Understanding the Root Causes of Modern Christian Persecution

According to a July 2023 report published by Aid to the Church in Need, a non-profit organization dedicated to pontifical causes around the world, Christian faithful currently face persecution in 13 African nations. The situation is particularly dire in regions of Nigeria, Eritrea, Somalia, and Mali, where Christian communities are systematically oppressed and mistreated. This is just one example of religious persecution in the 21st century, and it is a painful reminder of how history repeats itself.

Christian Persecution Through the Ages

Before we get around to discussing the root cause of Christian persecution in modern times, it helps to consider its historical precedent. The persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire dates back to the First Century when Emperor Nero rounded up Christians whom he blamed for the catastrophic Great Fire of Rome in 64 CE. It should be noted that Emperor Nero lived through the entirety of the Gospel, so he was older than Christianity as such when he ordered what is believed to have been the first persecution of Christians.

Persecution is not the same as community discrimination or harassment; it is a systematic issue perpetrated by organizations that enjoy political or socioeconomic power.

Other major periods of Christian persecution include the Ottoman Conquest and the Russian Revolution. Modern examples of this religious oppression can be found in the People’s Republic of China, India, North Korea, Myanmar, the aforementioned African nations, and other parts of our world.

Intolerance: The Root Cause of All Religious Persecution

Even though religious persecution is not monolithic, we don’t have to dig too deep to find intolerance at the heart of this bigoted activity. Intolerance is the refusal to accept or respect the beliefs or opinions of others. In its extreme forms, it can lead to discrimination, harassment, and even violence.

We can point to the various causal factors that explain Christian persecution as a phenomenon, but intolerance will always be the poisoned root. Whatever the reason, intolerance can have a devastating impact on those who are targeted. Religious persecution can lead to physical and psychological harm, as well as social isolation and economic hardship. In some cases, it can even lead to death.

It is extremely rare to find anyone who openly admits to being intolerant; however, we know that intolerance continues to be a major force behind prejudice and hatred. Even when we break down the social, political, and economic circumstances that drive religious persecution, we will always find efforts to disguise and attempts to unreasonably justify intolerance.

Something to keep in mind when discussing intolerance is that we seem to be moving away from the valuable teachings of philosophers such as Baruch Spinoza, Voltaire, and John Locke. During the Age of Reason, these highly influential thinkers argued that tolerance was vital to the development of free and prosperous societies. The Constitutional guarantees related to freedom of religion that Americans enjoy were inspired by Locke’s strong conviction about tolerance.

Factors Compounding Christian Persecution

The persecution of individuals who practice Christianity is driven by the same four factors that can be observed in the persecution of all other religions:

• Religious differences
• Social and political conflict
• Socioeconomic ranking
• Cultural differences

Since we have already established that intolerance is the root cause of Christian persecution, we can safely compare the factors listed above to the twisted roots of an evil tree. When religious differences become entangled with social and political conflict, they often devolve into religious extremism, which is purely based on intolerance. Political instability can create a climate of fear and uncertainty, which can make it easier for some groups to blame societal issues on Christians and practitioners of other faiths.

In the case of totalitarian regimes such as the one Eritrea established in the 1990s, government policies that discriminate against Christians are brutally enforced. What makes Eritrea a confusing example of Christian persecution is that the Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran Church of that country are official state religions, but Christians of other denominations are persecuted, detained, prosecuted, and imprisoned.

With all the above in mind, let’s not forget that we can all make a difference in the fight against Christian persecution. By working together, we can create a world where everyone is free to practice their religion without fear of persecution, and this starts with appreciating the beautiful logic of tolerance.