28.09.2018
New Global Guide Highlights Persecution of Christians and Encourages Action
Irish charity Church in Chains has launched the third edition of its Global Guide detailing 60 countries worldwide where Christians face persecution because of their faith. The Global Guide was launched yesterday (Thursday September 27) by the Revd Trevor Sargent, Curate Assistant in Waterford and former Green Party Leader. He urged people to use the Global Guide prayerfully and said it gave people the tools to transform the lives of those who are being persecuted for their faith.
The Global Guide aims to raise awareness in Ireland about the situation of persecuted Christians around the world. It also seeks to motivate readers to respond. It divides the countries into three colour coded categories – red/severe, where many or all Christians face persecution including imprisonment, torture, murder or violent mob attacks, orange/significant, where some, but not all, Christians face arrest, attack or serious restrictions and green/limited, where some churches or individual Christians face restriction or discrimination.
Launching the Global Guide, the Revd Trevor Sargent said that it was an essential part of life which helped people to put words into action as James 1:22 urges. He described the guide as a tool box to enable people to do something about what they read. “The essential element of this is that it starts in prayer and leads to action,” he said. “This gives an edge to anyone with an interest in writing as the reader is urged to write to the heads of states where there is oppression. You can be part of the solution.”
He highlighted three things that needed to be taken into account in the context of the Global Guide: national interest, scarcity of resources and good people doing nothing.
He pointed out that the Department of Foreign Affairs was committed to upholding human rights in every country. However, he said this was not entirely honest as all State departments protect the national interest and this could cause conflict where addressing injustice interfered with the national interest. For example, he said Saudi Arabia was an abuser of human rights yet our lifestyle depended on oil.
Where there was scarcity of resources, Mr Sargent said there was often growing oppression. Where there was stress on resources, tolerance, altruism and good receded. Climate change would exacerbate oppression, he suggested.
Quoting Edmund Burke, he said that the only thing necessary for evil to triumph was for good men to do nothing. “The reality is that if people who claim to be good ignore this Global Guide and do nothing, that is an example of good people doing nothing and evil triumphing,” he commented adding that we could each do something about this.
Giving the background to the Global Guide, Church in Chains Director David Turner said: “The persecution of Christians rarely makes the headlines but is a weekly if not daily lived experience for millions of Christians worldwide – we estimate that over 200 million Christians are at constant risk of persecution. The Global Guide is being launched at a time when the situation is noticeably worsening in the two most populous nations on earth, as Hindu extremists across India attack churches in rural areas every week with impunity, while in China the authorities close churches every week as President Xi’s religious clampdown gathers momentum.”
He said the guide demonstrated the need for action and said they were sending copies to TDs and Senators as well as calling on the government to raise the violation of religious freedom detailed in the book.
Church in Chains Researcher and Writer Virginia Chipperfield described the methodology behind the publication. She noted that it was a team effort, researched and written by David Turner, Susanne Chipperfield (Operations Coordinator) and herself, with support from many other organisations and individuals. She listed some of the many international reports from governments and NGOs that were used as source material and the important role played by independent country experts who were consulted. She also outlined how the maps were commissioned and referred to the fact that the Guide was financed by a generous grant designated for the purpose.
You can read the Global Guide online here.
Or order a copy from Church in Chains by emailing info@churchinchains.ie.
