Faith Archives

Religious Freedom Focus of Historic UNGA Meeting

Religious Freedom UNGA Meeting — Photo Credit: State Department/Ron Przysucha/ Public Domain

On Monday, President Trump became the first U.S. President in history to convene a meeting at the United Nations focused solely on the issue of religious freedom. The event, hailed as a “Global Call to Protect Religious Freedom,” kicked off this year’s U.N. General Assembly in New York.

“Today, I ask all nations to join us in this urgent moral duty,” said Trump to a room crowded with high-level government officials, faith leaders, business leaders, and religious freedom advocates. “We ask the governments of the world to honor the eternal right of every person to follow their conscience, live by their faith, and give glory to God.” Continue reading “Religious Freedom Focus of Historic UNGA Meeting”

Anniversary of Yazidi Genocide

Anniversary of Yazidi Genocide I enjoy the algorithm-generated post Facebook hits me with each morning — recycled digital memories of happy times with people I love. It’s my daily scrapbook moment, like pulling the photo album off the shelf for a quick peek at the past.

A memory popped up recently from five years ago. It shows our family gathered to celebrate my youngest daughter’s high school graduation. An assortment of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents gleefully surrounds my daughter, clothed in cap and gown and a broad smile. It was a good day, a milestone day.

A grimmer memory from five years ago also popped up — this one on my news feeds. It was not a good day, but it was a milestone. August 3rd marks the 5th anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide in Syria and Northern Iraq. Continue reading “Anniversary of Yazidi Genocide”

IRF Ministerial Wrap-up

A short post to wrap-up coverage of this week’s Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. More substantive posts will follow in the weeks ahead to unpack the many important initiatives and stories that flowed from this week’s discussions. In this space, a few observations: Continue reading

IRF Ministerial: Day Two Highlights

IRF Ministerial Highlights — Day Two — Recipients of the 2019 International Religious Freedom Award

Schedules were full at Day Two of the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom hosted by the State Department. Participants were divided into one of three tracks:

Track One — Building Blocks for Advancing Religious Freedom
Track Two — Emerging Trends in Religious Freedom
Track Three — Religious Freedom in Development and Humanitarian Assistance

A variety of topics was covered in more than 30 general and breakout sessions. The conversations ranged from how to combat the rise of anti-Semitism, documenting atrocities, and the role of journalism in international religious freedom to the fragmentation of religious minority communities, innovation and technology in global development, and the economic and security benefits of advancing religious freedom. Continue reading “IRF Ministerial: Day Two Highlights”

UPDATE: IRF Ministerial Day One

Secretary Mike Pompeo and Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback kicked off the second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom at the State Department today. Following are some of the notable moments and quotes of the day: Continue reading “UPDATE: IRF Ministerial Day One”

Notre Dame’s Enduring Message of Hope

Even in tragedy, Notre Dame offers an enduring message of hope. As sure as the sun rises and sets each day, we have been comforted by a certainty that, always at the heart of Paris, Notre Dame stands firm.

Memories of an admiring expat

How can this be? Disbelief consumed me even as flames consumed the centuries-old Notre Dame cathedral in Paris yesterday. Like the rest of the world, I watched transfixed as the horrific inferno swallowed one of mankind’s most enduring and graceful architectural accomplishments.

Like millions of pilgrims through the ages, I have stood marveling at the base of this magnificent gothic structure, walked reverently through its medieval passages, and stood in awe of its craftsmanship and beauty. For two years, Notre Dame provided a constant backdrop for my daily life. My husband and I lived in a neat flat with our two young daughters just a few miles from the cathedral, expats on a grand Parisian adventure.

ARTICLE: Tis the season…to pray for persecuted believers

In a season punctuated by presents and merrymaking, the hard truths of persecution are a sobering reminder of the work that remains toward promoting and protecting freedom of religion or belief.

Early Rain Covenant Church pastor — Early Rain Covenant pastor criminally detained
[Photo credit: ChinaAid]

By Erin Rodewald // December 18, 2018

(This article originally written for and posted to 21Wilberforce)

For the world’s 2.3 billion Christians, the week ahead marks the culmination of one of the holiest seasons of the year — the anticipation and arrival of the Christ child. Sadly, the advent period has been marred by persecution, as global headlines make clear.

In China, authorities arrested more than 100 leaders and members of the Early Rain Covenant Church in early December. A week later, finding the church building locked, faithful congregants gathered at a nearby park for worship, where police arrested even more members. ChinaAid founder and president Bob Fu says these arrests represent “a major escalation of religious persecution in China.”

Earlier this year, the Xi regime revised its religious regulations, which has resulted in the closure of many unregistered churches throughout China, as well as persistent harassment and mass arrests of the nation’s minority Christian community. Cell phones are monitored, homes are searched, church leaders are followed, and scores have been detained for their beliefs. Among those imprisoned is Pastor Wang Yi, leader of Early Rain, who has declared that the “Communist regime is filled with fear at a church that is no longer afraid of it.” Continue reading “ARTICLE: Tis the season…to pray for persecuted believers”