Research On Religion » religious persecution

David Smith on Episodic Religious Persecutions (Encore Presentation)

tonygill — Sun, 13 May 2018 08:00:57 +0000

Although the United States is often viewed as a beacon for religious freedom around the world, thanks in large part to the institutionalization of the First Amendment, the practice of religious toleration has often fallen well short of the ideals set for itself. Prof. David Smith, lecturer in the Department of Government & International Relations and a faculty member at the United States Studies Center at the University of Sydney (Australia), discusses his explanation for episodic religious persecution in the United States. Using the Latter Day Saints in the 19th century and Jehovah’s Witnesses in the early 20th century as comparative case studies, he argues that religious minorities that are seen as threats to the established political order will quickly find themselves victims of state-sanctioned persecution.

We begin the discussion with Prof. Smith’s personal journey to this topic. For an Australian studying American politics, a field dominated by quantitative studies of contemporary political behavior, the choice of such a historical topic seems a bit unique. Nonetheless, David points out how the eyes of a foreigner can often uncover interesting behavioral patterns that often go unnoticed by natives. This leads us to a discussion of how “mythic ideals” within a nation often do not match with historical practice, particularly given that human beings are quite fallible when it comes to reaching noble goals.

David then jumps into a detailed elaboration of the persecuted path of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (i.e., Mormons) in the 19th century, from their early days in New York and Ohio, through an “extermination order” in Missouri, to the mob execution of their leader Joseph Smith, and finally through their travails into Utah territory and the struggles to become a state. Along the way, David drops hints at his explanation to come, including how the presence of the Mormons in different areas affected the political calculus among existing elites. David places the debates over polygamy and political partisanship into a context of broader struggles for political power that were affecting the nation in the pre- and post-Civil War era. We learn some interesting things about how Harriet Beecher Stowe, famed feminist crusader, changed her position on whether or not Mormon women should be given the right to vote, and how Reed Smoot (half of the infamous Smoot-Hawley tariff act) was prevented from taking his seat in the US Senate because of ongoing concerns over polygamy.

We then jump into the early 20th century to discuss the rise of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a seemingly innocuous group of Christians who refused to salute the flag or have their children recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school. Such actions, combined with their visible proselytizing presence, provoked a number of local organizations such as the American Legion to consider them a serious threat to American nationalism. Combined with concern over the balance of political power at the local level and their stand against military service at a time war was on the horizon, a rash of physical harassment of Witnesses arose in the late 1930s and early 1940s, dissipating around 1941/42 when roughly half of the Witnesses young male missionaries were jailed. We further discuss the reasons why the Witnesses were targetted, but not groups such as the Mennonites and Amish, another religious group that resisted military service and spoke German!

Prof. Smith shows how both of these instances of religious persecution were theoretically linked by how each group — Mormons and Witnesses — were perceived as a political threat to the existing state power structure. We then discuss how his explanation played out in other historic instances of religious persecution (or lack thereof) including Catholics, Jews, and the Nation of Islam (a homegrown Muslim group). Interestingly, while the Nation of Islam was facing persecution (around the time of the Witnesses), political authorities were encouraging Muslim immigration from overseas. We also explore why Muslims over the past decade and a half (since September 11, 2001) have not seen the levels of persecution or harassment experienced by the Mormons and Witnesses. David closes with some thoughts on how future persecutions might be contained. Recorded: January 7, 2014.

Religious Persecution and Political Order in the United States, by David Smith.

United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.

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Donald Kraybill on The Amish (Encore Presentation)

tonygill — Sun, 16 Jul 2017 08:00:08 +0000

Most people might be able to identify an Amish person as someone who drives a horse and buggy, but how much do we really know about this ethno-religious group? Prof. Donald Kraybill, the Distinguished College Professor and Senior Fellow at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College, helps to fill out our understanding of this fascinating community. The conversation also includes various references to Mennonites, both the modern, mainstream version and the “horse and buggy” (or Old Order) Mennonite community. (Note: While the term “horse and buggy” Mennonite may sound like a stereotypical reference term, Dr. Kraybill explains his use of this term.)

After sharing his (not-so-positive) thoughts on the TV series The Amish Mafia, Prof. Kraybill covers the historical background of the Amish and Old Order Mennonites, discussing their European (Swiss and German) roots in the Anabaptist movement and how they became differentiated in 1693. We follow their progress of migration out of Europe and explore why there are few (if any) Amish and Old Order Mennonite settlements in Europe today. Religious persecution pushed many of these religious adherents to the Americas in the early 18th century, with Pennsylvania’s attractive environment of religious freedom being a large attractor. Even though we often associate central Pennsylvania with the Amish today, Don notes that there are Amish and “horse and buggy” Mennonite communities existing in 31 US states today. Tony discovers that these groups are more widespread and numerous than he thought, with about 40 different Amish “tribes” in existence across the country.

Our focus then turns to the cultural and theological practices of the Amish specifically. We review the reasons for men’s bears, the long hair and covering of women, distinctive clothing, the aversion to electricity and automobiles, and language. Don explains how the stereotypical image of “no electricity usage” is misplaced. While the Amish refuse to be connected to “the power grid” as they view it as a means of pulling the community apart (likewise with autos), they are known to use diesel engines, batteries, and even solar panels to power machine tools, coffee makers, and even photocopiers! Prof. Kraybill also explains those popular images of horse teams pulling John Deere farming equipment, a question referred to us by Doug Johnston. Our discussion here also covers Gene Sjoberg’s question on closed-community marriage and the myth of “rumspringa.”

Prof. Kraybill also answers a number of questions submitted by listeners such as Dave Dixon and Bud Kellstedt pertaining to Amish and Mennonite theology. He explains why most Amish and Mennonites should not be labeled as “evangelical” (as is sometimes done in social science research) and the theological authority structure of these communities. The Amish and Old Order Mennonites do not have a structured system of theological education, although more modern Mennonites do maintain a seminary and professional clergy. We also dip a bit into views of soteriology and other theological beliefs.

We finish the interview with a discussion of how the Amish relate to the non-Amish communities around them. We answer Adam Gurri’s question on how the Amish have diversified their economies over the past several decades, with a lower percentage of Amish engaged in farming relative to other enterprises. Nonetheless, Don points out that the recent trend of consumers favoring “locally grown” produce has also provided a boon to these Old Order Anabaptists. We also review the 2006 Nickel Mines School shooting and how the Amish reacted with forgiveness, rather than vengeance. This allows Tony to ask Don a closing question about what he has learned from his study of the Amish throughout his career. Rocky Barkington, the official Golden Retriever mascot of Research on Religion, makes several guest appearances on this episode. Recorded: May 2, 2014.

Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies.

The Amish, by Donald Kraybill, Karen Johnson-Weiner, and Steven Nolt.

Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy, by Donald Kraybill, Steven Nolt, and David Weaver-Zercher.

The Amish Way: Patient Faith in a Perilous World, by Donald Kraybill, Steven Nolt, and David Weaver-Zercher.

Horse-and-Buggy Mennonites: Hoofbeats of Humility in a Postmodern World, by Donald Kraybill and James Hurd.

Concise Encyclopedia of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Brethren, by Donald Kraybill.

See a full list of Prof. Kraybill’s books and other writings at his biographical link above.

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David Smith on Episodic Religious Persecutions.

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Robert P. George on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom

tonygill — Sun, 27 Jul 2014 08:00:42 +0000

Listen to the very end of this fascinating discussion for a special treat. Prof. George, a superb banjo picker, performs “Wedding Dress” with his band Blue Heart. And don’t forget to link connect with us on our Facebook Fan Page and/or on Twitter.

Dr. Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence in the Department 0f Politics at Princeton University, discusses his thoughts on international religious liberty. As the former chair (and current vice-chair) of the US Commission on International Freedom (USCIRF) and a political philosopher, he is uniquely situated to reflect upon religious liberty as a concern for foreign policy and how it relates to the grand tradition of natural law.

We begin the interview with some personal reflections on how a first generation college student from Morgantown, West Virginia is able to earn several advanced degrees from Harvard and Oxford, and why Prof. George pursued political theory as a career path. Robby explains how his parent’s concern over abortion set him upon a political path where he worked with the Democratic Party in the mid-1970s, eventually choosing a political trajectory in the 1980s. He also explains how a political philosopher found his way into public service beginning in the early 1990s.

Our attention then turns to the workings of the USCIRF. Dr. George details the historical origins of the commission, dating back to the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act that did three things: 1) create an office in the US State Department to monitor and report upon violations of religious liberty around the world; 2) create an “ambassador at large”; and 3) appoint an independent and bipartisan commission (USCIRF) to monitor issues abroad and make recommendations to guide foreign policy. It is here that Robby notes that a handful of nations — including Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea — are given the status of “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) and explains what that designation means. We also discuss how commissioners are appointed, whether there is political pressure to look askance at certain nations with strategic importance, and how easy it is to work with the State Department bureaucracy.

[NOTE: Due to audio distortion, we re-recorded a short segment of the interview roughly between the 21 and 24:30 minute mark. A small 30 second segment with audio distortion still exists at the 25 minute mark.]

Prof. George lists a number of the most common threats to religious freedom around the globe, including extremist Islam, apostasy & blasphemy laws, anti-Semitism, and aggressive secularist regimes. He notes that there are problems not only with laws that restrict rights of belief and practice, but also the neglect to enforce laws on the books when religious persecution does occur by independent thugs and mobs. Another problem that has been on the rise includes the presence of non-state actors that are violating religious freedom, as well as non-functioning states. Robby points out that roughly 75% of the world’s population lives under regimes that violate religious rights in a significant manner, and that the most persecuted group is Christians. Nonetheless, he explains that since religious liberty is a universal human right the commission also works to defend the rights of non-Christian groups.

We then explore the nexus between Prof. George’s academic interests — namely his study of natural law — and his policy role. To what extent are these two professional worlds distinct, or does his academic views have implications for his work with USCIRF. Robby explains that natural law is a universal form of ethical knowledge and principles of conduct that can be grasped via human reason (apart from revelation) and is common across all human civilizations. Dr. George emphasizes how important natural law is when discussing issues such as human rights across faith traditions as it provides us with a common language. It is all the more important with new ethical challenges begin to face humankind — e.g., cloning. Tony presses Robby as to whether the use of natural law can be viewed by other cultures as an imposition of a Western philosophy and he responds that there is not a rationally defensible foundation for cultural relativism.

Tony adds another critique into the mix by asking whether violations of religious liberty in the United States have any impact on how USCIRF performs its mission. Robby responds that while the USCIRF is not officially tasked with examining religious freedom in the US, he personally — apart from his work on the commission — is concerned about a number of issues here at home. Dr. George says that the best way to promote religious liberty abroad is to honor, respect, and protect it at home and set a good example for the rest of the world. He makes the interesting observation that violations of religious freedom often come about when people view religion merely as “a hobby,” and not something as central to a human’s existence. Robby finishes with his thoughts on whether the USCIRF has been making a difference around the world with respect to rights of conscience. Prof. George notes how the freeing of Jewish dissidents in the Soviet Union was prompted by US foreign policy. He remains cautiously optimistic yet realistic.

And last, but not least, to provide a lighter note on what is otherwise a rather heavy topic, we ask Robby if he could showcase one of his other talents, which is his skill on the banjo. He gratefully agrees, and with the help of his band, Blue Heart, he regales us with the English folk tune “Wedding Dress.” This is a delightful treat from a true renaissance scholar. Recorded: July 16, 2014.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Robert George’s bio at Princeton University and at CIRF.

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.

USCIRF Annual Report on Religious Liberty around the Globe (2014).

Making Men Moral: Civil Liberties and Public Morality, by Robert P. George.

In Defense of Natural Law, by Robert P. George.

Natural Law and Public Reason, by Robert P. George and Christopher Wolfe.

The Clash of Orthodoxies: Law, Religion, and Morality in Crisis, by Robert P. George.

Natural Law, Liberalism, and Morality, edited by Robert P. George.

The Meaning of Marriage: Family, State, Market, and Morals, edited by Robert P. George and Jean Bethke Elshtain.

Embryo: A Defense of Human Life, by Robert P. George and Christopher Tollefsen.

What Is Marriage?: Man and Woman, A Defense, by Sherif Girgis, Ryan T. Anderson, and Robert P. George.

The Abolition of Man, by C.S. Lewis (mentioned in podcast).

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Religious Liberty & Political Flourishing: A Panel Discussion.

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Donald Kraybill on The Amish and Old Order Mennonites

tonygill — Sun, 18 May 2014 08:00:29 +0000

Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies.

The Amish, by Donald Kraybill, Karen Johnson-Weiner, and Steven Nolt.

Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy, by Donald Kraybill, Steven Nolt, and David Weaver-Zercher.

The Amish Way: Patient Faith in a Perilous World, by Donald Kraybill, Steven Nolt, and David Weaver-Zercher.

Horse-and-Buggy Mennonites: Hoofbeats of Humility in a Postmodern World, by Donald Kraybill and James Hurd.

Concise Encyclopedia of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Brethren, by Donald Kraybill.

See a full list of Prof. Kraybill’s books and other writings at his biographical link above.

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David Smith on Episodic Religious Persecutions.

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Mike McBride on Religious Free-Riding and the Mormons.

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David Smith on Episodic Religious Persecutions

tonygill — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 09:00:38 +0000

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United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.

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Michael McBride on Religious Free-Riding and Mormons.

Carmel Chiswick on the Economics of American Judaism.

Mark Koyama on the Economics of Jewish Expulsions

tonygill — Sun, 21 Jul 2013 08:00:04 +0000

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In July of 1290, King Edward I issued an edict giving all Jews in England three months to leave the nation. While scholars previously have viewed this incident as another indication of Christian anti-semitism, those explanations cannot adequately explain why Jews were encouraged to settle in England and, at times, prohibitted from leaving the territory. Prof. Mark Koyama, an assistant professor of economics at George Mason University and senior scholar at the Mercatus Center, provides an alternative theory based upon the value of Jewish moneylenders to the feudal economy and how changes in the structure of the economy and royal tax collection led Jews to become a less valuable component of the economy over the 13th century.

We begin our discussion outlining the political economy of feudalism and the challenge that a king faces in collecting revenue in an environment where money is not very common. Mark then discusses how the feudal economy began changing in the 12th and 13th century as the wool trade began to grown in importance and how the economy became more monetarized. With the advent of a commercial and monetary economy, lending became a more valuable institution as a means of helping smooth out variations in an individual’s income over time. Mark details the importance of interest on loans in an economy and the different types of borrowing that occured in medieval England, which brings us to the point of discussing the comparative advantage Jews had in financial and commercial transactions.

Given the higher levels of literarcy and numeracy enjoyed by Jews in Europe (compared to Christians), and given the restrictions on lending placed on Christians via the Church’s usury laws, Jews occupied an important niche in the medieval economy in that they could provide the bookkeeping skills necessary to facilitate lending and other commercial transactions. With an expanding economy in the 11th and 12th century, the benefits of Jewish skills became obvious to the English crown and in 1190, Richard I (the Lionheart) established the Exchequer of the Jewry, giving Jews quasi-monopoly power over lending as a means of better keeping track of lending and being able to tax it more effectively. Prof. Koyama discusses the fascinating manner in which this institution operated, with records kept in a large chest with four locks, wherein the keys were held by two separate Christians and two separate Jews. This provided a safe storage place for lending records, whereupon the king could amble into a town, count up the financial transactions, and levy a tax (tallage) on those transactions.

While the Exchequer of the Jewry provided a very reliable source of income for the crown, the arbitrary nature of the tallage and changes in the medieval economy meant that the relative benefits of the Jewish moneylending institution decreased over the following century. The minor nobility became irritated with the random nature of tallage rates, which often led to defaults and their land being purchased on the cheap by the royal court. Their dissatisfaction with these events were directed at the Jews who demanded an end to the Exchequer of the Jewry. As the king found ways to impose excise taxes on the wool trade later in the 13th century, the value of the Exchequer dropped below the political costs that the system imposed. By 1275, lending via the Exchequer was ceased. However, as King Edward I still thirsted for revenue, he toyed with the idea of reinstating the Exchequer, which proved to be unpopular with the nobles in parliament. To placate the restlest barons and knights, and in response to various “baron revolts,” the Ed decided the only credible commitment he could provide to the nobility that he wouldn’t backtrack on promises was to completely remove the Jews from his island nation.

We learn that the Jews who were kicked out of England fled to France, whereupon they were shortly expelled from that territory as well. This provides us with the opportunity to discuss the more general political economic reasons why Jews were kicked out of so many locations in Europe at various points in time during the 14th through 17th centuries. Mark covers another study he conducted linking economic shocks to an increased probability Jews would be forced to leave a given locale. We finish by discussing the relevance of these historical events for the status of religious minorities in our contemporary world. Recorded: July 17, 2013.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Mark Koyama’s bio at George Mason University and his personal website.

“The Political Economy of Expulsion: The Regulation of Jewish Moneylending in Medieval England,” by Mark Koyama.

“From Persecuting to the Protective State? Jewish Expulsions and Weather Shocks from 1100 – 1800.” by Warren Anderson, Noel Johnson, and Mark Koyama. Full paper can be found here.

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Kevin Cooney on Christianity in Japan

tonygill — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 08:00:31 +0000

Welcome RealClearReligion visitors. Please help us get to 300 “likes” on our Facebook Fan Page and get weekly updates and cool promo photos of upcoming issues.

Japan is not known for being an overly religious country. Indeed, compared to its neighbors in Korea and even the People’s Republic of China, the Japanese look downright secular. Prof. Kevin Cooney of Northwest University joins us to talk about the interesting religious landscape in Japan. Having lived there for five years as a Christian, Kevin offers some unique insights on Shintoism, Buddhism, and Christianity. We start with a general survey of what Japan would look like spiritually to a person who just stepped off an airplane in Tokyo today. This leads to a bit of a discussion on Shintoism and Buddhism. However, Tony asks Kevin what it was like to live as a practicing Christian in Japan where only 1% of the population identifies as such. This sets off a discussion about the “secret history” of Christianity that dates back to the “Church of the East” (sometimes referred to as the Nestorian Church). This history pre-dates the arrival of the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier who arrived on the shores of Japan in the early 1549. We then map out what happens to Christianity in the subsequent centuries, particularly when Christians are forced underground in the midst of religious persecution. Kevin tells interesting stories of how underground mining museums still present representations of Christians being married by priests, and we also cover how these Christians were forgotten by the Vatican yet remained rather orthodox (small “o”) in their theological outlook. Our journey continues through the Meiji and Toisho eras and through World War II where, ironically, the largest concentration of Christians in Japan was destroyed in the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. What happens after this event, particularly the disillusionment following Emperor Hirohito’s surrender and announcement that he was not of divine character, sets up our conversation to again examine the contemporary religious landscape of Japan. Kevin shares his thoughts on why Christianity has taken firmer hold in South Korea and China as compared to Japan. We leave off with an intersting discussion of fertility rates, how this relates to religion, and the future of the Japanese nation. Recorded: September 29, 2012 in Match Coffee & Wine Bar (Duvall, WA).

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Kevin Cooney’s website at Northwest University.

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Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part 1

tonygill — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:54 +0000

In 2012, Christians represented roughly 2.8 billion people (or 40%) of the world’s 7 billion inhabitants. How did a small group of individuals representing what could be considered a Jewish sect on the outskirts of the Roman Empire succeed in become the world’s largest faith tradition. Prof. Rodney Stark, co-director of Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion, discusses his new book The Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World’s Largest Religion. While that books spans over 2000 years of world history, our focus is on the century leading up to “Christmas Eve” (Christ’s birth) and the three hundred years that followed. Prof. Stark details the religious landscape of the Roman Empire at that time, starting with the sectarian nature of Judaism and then discussing what paganism was all about and how there was a tendency towards monotheism and what implications that had for Christianity. We then discuss several other sociological factors that played a role in the expansion of Christianity, including the role of mercy (and health care), the paradoxical effects of persecution, the surprising socio-economic status of early converts, and the important role that women played in the early Church. Rod also discusses some recent understandings of who Jesus was and why this mattered. We finish with the conversion of Constantine and Rod hints at what consequences this had for the medieval Christian Church, which will be a topic of future conversation. Recorded: January 6, 2012.

The Rise of Christianity, by Rodney Stark.

God’s Battalions: The Case for the Crusades, by Rodney Stark.

The Victory of Reason: How Cristianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success, by Rodney Stark.

For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery, by Rodney Stark.

Discovering God: The Origin of the Great Religions and the Evolution of Belief, by Rodney Stark.

Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion.

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Allen Hertzke on Religious Liberty

tonygill — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:00:37 +0000

One of the recurring themes of the Research on Religion podcast series is religious liberty — including the causes for, consequences of, and threats to such freedom. Prof. Allen Hertzke — Presidential Professor of Political Science at the University of Oklahoma — joins us to give his overview of this topic based on his research conducted both in the United States and globally. Prof. Hertzke recounts how his interest in religion and politics developed, and how he became increasingly involved in studying religious freedom on a global scale. We talk about what impact academic scholarship might have on promoting religious freedom as well as offer some speculations as to why intellectual and policy elites have often been dismissive, or outright hostile, to this basic civil liberty. We then dissect the importance of religious freedom examining it on the theoretical dimensions of equal worth, dignity, reason and community. We then move on to some of the more empirical examples of how religious freedom has promoted positive developments in the world, and how and why we’ve seen some backtracking on its spread over the past decade. Recorded: November 3, 2011.

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Prof. Allen Hertzke’s bio at the University of Oklahoma.

Freeing God’s Children: The Unlikely Alliance for Global Human Rights, by Allen Hertzke.

Representing God in Washington: The Role of Religious Lobbies in the American Polity, by Allen Hertzke.

Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

John Templeton Foundation.

Institute for Global Engagement.

Echoes of Discontent: Jesse Jackson, Pat Robertson and the REsurgence of Populism, by Allen Hertzke.

“Septics, Sewers, and Secularization: How Government Flushes Religious Liberty Down the Drain,” a guiding paper by Anthony Gill mentioned on the podcast.

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Lan Chu on Catholicism in Vietnam.

Thomas Farr on Religion, Religious Liberty, and US Diplomacy.

Daniel Philpott on Religious Resurgence & Democratization.

Monica Toft on Religion, Terrorism, and Civil War.

Mark David Hall on Roger Sherman, Puritan Patriot.

John Fea on Religion & the American Founding.

Erik Stanley on Clergy and Free Speech.

Pastor Joe Fuiten on Clergy and Politics.

Thomas Farr on Religion, Religious Liberty & US Diplomacy

tonygill — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 08:00:27 +0000

To what extent should religion and the promotion of religious liberty abroad be part of the United States’ foreign policy? Prof. Thomas Farr — visiting associate professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and senior fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs — brings 21 years of experience in foreign policymaking circles to bear on these questions. (Thomas Farr is also the director of the Task Force on Religious Freedom at the Witherspoon Institute’s Center on Religion and the Constitution.) Prof. Farr details his personal experiences working within the foreign policy bureaucracy, including a four-year stint as the director of the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom. Our discussion notes how diplomacy is often made from a “realist” perspective of the world and why US diplomats have often neglected the important role of religion, often intentionally turning a blind eye to this important aspect of life despite evidence that religion is increasingly important throughout the world (including the US). We then talk about how the promotion of religious freedom can actually promote stable governance and why promoting religious liberty is in the national security interests of America (as well as other states). Egypt, Afghanistan and a few other nations are used to illustrate the importance of religious freedom abroad. Tony plays the skeptic and wonders whether or not our diplomatic corps is capable of bringing about significant changes in other nations, but Tom lays out a convincing argument that things can, and are, changing for the better but it will take more public dialogue to change the way our top political leaders and career diplomats think about these issues. We close by noting some recent changes being proposed to the International Religious Freedom Act by Congressmen Frank Wolf. Recorded: May 25, 2011.

Prof. Farr’s website at Georgetown University and at The Witherspoon Institute.

Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, & World Affairs.

Witherspoon Institute — Center on Religion & the Constitution.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the US Congress (May 24, 2011) referenced in the podcast. Part I and Part II.

US State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom (includes most recent IRF Reports).

Congressman Frank Wolf’s proposed amendments to the International Religious Freedom Act.

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Roger Finke on Religious Persecution.

Karrie Koesel on Religion & Politics in China.

Karrie Koesel on House Churches in China.