State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom

Given the Turkish government’s particularly troubling conduct in 2020, Secretary of State Antony Blinken should deliver an honest message about the alarming trajectory of religious freedoms in Turkey.

Religious liberty is not a luxury good that countries can dismiss and still “get by.” It’s necessary for a vibrant democratic society and national security.

There were two notable conferences in DC this past week: the second annual Ministerial on International Religious Freedom, hosted by…

The most profound and powerful reasons for religious freedom are Christian reasons, and they extend not only to Christians but to all people. In my view this means that there is also a deep theological warrant for international religious freedom.

While the work of the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom is vital, the ambassador is most effective when he or she influences the department and US policy as a whole. The combination of ambassador-at-large and religion is thus a difficult one at State, so having someone as politically experienced as Brownback in the role is vital.