This book, organized into three parts, spotlights the global religious, severe persecution of Christians outside North America and Western Europe. The author writes for a Catholic publication and so this book has a strong Catholic flavor. Omitting footnotes because they would be "too cumbersome," he acknowledges that while 80 percent of persecution is directed at Christians, other religious minorities also suffer persecution for their beliefs. The first part of the book outlines the countries of persecution, the second part of the book outlines myths we often buy into about religious persecution. His last part of the book focuses on predictions on future trends as relating to persecution and what our response should look like. Also not overlooked are the instances when professing Christians have actually persecuted other Christians, abortion rights advocates, and homosexuals.
This book is not easy or fun reading. It a call to action. I found it uncomfortable and painful as Allen reminds the reader that we Christians have been guilty of persecuting, even if "Christian extremists" have not committed crimes as horrific as other extremists. As I have been well-informed about religious persecution of the world's Christians for years, I found little in the book that was news to me. What was news to me, and probably should not be, was that some persecution in certain instances have been of Christians persecuting other Christians. I fear that this is why people may not want to see Christians as victims but rather as victimizers. I get frustrated when religious persecution gets seen as a wedge issue and co-opted by the "religious right" and seen as a political issue as Allen points out. I understand why the author left out footnotes but without sources cited except in generalities, I feel uncomfortable giving this book five stars. I give it four and a half stars because it's so packed with info from what I know to be reliable sources.
I recommend this book for all adults age 18 and over. Every Christian ought to read this book and it can be ordered free of charge to you if you will, in exchange, give an honest review (if you blog). I will link to the site below where, if you blog, you can get this book for free. This book will give you all the tools you need to educate yourself and act on behalf of the persecuted. Non-Christians should read this as a matter of human decency. You need not be a Christian to advocate for Christians and other oppressed religious minorities.
I received this book free of charge from Blogging For Books, in exchange for an honest review.
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If you don't blog and cannot get this book free you can order another free book on global religious persecution here.
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