that’s ‘infiltration,’” one Chinese cleric explained. Despite the growing pressure, Christian leaders remain determined. Kurt Rovenstine of Bibles for China urged believers to pray that pastors and church leaders would continue to demonstrate creativity, courage, and faithfulness—choosing obedience to God over compliance with man-made mandates.

SOURCE: ICC