The cause of Christians striving to practise their faith without fear or pressure often advances and retreats in countries outside those where Christians directly live under the most oppression. In London, New York, Strasbourg, Washington, and other centres of deliberation, important developments happen concerning Christians and religious freedom more broadly. This is the page where we consolidate news with an international scope.
‘We won’t let diversity of ME disappear’
A UN conference has announced a plan to protect minorities persecuted by the so-called Islamic State in the Middle East. Speaking at the conference in Paris of 60 countries on Tuesday, 8 Sep., French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said several countries would announce financial pledges in the coming months for […]
Billionaire proposes ‘refugee island’
A tweet from Egypt’s third richest man went viral last week when the Coptic billionaire offered to purchase a large island from Greece or Italy to host “hundreds and thousands of refugees” fleeing the conflict in Syria. Telecom tycoon Naguib Sawiris, the chief executive of Orascom TMT, told both Agence […]
Recommended reading, Pt. II
The UK-based Guardian has of Christians living under pressure in Egypt, Pakistan, China and Israel, respectively. Their individual stories should not seem surprising to any regular reader of World Watch Monitor, but taken together they add to the narrative of rising levels of antagonism toward Christians because of their faith. […]
EU ‘must do more’ to stop religious freedom abuses
Left to right: MEP Dennis de Jong, USCIRF’s Katrina Lantos Swett, EEAS’s Silvio Gonzato, and MEP Peter van Dalen at the report’s launch in Brussels on 3 June.Courtesy European Parliament Intergroup The new European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, said in October 2014 that upholding the […]
Religious unity risks fuelling extremism
Leaders from different religions risk fuelling extremism when they attempt to show unity and agree on everything, warns the Archbishop of Canterbury. Addressing a mixed faith audience in London, the Archbishop warned than when faith leaders hide behind “bland” statements about what they have in common rather than facing up […]
Internally displaced reach record high
The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) around the world is the “worst in a generation” according to a new report by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). A record-breaking 38 million have been displaced within their own country by conflict or violence. Iraq, South Sudan, Syria, Democratic Republic of Congo […]
Religious groups face extinction around world
Campaigners warn that 100 years after the Armenian genocide there are still religious and ethnic groups facing extinction around the world. Groups identified include Christians in Iraq, Syria, Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR), and the Christian Kachin in Myanmar. Each of these countries is listed on the 2015 […]
2014: A year of particular concern
If ever there were a year that made plain the importance of religious freedom, 2014 was it, according to the just-released annual report by an American government advisory group. “By any measure, the horrors of the past year speak volumes about how and why religious freedom and the protection of the […]
‘IS deeply evil’ – Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury was on a ‘visit of condolence’ to Egypt for its 20 Christians (one was from Ghana), beheaded by IS just before Easter, when news of the murdered Ethiopians came through. During his visit he described the treatment of Christians in Egypt as “the worst since the 13th […]
US ‘passive’ on IS’s ‘war on Christianity’
The Islamic State is “crucifying Christians and demolishing ancient churches” in a “war on Christianity” in the Middle East, according to an opinion piece on the US-based website, Foreign Policy. Why, the title asks, is this being met with silence from the halls of Congress to Sunday sermons? In-house writers […]