D050 Solidarity with Victims of Religious Persecution
The 21st century has seen an unexpected and disconcerting rise in threats to religious freedom around the world. North Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, China, North Korea, Europe and the United States are places of particular controversy, but religious freedom is threatened in many other locales as well. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Bahais and Yazidis are among the groups who have been victims of religiously motivated or anti-religious violence, and some of these groups, including Christians, have perpetrated religiously motivated violence. Other factors such as ethnic bias, economic competition and political expediency are often also involved, but religious motivation is often equally or more prominent. It is incumbent on all Episcopalians involved in global mission to enact solidarity with Christians experiencing persecution in various parts of the Anglican Communion. Equally, Episcopal mission work must cultivate sensitivity to threats to religious freedom and reach out with compassion, relief and advocacy for all persecuted religious groups, whether they are victimized by religious majorities or by governments hostile to all religion. This resolution has been endorsed by the Board of Directors of the Global Episcopal Mission Network (GEMN).
Explanation
The 21st century has seen an unexpected and disconcerting rise in threats to religious freedom around the world. North Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, China, North Korea, Europe and the United States are places of particular controversy, but religious freedom is threatened in many other locales as well. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Bahais and Yazidis are among the groups who have been victims of religiously motivated or anti-religious violence, and some of these groups, including Christians, have perpetrated religiously motivated violence. Other factors such as ethnic bias, economic competition and political expediency are often also involved, but religious motivation is often equally or more prominent. It is incumbent on all Episcopalians involved in global mission to enact solidarity with Christians experiencing persecution in various parts of the Anglican Communion. Equally, Episcopal mission work must cultivate sensitivity to threats to religious freedom and reach out with compassion, relief and advocacy for all persecuted religious groups, whether they are victimized by religious majorities or by governments hostile to all religion. This resolution has been endorsed by the Board of Directors of the Global Episcopal Mission Network (GEMN).