Religion & Global Affairs Newsletter, Vol. 7, Issue 32

Since my last newsletter in December, the Trump administration has undertaken several momentous foreign policy decisions, such as the removal of Nicolás Maduro, the war in Iran, and the Christmas Day bombing of a terrorist camp in Nigeria. All of these have implications for religious freedom and religious minorities. How the United States chooses to engage moving forward will have lasting consequences for human rights, as well as yet-to-be-known reverberations in these regions and globally.

With Iran dominating global news, Religion News Service asked that I write about what happens next for Iran’s beleaguered religious minorities, such as Christians and Baháʼís. To ensure an end to religious persecution that has victimized minorities, as well as Muslims wishing to be free of clerical rule, religious freedom concerns must be addressed in the day-after discussions with whatever government emerges. Only the Trump administration can ensure it happens. However, as I wrote, no administration has ever brought religious freedom issues into high-stakes engagements with Tehran, and the same pattern seems to hold.

Similarly, after Maduro’s stunning removal, the Administration’s influence over Venezuela is immense. I discussed the religious freedom implications of Maduro’s ouster on the Religion Unplugged podcast alongside CSW’s advocacy director, Anna Lee Stangl. As of yet, these human rights issues do not appear to be atop policymaker action lists. Drawing from our joint mission to Mexico, we noted ways the United States can insist on greater religious freedom to ensure Venezuela does not descend into a Nicaragua-like situation.

Regarding Nigeria, Administration representatives highlighted their actions several times during the recent International Religious Freedom Summit. In her keynote speech, Paula White-Cain, senior advisor to the White House Faith Office, emphasized President Trump’s CPC decision for Nigeria and that the Administration will stand up for persecuted Christians, members of other faith communities, and people of no religious belief. Other officials echoed these sentiments to varying degrees, including the U.S. Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Mike Waltz, the Deputy Secretary of State for Management, Michael Rigas, and the State Department’s Principal Advisor on Global Religious Freedom, Mark Walker. (Articles by Deseret News and EWTN News helpfully summarize the conference.)

I welcomed the Nigeria CPC announcement in Foreign Policy last Fall, and I generally liked what Administration officials said at the IRF Summit in February. However, in the coming days and weeks, I will be listening for what went unsaid. Will additional CPC designations be announced for severe persecutors like China, Burma, Pakistan, and others? Will the State Department release the international religious freedom report, which missed a year for the first time ever? Will the recommendations from a new joint report by the House Appropriations and House Foreign Affairs Committees on the persecution of Nigerian Christians be implemented fully, which can turn words into transformative action on the ground? Will U.S. engagements in Syria focus on the needs of religious minorities, as former Trump administration officials and appointees have urged? In Pakistan, will the Administration speak out for the hundreds of people jailed for “blasphemy” and threaten consequences for inaction?

With so many challenges, increasing the U.S. government’s religious IQ can help policymakers navigate these complex societies. I wrote for the Georgetown University Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs about “Rethinking Strategic Religious Engagement.” I emphasized the importance of American diplomats and servicemembers understanding the religious landscapes of key countries, while offering ways to reframe the work to ensure better outcomes.

And while U.S. government actions and statements certainly matter, the actions of advocates can also be consequential if we consistently press for religious freedom for everyone, everywhere. My IRF Summit remarks stressed that, despite the many global challenges, we need to stand firm, not rising and falling with political tides, acquiescing to the “demise of the international human rights order.” These crucial standards define right from wrong; without them, everything becomes relative. We must not be Pollyannaish about the difficult moment. We must be clear-eyed as governments, both here and in Europe, retreat from promoting religious freedom and related human rights. In response, we must take a principled, nonpartisan approach to advocating for all.

To illustrate this kind of principled advocacy, the life of my late friend Shahbaz Bhatti offers guidance. Shahbaz was the only Christian member of Pakistan’s federal cabinet and was killed on March 2, 2011, for his public witness against religious persecution and unjust blasphemy laws. I wrote for The Dispatch about his commitment to religious freedom for all, his savvy advocacy, and how to follow his example by speaking up for anyone persecuted for their beliefs and by challenging our governments to do more.

To honor his memory 15 years later, I wanted to tell his story and inspire the next generation to action. So, thanks to the Templeton Religion Trust, we made a graphic novel about his life. "Blood & Water: The Life and Martyrdom of Shahbaz Bhatti" (Ignatius Press) portrays Shahbaz's deep Christian faith and his willingness to risk it all in defense of anyone facing religious persecution. To learn more, check out the preview pages and the short trailer. Additionally, you can watch the team discuss the creative process that led to the vivid artwork and storytelling, or listen to a shorter interview on The World and Everything in It (at the 23:30 mark).

How we apply Shahbaz’s example today is something we all need to consider. I had the opportunity to discuss advocacy strategies during a recent visit to Boston, where I lectured at Boston College and gave a public presentation at Gordon College about my book “Ending Persecution.” I’m pleased the book continues to resonate. And I was happy to learn Notre Dame Press will release a paperback version this fall, which will hopefully further expand the reach of the ideas and recommendations.

If you would like to read more, you can find my previous newsletter here, which includes a joint op-ed about the McCain Institute’s religious freedom report, as well as conversations on the Just Liberty podcast and at Baylor University on Charting a Way to End Persecution.