It’s time to talk about Christian persecution

More evidence showing the reality of Christian persecution across the world allows for “meaningful dialogue” to take place, the head of Aid to the Church in Need, Ireland, has said.

The comments come after UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that Christians are “the most persecuted group in modern times”.

A new report examining Christian persecution carried out by by Rev Philip Mounstephen, recommends more measures be implemented to eradicate discrimination and crimes against Christians globally, as it becomes “more widespread”.

An estimated one-third of the world’s population suffers from religious persecution in some form, with 80% of them being Christians, the report claimed.

Commenting on this current crisis, the charity’s Irish Director Dr Michael Kinsella said that Irish people are resentfully “surprised” when they learn that Christians are the most targeted religious group.

“I’ve talked to a great many people in a great many professions and industries and the constant and common refrain from them all is a resentful surprise that Christians constitute the vast bulk – we’re talking 75-85% in any given year of all of persecution,” he said.

This perspective, he suggested, is influenced by the constant negative portrayal of the Church by Irish media.

With more and more evidence showing the reality of persecution across the world, Dr Kinsella said a “meaningful dialogue” can now take place.