The CRC and Religious Persecution

People are persecuted for religious beliefs and practices around the world, whether they are Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Hindu or other. However, in today's world the largest group of people being persecuted for their faith are Christians.

More than 200 million people in over 60 nations are being denied the basic human rights because of their Christian faith. The main reason for this persecution is the rapid growth of Christianity in countries where human rights are being violated or do not exist.

Religious persecution hampers the work of the Christian Reformed Church and its agencies throughout the world.

Oppressive regimes or religious tensions often destroy years of work Christian Reformed World Missions has invested in establishing a credible presence in an international community.

These same forces can prevent the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee from reaching the neediest parts of the world with humanitarian aid and can uproot carefully laid plans of economic development.

The Office of Social Justice regularly works with the U.S. State Department and the Canadian Parliament in promoting policies to bring peace and justice to these regions. Even CRC congregations are sometimes involved in resettling a refugee who has fled from religious persecution.

As Reformed Christians, we believe Jesus Christ rules over every square inch of our world. Called to be his agents in this world, we work to establish his kingdom here and now as a foretaste of the future glory to come when Christ returns.

Thus, as we actively wait for this return, we proclaim hatred and oppression have no place in this world. These forces degrade individuals, races, and nations, denying their humanity and preventing them from being whom God desires them to be.

Therefore we declare persecution, especially religious persecution, must end. We lift the persecuted up to God, asking for deliverance from suffering and an end to oppressive structures.