The Parish Magazine February 2022

the parish noticeboard — 4
The Parish Magazine - February 2022 11
The Persecuted Church: Focus on Nigeria and religious freedom by Colin Bailey
People and places of worship lost in Nigeria
The nave of the Cathedral Church of Christ Marina Lagos which is the Anglican preeminent
cathedral in Lagos. It is over 150 years old.
Matthew Omojola, dreamstime.com
Hyotographics, dreamstime.com
The United States has an independent
Commission on International
Religious Freedom (USCIRF). In April
2021, it recommended that Nigeria
be re-designated a 'Country of
Particular Concern' (CPC) on freedom
of religion on the US government’s
list. They cited ‘violence by militant
Islamists and other non-state armed
actors, as well as discrimination,
arbitrary detentions, and capital
blasphemy sentences by state
authorities.’
USCIRF’s activities include advising
Congress, monitoring religious
freedom conditions abroad, raising
public awareness and issuing an
annual report and other publications.
Its website gives a definition of
‘religious freedom’ and includes the
statements that: ‘Inherent in religious
freedom is the right to believe or not
believe as one’s conscience leads, and
live out one’s beliefs openly, peacefully,
and without fear. Freedom of religion or
belief is an expansive right that includes
the freedoms of thought, conscience,
expression, association and assembly.’
They cite Article 18 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights which
affirms that: ‘Everyone has the right
to freedom of thought, conscience and
religion; this right includes freedom to
change religion or belief, and freedom,
either alone or in community with others
and in public or private, to manifest
religion or belief in teaching, practice,
worship and observance.’
The US state department issued
a report on international religious
freedom in May, which cited religious
freedom concerns in Nigeria.
However, in November, Washington
removed Nigeria from its list of
countries with such concerns. It had
been added to the list for the first time
in 2020. The removal came a day before
secretary of state Antony Blinken was
due to arrive in Nigeria as part of a
tour of Africa.
The annual announcement of
countries on the list named Myanmar,
China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea,
Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Tajikistan and Turkmenistan as
countries of particular concern.
CONCERN
On a watch list for religious
freedom, Blinken placed Algeria,
Comoros, Cuba and Nicaragua. Armed
groups including Islamic State and
several of its affiliates were named as
entities of concern.
The Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN) called on the US
government to explain the difference
between the violence the Christians
are facing now and when Nigeria was
first listed as a CPC in 2020. A press
statement included these trenchant
comments:
‘Christians had faced and are still
facing persecution from ISWAP and the
Boko Haram Islamic Group till today as
before. These are the people who said their
agenda was to wipe away Christianity
from Nigeria and to plant Islam as the
only religion from the north down to the
Atlantic Ocean in the south. That agenda
with the killing of Christians has not
stopped till today and Nigerians are living
witnesses. The bandits have joined other
militant Islamic groups to be ferociously
attacking churches, killing worshippers
and kidnapping for ransom. The
herdsmen are equally doing their havoc.
We have lost many people and places of
worship to their assault, especially in the
north-central part of the country and the
north-east.’
The statement went on to mention
how those who are not Christians
are now also being attacked, killed
and kidnapped because the criminal
acts have become lucrative business.
(See CAN reference below for the full
statement).
Please pray for the country of
Nigeria and especially CAN’s efforts
in trying to douse religious tension
and foster harmonious relationships
between people of different faiths.
References and further reading
Barnabas Fund: https://barnabasfund.org/news/
christian-association-of-nigeria-protests-as-usremoves-country-from-lis/
Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/
us-removes-nigeria-religious-freedom-list-aheadblinken-visit-2021-11-18/
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN): https://
christianassociationofnigeria.org/2021/11/20/
cpc-list-we-are-at-a-loss-on-the-data-the-usgovernment-used-for-the-delisting-of-nigeria-can/
United States Commission on International Religious
Freedom (USCIRF): https://www.uscirf.gov/aboutuscirf/about-us