How long will our nation continue to largely ignore the terrible persecution being endured by Nigerians, the majority of whom are Christians? Nigeria is a nation of 232 million people, almost evenly split between a majority Muslim population in the north and Christians in the south.
For years, we have been hearing and reading about terrible atrocities being committed against Nigerian Christians. Churches are burned down, pastors and church leaders are killed, women and girls are kidnapped and subjected to sexual violence, and often forced into marriages with Muslim husbands.
I am thankful this Thanksgiving season that we live in a country where we can protest this religious persecution and these human rights abuses, and we can peacefully petition our government to do what it can to stop this terrible suffering.
President Trump has just declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” an official designation concerning abuse of religious freedom, which allows a set of sanctions to pressure Nigerian government and security officials to intervene to stop such lawlessness and persecution.
I was privileged to serve as a Commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (U.S.C.I.R.F.) from 2001 to 2012. U.S.C.I.R.F. was created to monitor religious persecution around the world and to recommend to the U.S. government when it should intervene to help stop religious persecution within the borders of countries around the world.
I have never been more grateful to be an American than during my service on this bipartisan Commission. While the Commissioners were seriously divided on many domestic issues, we were almost always united in defending religious freedom and freedom of conscience. In fact, often the only country that cared about what governments were doing to their own citizens within their own borders was America, sometimes joined by the United Kingdom.
Religious freedom is a deeply held conviction among Americans, and always has been, as illustrated by the First Amendment to our Constitution. I am grateful that President Trump has now put Nigerian authorities on notice that if they don’t take action to stop these ongoing atrocities, they will face serious and severe sanctions by the U.S.A.
There used to be a time, not so long ago, when people who were perpetrating these kinds of atrocious human rights abuses had to ask themselves, “If we do this, will the Americans come?” Starting with the Obama Administration, they no longer had to ask that question, and the world became an increasingly dangerous place, especially for the weak and the defenseless.
I am hopeful that the bad guys are beginning to ask themselves again, “If we do this, will the Americans come?” I know the weak and defenseless around the world are certainly hoping and praying – as am I.
As we prepare for our national observation of Thanksgiving, I urge you to join me in praying specifically for our Nigerian Christian brothers and sisters. I will be praying the prayer that is posted on the Open Doors website:
“Heavenly Father, we cry out to You for our persecuted sisters and brothers in Nigeria. Comfort and heal all who have been attacked, traumatized or bereaved, and fill them with hope. We pray especially for women and girls who have been abducted and assaulted—set them free and restore them to their families. Help the new president to work together with the authorities to bring an end to terrorism in the country. Build your good Kingdom in Nigeria through your church and give believers courage to keep proclaiming the good news of Jesus, Amen.”
And I pray we will all give thanks to our Heavenly Father this Thanksgiving for our manifold blessings as Americans.
Dr. Richard Land, BA (Princeton, magna cum laude); D.Phil. (Oxford); Th.M (New Orleans Seminary). Dr. Land served as President of Southern Evangelical Seminary from July 2013 until July 2021. Upon his retirement, he was honored as President Emeritus and he continues to serve as an Adjunct Professor of Theology & Ethics. Dr. Land previously served as President of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (1988-2013) where he was also honored as President Emeritus upon his retirement. Dr. Land has also served as an Executive Editor and columnist for The Christian Post since 2011.
Dr. Land explores many timely and critical topics in his daily radio feature, “Bringing Every Thought Captive,” and in his weekly column for CP.
