On July 17, Rep. Riley Moore of West Virginia and Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri introduced a joint resolution to condemn Christian persecution abroad, mainly in countries with Muslim majorities.
This resolution followed a speech given by Moore in April in which he spoke about the persecution that Christians experience worldwide because of their faith in Jesus. The resolution calls for the current administration to advocate for the rights of persecuted Christians abroad using diplomatic tools such as trade and security negotiations.
“Around the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ face rampant persecution for simply acknowledging the name of Jesus,” he said. “That is unacceptable.”
According to the Open Doors 2025 World Watch List, more than 380 million Christians worldwide face significant discrimination and persecution, including forced conversion, killings, church closures, kidnapping, displacement, and the denial of worship.
This treatment occurs often in Muslim majority countries, including Egypt, Nigeria, Iran, Pakistan, and Syria. According to the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), more Christians are killed each year in Nigeria than in all other countries combined.
“In Nigeria alone, more than 50,000 Christians have been martyred and more than 5 million have been displaced simply for professing their faith,” Rep. Moore said. “During a Divine Liturgy in Damascus last month, an Islamic jihadist opened fire on worshippers 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.”
Moore urged action from his fellow lawmakers, stating that the persecution of Christians abroad must be condemned. Hawley echoed a similar sentiment, saying, “Our country was founded on religious liberty. We cannot sit on the sidelines as Christians around the world are being persecuted for declaring Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.”
Kelsey Zorzi, the director of Global Religious Freedom at ADF International, supports this resolution.
“Year after year, Christians remain the most persecuted religious group worldwide, especially in many Muslim-majority countries,” Zorzi said. “We applaud the resolution for recognizing this grave reality and urging U.S. action. When Christians are being killed, silenced, or driven underground, we cannot look the other way.”
