Republicans condemn Christian persecution in Muslim nations

By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor Saturday, July 19, 2025Three Congolese ride a motorbike and carry a cross for a grave along the road linking Mangina to Beni on August 23, 2018, in Mangina, in the North Kivu province. | JOHN WESSELS/AFP via Getty ImagesRepublican lawmakers in the House and Senate have introduced a joint resolution condemning the persecution of Christians in countries where Muslims form the majority. The resolution urges the U.S. government to make religious freedom a central focus of its foreign policy and diplomatic efforts.Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., and Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced the measure Thursday, listing a range of abuses Christians face in countries including Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Syria, Türkiye, Iran and Pakistan.The resolution lists targeted killings, church closures, arrests, forced conversions and denial of worship rights, and calls on the President to use diplomatic tools such as trade and security negotiations to press for change, as reported by ADF International.Get Our Latest News for FREESubscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.The resolution refers to the 2025 World Watch List by Open Doors, which estimates that over 380 million Christians globally face high levels of persecution and discrimination, a large number of them in Muslim-majority nations.In Nigeria alone, the resolution states that more Christians are killed annually than in all other countries combined. A recent attack in Benue State claimed more than 200 lives.The resolution follows Congressman Moore’s House floor speech in April that focused on Christian persecution worldwide.“Around the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ face rampant persecution for simply acknowledging the name of Jesus. That is unacceptable,” Moore said in a statement, according to WTRF. “In Nigeria alone, more than 50,000 Christians have been martyred and more than 5 million have been displaced simply for professing their faith. During a divine liturgy in Damascus last month, an Islamic jihadist opened fire on worshipers and detonated an explosive device — killing at least 30 and wounding dozens more. These examples illustrate the violence and death Christians face on a daily basis.”Sen. Hawley, in remarks delivered on the Senate floor, said, “We cannot sit on the sidelines as Christians around the world are being persecuted for declaring Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.” In his speech, Hawley also urged President Donald Trump to pardon what he called “pro-life prisoners” who he said were unfairly prosecuted during the Biden administration. Trump pardoned the 23 pro-life activists days after his inauguration. The resolution encourages the Trump administration to raise the issue of persecution of Christians and religious minorities during peacekeeping efforts and diplomatic talks in the Middle East.Specific examples cited in the resolution include widespread church closures and the arrest of pastors in Algeria, and the reported kidnapping and forced conversion of Christian girls in Egypt. In Nigeria, more than 5 million have been displaced due to extremist violence, including from Boko Haram and Fulani militants. A recent massacre in Benue State involved militants shouting “Allahu Akbar” as they attacked displaced Christians, killing around 200.Another incident mentioned occurred last month in Damascus, Syria, where a jihadist reportedly opened fire during a divine liturgy and detonated explosives, killing at least 30 and injuring many more.Moore also pointed to the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a Nigerian gospel musician sentenced under blasphemy laws, and Rhoda Jatau, a woman arrested for sharing a video critical of the lynching of a Christian student.ADF International welcomed the resolution, with Kelsey Zorzi, the director of Global Religious Freedom, stating, “We applaud the resolution for recognizing this grave reality and urging U.S. action.”Sean Nelson, legal counsel at ADF International, said it was significant that the resolution “clearly identifies what so many won’t: that Christians are often singled out because of what they believe and who they are.”Moore said past U.S. foreign policy had contributed to deteriorating conditions for Christians, citing the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the subsequent failure to stabilize the country. He described it as a “foreign policy blunder” that led to ethnic cleansing and a decline in the Christian population. “We as lawmakers cannot continue to sit idly by,” he told Daily Wire.The resolution has been co-sponsored by Representatives W. Gregory Steube, Michael Guest, Glenn Grothman, Addison McDowell, Brandon Gill, Anna Paulina Luna and Pat Harrigan. It is supported by several religious liberty and advocacy organizations, including In Defense of Christians, Global Christian Relief, CatholicVote, Christians Engaged, Advancing American Freedom, and Save the Persecuted Christians.