Christmas is a good time to remember persecuted Christians and indeed all who suffer the denial of their religious freedom. Jesus was born into persecution under a king who sought his life for his being who He is. Christian Caryl of Foreign Policy writes of a black Christmas for Christians of the Middle East. Meanwhile, India’s aggressive Hindu nationalist group, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, is threatening to move ahead with forced the conversions of Christians and Muslims on Christmas. In China, the demolition of churches continues.
Here at the Center for Civil and Human Rights, we have spent the fall launching our three-year project on how Christians respond to persecution, Under Caesar’s Sword. We look forward to a major conference in Rome on the subject in December 2015. This Christmas provides no shortage of reminders of the relevance of the issue.