September 4, 2024
21Wilberforce board member, Knox Thames, is the author of ENDING PERSECUTION: Charting the Path to Global Religious Freedom published by the University of Notre Dame Press.
“A pandemic is sweeping the world, but not just COVID; a pandemic of persecution is impacting every faith community globally,” said Thames. “ENDING PERSECUTION exposes the reality of religious repression while arguing for a new response to fight for freedom of conscience for everyone to ensure 21st-century persecution does not bleed into the 22nd century. My driving belief is that every person has a fundamental right to follow their conscience wherever it leads. Human flourishing will more quickly come when everyone everywhere can believe (or not believe) as they choose. Unfortunately, we have failed to learn the painful lessons of the Holocaust, the ultimate crime against humanity. Repression continues. People still suffer on account of individual beliefs and instability results. The United States needs to revitalize its approach and recommit to ending oppression because of religion or belief.”
According to Thames, international religious freedom efforts should stand on these pillars:
- Consistency. Rather than favoring any religion over another, advocates must protect the religious freedom of all faiths and the rights of those who profess no faith.
- Coalitions. The United States has a unique responsibility because of its size and influence, but it cannot and should not “go it alone” in advocating for international religious freedom. Furthermore, the coalitions should transcend conservative and liberal divisions.
- Callouts. Annual reports on international religious freedom that spotlight chief offenders and point to specific problems have value.
- Consequences. Offenders need to know they will be held accountable. Sanctions that target abusers can be effective, but only if they are applied consistently. Too often, important trade partners or energy-supplying nations have been cited for abuses but granted sanction waivers.
“ENDING PERSECUTION takes readers on a tour of some of the world’s most repressive countries in the Middle East and Asia,” said Thames. “Over my career working for Congress and the U.S. Department of State and three different administrations, I traveled the world to press repressive governments to reform. I and others endeavored to leverage U.S. influence to speak up for the oppressed and persecuted, doing what we could to reflect the best of American values of diversity, minority rights, and freedom of conscience. Special offices and ambassadors were created and appointed, money appropriated, and summits convened. Yet, these efforts have not changed grim statistics demonstrating unrelenting restrictions on the free practice of faith. ENDING PERSECUTION offers new ideas and solutions to meet the challenge of ending persecution.”
To read an excerpt from ENDING PERSECUTION click here. To purchase the book from Notre Dame Press click here.