This project seeks to explore the judicial approach to restricting the freedom of Protestant house churches from a socio-legal perspective, given that China has established a comprehensive legal system. Through a mix of analytical literature review, in-depth fieldwork in China (including interviews with church leaders, human rights lawyers, judges, etc., as well as contextual analysis of relevant judicial decisions), this project will produce and disseminate fundamental knowledge about the approach adopted by China’s courts to Protestant house churches in an illiberal context.