USCIRF
Congress must reauthorize religious freedom agency for prisoners of faith
By Andrew Brunson — December 17, 2019
(RNS) — Little more than a year ago, I stood in a Turkish courtroom facing 35 years in prison. I was saved in part by a little-known U.S. commission that is facing extinction if Congress fails to act.
Reforming USCIRF to death
By Kristina Arriaga — December 12, 2019
(RNS) — Turning the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom into a federal bureaucracy will curtail its proven ability to act boldly and independently.
Let the US Commission on International Religious Freedom expire
By Mark Silk — December 4, 2019
(RNS) — A federal commission originally devised to show up the Clinton administration now only serves to furnish Trump court evangelicals with a bully pulpit.
Tony Perkins is the wrong pick to lead religious freedom efforts
By Jack Moline — June 26, 2019
(RNS) — While taking up USCIRF's chair position, Perkins remains president of the Family Research Council, sending emails emphasizing how his group's ‘influence is being felt in Washington, D.C. and across our nation.’
Why Christians must support religious freedom for everyone
By Tony Perkins — June 19, 2019
(RNS) — The promotion of the fundamental human right of religious freedom is the product of a fully formed Christian worldview.
USCIRF report: China, two dozen other countries top religious freedom offenders list
By Adelle M. Banks — April 29, 2019
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom concluded in its Monday report that 'innumerable believers and nonbelievers across the globe continued in 2018 to experience manifold suffering due to their beliefs.'
Christian workers in Somalia worship in secret, fear al-Shabab
By Tonny Onyulo — January 7, 2019
MOGADISHU, Somalia (RNS) — Hundreds of Christians in Somalia, mostly foreigners from nearby countries, worship in secret out of fear of Muslim extremists.
US-bound Ahmadi leader models a different kind of Islamic caliphate
By Aysha Khan — October 3, 2018
(RNS) — Now 15 years into his caliphate, Mirza Masroor Ahmad is heading to the U.S. to meet his growing community and share his message of world peace through prayers.
Stop the ‘weaponization’ of religion in Pakistani politics
By Johnnie Moore — July 24, 2018
(RNS) For Pakistan’s Christians and minority Ahmadi Muslims, the run-up to Wednesday’s (July 25) elections has been terrifying. Now, without sustained pressure on the vote's winners, the country's religious minorities will soon face an existential threat.
Global religious freedom commission cites 28 key nations for ‘ongoing downward trend’
By Adelle M. Banks — April 25, 2018
(RNS) — Commissioners traveled to a dozen countries to assess religious freedom conditions, prioritizing religious prisoners of conscience, blasphemy laws and the connections between women’s equality and freedom of belief.
The Vietnam War revisited
By Thomas Reese — April 11, 2018
(RNS) — Looking back, I feel guilty for being so stupid and burying myself in books rather than being part of the historic events of my time.
A Presbyterian pastor languishes in a Turkish prison
By Sandra Jolley — January 11, 2018
(RNS) — It is reprehensible that Turkey chose to arrest an American Christian cleric who for more than two decades was fulfilling his religious duties by serving his congregants and others in need.
Pope Francis, diplomatic prophet in Myanmar
By Thomas Reese — November 30, 2017
(RNS) — Pope Francis was faced with a terrible dilemma: Be prophetic and put at risk Christians in Myanmar, or be silent and compromise his moral authority. He chose neither.
Pope Francis shouldn’t risk going to Myanmar
By Thomas Reese — November 20, 2017
(RNS) — Next week Pope Francis will visit Myanmar, where he risks either compromising his moral authority or putting in danger the Christians of that country. I have great admiration for the pope and his abilities, but someone should have talked him out of making this visit.
Despite law, State Department misses deadline to name religious freedom violators
By Emily McFarlan Miller — November 17, 2017
(RNS) 'Failing to designate CPCs tells the violators of religious freedom around the world that the United States is looking away,' U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chairman Daniel Mark said.