The worst Christian persecution since Mao, yet Christianity in China keeps growing

The last year has been difficult for Chinese Christians, even as faith blooms anew in that country. With 1.3 billion people, China is hungry for the faith, but progress remains difficult as the Chinese Communist Party enforces the rule of its law.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to UCA News, 2014 has been the most difficult year for Christians in a generation. Citing the case of Pastor Zhang Shaojie, the harsh punishments handed out to Christians in China were highlighted; Shaokie was sentenced to 12 year in prison  for "disrupting public order." His crime? Preaching the Gospel.

Chinese authorities are also cracking down on Christians who are particularly active near the border of North Korea. A wave of illegal immigration is flooding into China despite efforts on both sides of the border to stem the tide. Christians, mostly Chinese, are encouraging and facilitating the illegal trafficking of North Koreans into China. It's no surprise why, life is better in China and in North Korea, you can be sent to a concentration camp merely for believing or professing your faith.

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Christians are feeling the pressure of the Chinese government all around. Their churches are being inspected and in some cases demolished, and their activities are closely monitored. However, this does not necessarily represent a crackdown specifically against Christians, as UCAN reported. Instead, the Chinese government is enforcing the law across all sectors of society.

Last year, dozens of Party officials were dismissed in a crackdown on government corruption. It's not just Christians, but people across China say the government is enforcing the law more vigorously than before.

President Xi Jinping himself has emphasized the "rule of law" as a cornerstone of his administration. Structures that aren't up to code must be demolished, including churches. Those who facilitate illegal immigration are arrested. The axe falls much the same on anyone who runs afoul of the law in China.

Meanwhile, Christianity continues to flourish in China. There's a record number of Christians in that country and UCAN reports the 125 millionth Bible was recently printed in a Nanjing factory.

The Vatican continues talks with Beijing over who should be allowed to select bishops in that country-which happens to be an ancient debate from the Church's perspective. China is not the only government in history to try to pack the church with bishops favorable to their politics.

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There is no consensus on the number of Christians in China, however all projections suggest that number is growing. The faith is spreading like a wildfire and Chinese officials seem willing to let it spread as they decide how to handle a transition from Mao to Edmund Burke, as the revolution gives way to the Establishment.

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China continues to build more than 1,000 churches per year.

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