Global Religious Freedom Gathering Addresses Persecution and Emerging Challenges

The third annual Global Religious Freedom Gathering, held September 28-29 at Dallas Baptist University, brought together advocates to discuss the state of religious liberty. Keynote speaker Pastor Ezra Jin, founder of Beijing’s Zion Church, shared his experience of being imprisoned in China from October 2025 until his release this past July. Jin, who credited his freedom to international advocacy and prayer, urged attendees to continue supporting the more than 150 Chinese church leaders currently detained.

Panelists also examined how armed conflict and religious nationalism complicate advocacy efforts. Wissam al-Saliby of 21Wilberforce noted that 65 active global conflicts are weakening civil society and disrupting traditional diplomatic channels for religious freedom. Furthermore, experts from organizations including Freedom House and the George W. Bush Institute discussed how religious nationalism often serves to consolidate authoritarian rule. They observed that such movements tend to become increasingly exclusionary over time, noting that domestic debates regarding Christian nationalism in the United States present additional challenges for American advocacy efforts abroad.