Commission to study faith persecution

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – Canadian Christians cannot remain silent while the religious liberties of Christians and other people of faith are increasingly under attack throughout the world.

Consequently, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) May 8 announced that it will establish a Religious Liberty Commission to raise awareness in Canada of the persecuted church.

The announcement was made by EFC president-elect Gary Walsh to correspond with the opening of the World Evangelical Fellowship’s (WEF) General Assembly in Abbotsford. More than 800 international evangelical leaders gathered for the assembly, held every six years and hosted by one of the WEF’s 110 national associations. This is the first time Canada has been host.

“The right to practice one’s faith is a vital human right,” said Walsh. “Evangelicals must never accept deafening silence from politicians and the media while Christians are sold into slavery in Sudan, pastors are killed and imprisoned in Iran and China or when Coptic Christians are attacked and relegated to second-class citizens in Egypt.

As evangelical leaders from around the world gather in Abbotsford, it is crucial that we follow God’s call to speak for people who are persecuted because of their faith.”

Walsh said the EFC Religious Liberties Commission will attempt to raise Canadians’ awareness regarding the increasing persecution faced by Christians because of their faith. He called on Canada’s political leaders and the media to speak up against the persecution because freedom of religion is a basic human right.

Many of the attack against Christian beliefs are not limited to politics. In North America, many Christian leaders have spoken out against the anti-faith tone of much popular media and entertainment programming. Some say faith has become the number one target of media decision-makers.