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But other leaders warned that it is still too early to say what the government's intention is in light of the arrests of hundreds of Christians in the last six months. Indeed, the guidelines repeat the ominous charges that unofficial religious groups are a threat to national security.

The rules warn that "religion cannot be used to threaten national security and social stability." In arrests of local unregistered house-church pastors, the government usually has charged that their preaching, singing, and praying without government approval threatens "social stability."

In one court case last fall, an official complained that a Bible study group was disturbing the tranquility of the neighborhood by its singing. In the court proceedings, there was no evidence presented of neighbors complaining. In what the government calls "the big cases" of arrests of national Christian leaders, the government usually charges the pastors with undermining "state security."

Tony Carnes is Senior News Writer for Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2002 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Christianity Today's exclusive March cover package by Tony Carnes examined the secret documentation of China's religious persecution:

'New' China: Same Old Tricks | Top communists, despite their denials, endorse arrest and torture of Chinese Christians by the thousands. (February 15, 2002)

The Unlikely Activist | How a bitter athiest helped besieged Christians—and became a believer. (February 15, 2002)

What China's Secret Documents Reveal | The New York archive of religious persecution in China contains numerous government documents that show how the government controls religion. (February 15, 2002)

China Persecution Dossier: Zhang Wu-Ji | Tortured to the point of death. (February 15, 2002)

China Persecution Dossier: Shi Yun-Chao | Beaten for Hosting Bible Studies. (February 15, 2002)

China Persecution Dossier: Gu Xiangmei | Surviving on "tiger's diarrhea." (February 15, 2002)

Freedom House has the full text of the China persecution report online with an analysis (pdf) of the contents.

The State Department's 2001 International Religious Freedom Report on China said the "government seeks to restrict religious practice to government-sanctioned organizations and registered places of worship and to control the growth and scope of the activity of religious groups."

See Christianity Today'sBearing the Cross article on the persecution of Christians in China.

For more articles on religion in China, see Yahoo full coverage and Christianity Today'sWorld Report.

Previous Christianity Today stories about persecution in China include:

Bush: 'I'm One of Them' | Religious persecution allegations set the stage for George Bush's visit to China. (February 27, 2002)

Gong's 'Accusers' Claim Torture Induced False Confessions | Letters from imprisoned Christian women in China describe assaults with electric clubs. (Feb. 1, 2002)

Church Leader Gets Reprieve | China's case against Gong Shengliang now on hold. (Jan. 24, 2002)

Chinese House Church Leader Granted Time to Appeal Death Sentence | Sentence likely to be commuted to imprisonment, but church remains in danger. (Jan. 8, 2002)

Free China's Church | The Communist country may ease some religious restrictions, but they still want an apolitical church. (January 3, 2002)

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April (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46