Religion & Global Affairs Newsletter, Vol. 7, Issue 34

With summer winding down, I wanted to share some updates pertaining to religion and global affairs.

Due to World Cup mania, you might have missed it in June, when the Pew Research Center released its annual report on global restrictions on faith. The findings were astonishing. According to their research, roughly three-fourths of the global population live in nations that limit the free practice of faith due to government restrictions, social hostilities, or both. It’s a mind-boggling statistic, and an increase since their last report. The stark reality is that billions of people from all faiths or none are susceptible to persecution every day. It should spur new action.

However, these findings come at a time when the priorities of the United States and Europe are shifting, resulting in reduced political and financial support for defending religious freedom around the world. To discern a way forward, our Everett Center for Global Religious Freedom undertook months of research, interviewing advocates from across the religious and political spectrum. No easy or quick answers exist, but our report International Religious Freedom Advocacy in a Time of Disruption provides a roadmap for civil society and faith groups. Long-term success requires steadfastly defending religious freedom for all and working in broad coalitions. The report’s been well received, with coverage by the Baptist Standard, EWTN, and the Bush Center.

Examples of persecution abound. I wrote briefly for the Wall Street Journal about how religious freedom is under threat in India, and I spoke on The World and Everything In It about forced marriages and conversions in Pakistan. I joined a McCain Center event on the Hill about religious persecution in China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, and I spoke to the Dennison Forum about what these global trends mean for the church. The Center also hosted a webinar about Russian persecution during the war in Ukraine, hearing directly from Ukrainian pastors from the occupied regions. And in one of the more memorable experiences, on July 4th, I spoke to 6,000+ Ahmadi Muslims about the challenges they face in Pakistan and America’s historic commitment to religious freedom for all.

Notably, however, the news isn’t all bad. We celebrated Pastor Ezra Jin's release in July. Before President Trump’s May visit to Beijing, the Center had launched a prayer and advocacy campaign for Pastor Jin and Uyghur Muslim scholar Ilham Tothi. After Pastor Jin’s release, I discussed how the United States should continue to press for others on The World and Everything In It. So while we welcome Rev. Jin’s freedom, more work remains for Tohti and others from Jin’s church who remain jailed.

If you want to hear about his experience, Pastor Jin will be the keynote speaker at our annual Global Religious Freedom Gathering at Dallas Baptist University on September 28-29. The Global Gathering brings together Christians across denominations to learn about the reality of persecution impacting our own and others, while inspiring the church to greater prayer and advocacy for all. You can register HERE and students are free.

Speaking of free, my first book, International Religious Freedom Advocacy, is now available free for download. A practical guide for advocates and faith groups, it untangles the web of various international organizations and explains how to access them. Also free is a joint article with Emily Scolaro, “Freedom of Religion or Belief and Cultural Heritage Protection: Synergistic not Competitive,” which has been made open access.

Lastly, I’m pleased to share that my most recent book ENDING PERSECUTION was released this month in paperback. You can find it wherever quality books are sold. Or order directly from Notre Dame Press using discount code 14SUM26 to receive 40% off until August 31.

You can read my previous newsletter here, with links to my Council on Foreign Relations comments on "The Future of Strategic Religious Engagement in U.S. Foreign Policy," my discussion on The Bulletin podcast about Afghanistan and Pakistan, and my article on Iran’s treatment of religious minorities. And check out my reading list from the summer. On America’s 250th anniversary, I enjoyed The Peasant Prince: Thaddeus Kosciuszko and the Age of Revolution.

I welcome your views and feel free to share with others. As always, the views expressed here are my own.