The Global War on Christians, by John L. Allen, Jr.

American Christians like to talk about the culture wars and the persecutions they suffer.  Every year, especially around Christmas time, we hear about the horrible abuses Christians face, like having a creche removed from a courthouse lawn display, a child forbidden from passing out "Jesus Loves You" pencils at school, or a city council member who is asked not to say "Jesus" in his council meeting invocation.  These are certainly worthy of discussion in our pluralistic society, but John Allen brings light to what can more truly be described as persecution.

In The Global War on Christians: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Anti-Christian Persecution, Allen tells story after story from around the world of Christians killed for their faith, of churches firebombed, of pastors assassinated, of Christian aid workers killed, and on and on.  So the city is prohibiting your church from building that much-needed parking garage because of zoning issues?  At least your church isn't being attacked by gunmen when you meet.  At least you have a church to meet in!

Allen, a correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, tends toward coverage of persecution of Catholics, but he certainly includes protestants as well.  In fact, he makes a great point: persecution brings Christians together.  The "ecumenism of the martyrs" causes Christians of all stripes to share common cause; when a church is attacked or a clergyman killed, Christians are inclined to share in their concern no matter what theological differences they might have.

Reading The Global War on Christians is rather overwhelming.  Allen gives page after page of examples of persecution, with names, dates, and places identified, and most within the last 10-15 years. A few of these make the mainstream news, but for the most part, unless they are attached to a larger conflict, they go unnoticed by the rest of the world.  Persecution is a real, persistent problem, and Allen is right to draw our attention to it.  As the back cover of the book says, "It's time to wake up."

One quibble I had with Allen was his attribution of persecuted status to Christians who were killed for apparently non-religious reasons.  When a person of faith opposed a political regime, confronts hostile business interests, or in simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, that didn't seem to me to fit the model of religious persecution.  But Allen points out that persecution is a two-way street; the motives of the persecuted and of the persecutors should be considered.  Perhaps the government couldn't care less what the religious faith of an anti-government activist is, but the activist may be driven by his or her faith to oppose government policies.

I am grateful to be able to practice my faith without government or other opposition.  Allen reminds me and other complacent, comfortable Western Christians to pray for and support our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.

Thanks to Waterbrook/Mutlnomah for the complimentary review copy!