Finding liberty in a Chinese prison

One inspiring story in 2026 so far has been the unexpected release of a prominent religious leader in China by the country’s antireligion regime. After spending 266 days in prison, Ezra Jin Mingri, the Christian pastor of the underground Zion Church in Beijing, arrived in the United States on July 5. He and his family have since given two reasons for his sudden freedom.The first is that Mr. Jin’s release was a result of prayer by many people around the world. “Thank you so much for everyone’s support and prayers. ... We truly witnessed a miracle and we are feeling so overwhelmed with joy,” his family wrote in a statement.The second was less spiritual but perhaps the outcome of all those prayers. After citing “the miracle” of his newfound liberty, Mr. Jin credited a personal plea for his release by President Donald Trump during a May summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Last week, the pastor told The Associated Press that Mr. Trump’s “unique diplomacy” had “results.”Most news reports ran with that second reason – diplomacy. Yet, now, Mr. Jin is calling for more prayers to free other imprisoned Chinese Christians as well as similarly oppressed religious minorities, including Tibetan Buddhists and Muslim Uyghurs.“My earnest prayer is that my release can mark the beginning of a new chapter for people of faith in China,” he wrote in The Wall Street Journal.In the U.S., for now, Mr. Jin might find a receptive ear among most Americans for the unseen spiritual power that prayer evokes. A 2023 survey found that more than 80% of adults in the U.S. believe there is a spiritual or supernatural dimension to the world. About three-quarters believe in God or a higher power and express a desire to grow spiritually. A later survey found that a similar portion of Americans report praying weekly.“A majority in our midst are open to tapping more deeply into their spiritual life,” concluded David Kinnaman, chief executive officer of Barna Group, which conducted the surveys.During his nine-month captivity, Mr. Jin says he found that God gave him the strength for victory. “Even in the abyss, our hearts still look toward God’s temple,” he wrote in a letter from prison in November.His meekness – Mr. Jin preaches obedience to secular authority – attests to a spiritual reality rarely reported by a news media focused mainly on the mere physical. Yet his tale reveals another realm of thought capable of healing and reconciliation. As he wrote, citing a letter by the Apostle Paul: “God works all things together for good to those who love him.”