Calli Keener / Baptist Standard A “movement” focused on reengaging North America with the gospel that has been brewing for almost a decade is beginning to take a more defined shape, and Texas Baptists have quite a few seats at the table. Dennis Wiles, pastor of First Baptist Church in Arlington and chair of the Ascent council, welcomed around 200 …
The Courage of Finding Grace
By Talar Haidostian “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.” Luke 1:46-55 New International Version December 22, 2024 In 2005, …
Karen Christians Lay Foundation for Next Generation
September 19, 2024 21Wilberforce staff recently visited the Thai-Burma border to learn more about the important work conducted by the local faith-based institutions and relief agencies in the region. As the principal of the Kawthoolei Karen Bible College welcomed our 21Wilberforce team, we were greeted with the sound of a choir whose singing echoed throughout the camp. The seemingly heavenly music …
Bipartisan Senate Resolution Calls for Stronger Response to Worsening Religious Freedom Conditions Worldwide
March 28, 2024 Sean Nelson Even as partisan divides have become seemingly intractable across a wide array of issues, the promotion of international religious freedom remains one of the bipartisan bright spots in Congress. On February 29, one such bipartisan group of Senators introduced a resolution calling support for international religious freedom a “cornerstone” of U.S. foreign policy, while highlighting …
The Future of Freedom in Nigeria
April 12, 2024 The Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee in Congress held a hearing titled “The Future of Freedom in Nigeria” on Wednesday, February 14 at 2:00pm Eastern time. Witnesses included: The Honorable Frank Wolf Commissioner United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Bishop Wilfred Anagbe Bishop of the Diocese of Makurdi, Nigeria Roman Catholic Church Mr. Ebenezer Obadare Douglas Dillon …
USCIRF Calls for Congressional Hearing on State Dept. IRF Report Exclusions
Ken Camp / Managing Editor, Baptist Standard In spite of a Christmas Eve massacre of about 200 Nigerians in predominantly Christian areas and evidence of India’s growing transnational repression of religious minorities, neither nation was designated as a Country of Particular Concern by the U.S. Department of State or placed on its Special Watch List. In response to the omissions, the U.S. Commission on …
UN Special Rapporteurs Raise “Utter Concern” at Nigeria’s Inaction in Prosecuting Perpetrators
October 27, 2023 Reprinted with permission from Jubileecampaign.org The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, joined by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, and the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues publish their allegation letter to the government of Nigeria raising the cases of two women the …
Vietnamese Religious Prisoner of Conscience Released
September 26, 2023 Just two days before US President Joe Biden and his entourage arrived in Hanoi, human rights activist Nguyen Bac Truyen was released from Vietnamese prison on September 8, 2023, five years earlier than his sentence, and along with his wife, Ms. Kim Phuong flew to the Federal Republic of Germany, where they are forced to live in …
The Ongoing Crisis in Myanmar
September 26, 2023 The people of Burma have faced a brutal campaign by the military junta that has taken thousands of lives, forced millions to flee, and destroyed many church buildings in their campaign to control and suppress the people’s democratic rights and religious freedoms in the country. Attacks by the Burmese military on villages and towns have forced 1.3 …
21Wilberforce Timothy Fellows Convene in Norway
In 2022, 21Wilberforce launched a new initiative called “Timothy Fellows” for young Baptist professionals and students around the world. Five of six regions within the Baptist World Alliance are represented and the first ten Fellows hail from the Benin, Brazil (2), Bulgaria, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, Nigeria, United Kingdom and the U.S. 21Wilberforce President Randel Everett and Trent Martin, 21W Advocacy …
21Wilberforce Launches Global Freedom Network Pilot Project
21Wilberforce announced the launch of the Global Freedom Network (GFN) pilot project in Africa during the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) meeting in Norway last month. 21Wilberforce’s President Randel Everett and Executive Director John Gongwer gave an overview of the vision, objectives and intended outcomes for the network including plans for eventual expansion to other regions of the world. Key leaders …
Reflections on the Afghans’ Resettlement by Brazilian Baptists
July 14, 2023 21Wilberforce Ambassador for Latin America, André Simão, shared about the Afghan’s resettlement by the Brazilian Baptists in a Baptist Forum on Aid and Development during a Baptist World Alliance meeting in Norway in July 2023. This story started in the Baptist World Alliance congress held July 2021 through a prayer request at the Religious Freedom pre-conference hosted …
“No one should be sentenced to death for peaceful expression”
May 18, 2023 21Wilberforce is a signatory to the letter mentioned below that was sent to outgoing President Buhari in Nigeria. This article is reprinted with permission from ADF International In 2020, Sufi Muslim Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was sentenced to death by hanging for “blasphemy”. His alleged crime involved sending song lyrics on WhatsApp that were deemed blasphemous toward the prophet …
A Global Call for Prayer on May 14 – Leah Sharibu’s 20th Birthday
May 3, 2023 February 19, 2023, marked the 5th year of Leah Sharibu’s captivity with Boko Haram terrorists. May 14, 2023 is Leah’s 20th birthday. Leah’s family, friends and advocates are asking people of faith around the world to pray for her release on that day. Watch a video about Leah’s story here. Learn more about how you can get …
USCIRF’s Crucial Work Will Continue
By Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab We live in a century haunted by religious persecution. The genocide perpetrated by Daesh against Yazidis, Christians and other religious minorities in Syria and Iraq; the genocide perpetrated against Rohingya Muslims and the persecution of other religious minorities in Myanmar; the targeting of the Uighur Muslims in China; bomb attacks on churches in Sri Lanka …
Campaign to Counter Violence and Rising Risk for Atrocity in Nigeria
September 27, 2022 21Wilberforce joined sixty-seven groups and experts from around the world in signing a letter to Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, calling for Nigeria to be reinstated as a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC)”. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated Nigeria as a CPC in 2020, but Secretary Blinken removed the designation in 2021 without explanation. …
21Wilberforce partners with The Burma Advocacy Group
April 25, 2022 In the Spring of 2022, 21Wilberforce played a leading role in mobilizing thousands of Burmese diaspora and other concerned citizens through its collaborative advocacy technology. The Burma Advocacy Group is comprised of leaders from associations, churches, and community groups who were acting with one voice to advocate for the passage of the Burma Bill in the U.S. …
Congress Moves to Reauthorize the US Commission on International Religious Freedom
March 23, 2022 21Wilberforce welcomes bipartisan legislation that was introduced yesterday bySenator James Lankford (R-OK), Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jim Risch (R-ID), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Chris Coons (D-DE) to reauthorize the independent US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) through 2024. “The United States has the responsibility to call out religious persecution around the world. The …
The Power of Story: Must-Read Books about Religious Persecution
December 13, 2021 Living Lyrics, Poems from Prison, Pastor John Cao. Living Lyrics is a collection of prison poems written by Pastor John Cao. Cao received a seven-year prison sentence in March 2018 for his Christian faith. Cao, a legal resident of North Carolina, made many trips to his native China for humanitarian work before his detention in March 2017. …
USCIRF Releases New Report about Protecting Religious Freedom Online
December 6, 2021 The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a factsheet on December 3rd on safeguarding the freedom of religion or belief on social media platforms. Protecting Religious Freedom Online Factsheet – This report outlines the international human rights standards relevant to the regulation of speech on social media platforms—focusing specifically on the impact to the …
The Burma Act of 2021 Introduced in the House of Representatives
November 15, 2021 House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), House Foreign Affairs Asia-Pacific Subcommittee Ranking Member Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) introduced the “Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2021” or BURMA Act. The legislation condemns the actions taken by the Burmese military during its February 1 coup d’état and its aftermath. By authorizing targeted sanctions against the Burmese military, …
Egyptian Coptic Christian Activist Ramy Kamel’s Detention Extended
July 9, 2021 According to recent information acquired by Coptic Solidarity, we understand that Ramy Kamel was rather optimistic about being released at his next hearing and that his ordeal would soon come to an end. Paradoxically, the prosecutor extended Mr. Kamel’s detention, yet again for 45 days. Coptic Solidarity and 21Wilberforce call for the immediate release of Mr. Kamel, …
Meet Speak Freedom Conference Featured Speakers
March 22, 2021 Join us April 12 and 13 for the Speak Freedom Conference where dynamic leaders from ministry, non-profit humanitarian and advocacy organizations, and business will share insight to explore how to lead courageously through some of the greatest challenges of our time. Join us! To learn more click here. Dr. Hormoz Shariat is the President and Founder of Iran Alive …
Support Freedom for the People of Myanmar
March 9, 2021 On February 1st of 2021, the military of Burma launched a coup to overthrow the country’s democratically elected government. People have taken to the streets across Burma, also known as Myanmar, to protest against the coup. Myanmar’s elected leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been detained along with members of her party, the National League for Democracy …
Chinese Government is Profiting From Their Brutal Repression of Religious Freedom
March 2, 2021 The Uyghur people of the Xinjiang region in China are facing a brutal government campaign to destroy their core religious and cultural identity. China has turned the Xinjiang region into a massive prison where Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities face intrusive technological surveillance, modern-day slavery, forced sterilizations and abortions, and imprisonment in concentration camps. The government also …
International Day of Prayer Resource Kit
October 22, 2020 CLICK HERE to download your IDOP resource kit. These resources are designed to help you effectively pray for the persecuted. Around the world, at least 260 million Christians face persecution for their faith. According to research, 2983 Christians were killed for their faith in 2019. On average, that is 8 Christians killed for their faith every day. …
2020 Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award
August 3, 2020 21Wilberforce to Honor Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback The 3rd annual Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award celebrates an outstanding leader who is working to advance freedom of religion or belief by standing up to oppression in the pursuit of freedom of religion, belief, or conscience. 21Wilberforce Founder and President, Randel Everett, announced that the …
Nepal’s Government Actively Targets Religious Minorities
August 3, 2020 21Wilberforce Submits Report to UN Government authorities and media outlets in Nepal are utilizing the global COVID-19 pandemic as a cover for the arbitrary arrests and denial of fundamental rights of religious minorities. Religious minority communities, including Christians, Muslims and Buddhists, in Nepal suffer increased discrimination, harassment and persecution. In October 2017, the Nepalese government passed legislation …
The Great Firewall of China
June 24, 2020 CITIZENS IN CHINA ARE DESPERATE TO ACCESS ACCURATE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET THAT IS NOT CENSORED BY CHINA’S COMMUNIST PARTY. China’s persecution of religious groups and the ensuing coverup both rely on its strict internet censorship, whether the targeted group is Falun Gong, Christians, Uyghurs, or Tibetans. They are locked in an internet prison. The Chinese government’s …
Elderly Chinese Believers Forced to Choose Between Faith or Survival
June 16, 2020 Even though China’s economy has been severely affected by the coronavirus, and many residents suffer financial difficulties, the CCP threatens to take away the last means of survival from elderly believers—government-issued subsidies. To keep them, they must stop believing in God. A Catholic from Fuzhou city in the southeastern province of Jiangxi has been receiving monthly 250 …
Alarming Global Religious Freedom Trends & Developments
June 3, 2020 The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently released the 2020 Annual Report focused on he U.S. government policymakers on the most severe violations of religious freedom globally. The report identifies countries that USCIRF finds meet the statutory criteria for the State Department to designate as “countries of particular concern” (CPCs) or include on its …
Stand with Coptic Christian Ramy Kamel
May 15, 2020 Ramy Kamel is a Coptic Christian the Egyptian government has tortured and imprisoned because he is a religious freedom leader. 21Wilberforce and Coptic Solidarity launched a multi-faith campaign on his behalf. We encouraged scholars, religious and secular leaders, human rights advocates and practitioners to respectfully urge you to speak out for Kamel. He has been the primary …
Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in China Suffering from Gross Human Rights Violations
February 6, 2020 The Senate passed the bipartisan Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019 (S.178) on September 11, 2019, by unanimous consent. The House passed the Uyghur Intervention and Global Humanitarian Urgent Response Act of 2019 (UIGHUR Act) (S.178) on December 3. These two bills contained slightly different provisions in some Sections. This bill mandates targeted sanctions on the …
Religious Persecution 75 Years after the Holocaust
February 6, 2020 21Wilberforce Founder and President, Dr. Randel Everett, challenged those attending and watching via livestream yesterday’s powerful program, “Religious Persecution 75 Years after the Holocaust” to listen to stories of oppression and to speak out against the atrocities of persecution. Our organization partnered with the United States Memorial Holocaust Museum on a joint event whose goal was to …
Rep. McGovern (D-MA) and Senator Rubio (R-FL) Earn Top Scores for 115th Congress IRF Scorecard
September 21, 2019 The Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016 provides a framework for advancing religious freedom as a U.S. foreign policy imperative. 21Wilberforce presents the 115th Congress International Religious Freedom Scorecard as a measure of progress made toward that end. The Scorecard helps increase Congressional awareness of international religious freedom issues, encourages legislators to take bold …
Frank Wolf Speak Freedom Award Presented to Archbishop Benjamin and Dr. Gloria Kwashi
September 21, 2019 On September 30th 21Wilberforce will present the second annual Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award to Archbishop Benjamin and Dr. Gloria Kwashi of Jos, Nigeria. Named for Congressman Frank Wolf who has worked tirelessly for decades to promote international religious freedom and later served on staff with 21Wilberforce, the award will be presented at a dinner held …
Future Ready: Global Human Rights Movement Centered on Religious Freedom
August 9, 2019 Eighty percent of people in the world live in a religiously restricted environment. Being future ready is about asking the right questions. Relative to international religious freedom, the United States is leading and partners are answering the call. Last month Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hosted the second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in Washington, D.C. (Ministerial …
A Voice for Iraq’s Persecuted
February 27, 2019 Iraqi Christians, Yazidis, and other religious minorities living in the path of ISIS have suffered incredible persecution and hardship. From the start, 21Wilberforce has come alongside these beleaguered communities to listen, support, and amplify the voices of the oppressed. In early 2015, shortly after ISIS troops overran the Sinjar region, 21Wilberforce traveled to Iraq where staff interviewed …
World Watch List of Global Persecution
January 17, 2019 The 2019 World Watch List has just been released. If you’re not familiar with it, the Open Doors’ World Watch List is a comprehensive report ranking the 50 most dangerous countries to be a Christian. Their researchers spend months tracking the data, pouring over reports, and numerous hours preparing this in-depth information. Watch their video and download …
Enduring Hope for Nigeria
January 8, 2019 The situation in Nigeria is complex. Religion is central to how Nigerians understand themselves. Thus, the protection of freedom of belief and religious rights — through the rule of law and inclusive governance — is critical to long-term stability in Nigeria. Nigeria is dealing with corruption, impunity and religious persecution. Two of the world’s top five deadliest …
21WILBERFORCE RELEASES PUBLICATION COMMEMORATING IRFA — One of the Most Significant U.S. Milestones in 1998
January 4, 2019 1998 was a momentous year. Osama bin Laden published fatwas declaring jihad against all Jews and crusaders, and Europeans agreed on a single currency. Also during that year, Google was founded; Apple Computer unveiled the iMac; Exxon and Mobil merged to create the world’s largest petroleum company; and the International Religious Freedom Act was enacted. This transformative …
21Wilberforce Announces Retirement of Former Congressman Frank Wolf
December 5, 2018 September 10, 2018: 21Wilberforce Announces Retirement of Former Congressman Frank Wolf Former Congressman Frank Wolf announced that he will retire from 21Wilberforce after serving as a Distinguished Senior Fellow for four years. Congressman Wolf plans to leave October 1st.
Such a Time as This…
The Jews were facing certain genocide under the reign of King Ahasuerus in Persia when his wife, Queen Esther who was herself a Jew, risked her life to save her people. She was challenged by her relative Mordecai, “And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this.”(Esther 4:14) December 12, 2018 Religious persecution is …
Defending China’s Uyghur Population
December 4, 2018 Not everyone is an advocate, but everyone can be involved in advocacy. When a group of international scholars came together to speak as one voice against China’s mass internment of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities, they turned to 21Wilberforce to help frame and deliver their message. Over the last two years, the Chinese government has engaged in …