Map Reveals Worsening State of Religious Freedom Worldwide
Restrictions on religious freedom have grown considerably worldwide, a new map released by the Pew Research Center shows.
An accompanying report released on Tuesday showed that the number of countries with high levels of religious restrictions ― either imposed by the government or by hostile individuals or groups ― grew overall from 34 percent in 2014 to 40 percent in 2015, the latest year for which data is available.
The Pew report noted that the rise in religious restrictions was recorded for the first time in three years and came after there were actually decreases for two years in both government restrictions and social hostilities against religion.
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"The share of countries with 'high' or 'very high' levels of government restrictions – i.e., laws, policies and actions that restrict religious beliefs and practices – ticked up from 24 percent in 2014 to 25 percent in 2015," the report read.
"Meanwhile, the percentage of countries with high or very high levels of social hostilities – i.e., acts of religious hostility by private individuals, organizations or groups in society – increased in 2015, from 23 percent to 27 percent."
In summary, the report states that 50 countries had high or very high government religious restrictions, up from 47 in 2014.
Likewise, the survey ticked 53 countries with high or very high social hostilities surrounding religion, up from 45 in 2014.
Of the 198 countries included in Pew's study, 105 were bracketed in the category of widespread government restrictions of religious groups. That shows an increase of 20 more countries since 2014 when the figure was 85, the study noted.
The Middle East remains the region with the highest concentration of government harassment of religious groups.
The study also found that Europe is the region with the fastest increase in the number of measures taken restricting religious freedom.
Terror attacks carried out by religious individuals are also included in the study, which counted them as social hostilities involving religion – i.e. hostile actions motivated by religion and carried out by individuals or social groups, separate from government actions.
In Europe, the study noted that hostilities toward Muslims in particular increased considerably. In 2015, 32 countries in Europe (71 percent) experienced social hostilities toward Muslims, up from 26 countries (58 percent) in 2014.
On the other hand, social hostilities toward Christians rose to 21 countries (47 percent) in 2015 up from 17 (38 percent) countries in 2014.
Katayoun Kishi, the primary researcher on the study, told The Huffington Post that even though the stats in the report are from 2015, the figures still carry the weight of policies or relationships in effect in 2017.
"While major world events can certainly contribute to country score changes from year to year, a portion of a country's annual score is also comprised of laws or regulations that typically do not drastically change annually, or long-standing tensions between governments or social groups and certain religious groups that persist from year to year," Kishi said. "So, a country's score in 2015 may reflect some of the major world events that occurred that year, but it is also shaped by factors that are not as volatile on an annual basis."
"That being said, readers should not assume that religious restrictions in these countries in 2017 are necessarily the same as they were in 2015," she added.
The complete Pew report is here.
Meanwhile, a group of notable evangelicals expressed rejection of the view that Christians should be prioritized over other groups in the assessment of religious freedom, CP reported in February this year.
The National Association of Evangelicals sent to CP via email its Evangelical Leaders Survey from January highlighting the assertions taken by several prominent pastors and leaders that religious freedom must apply equally across the board and not favor practicing Christians.
"The freedom to practice any religion — or no religion at all — is basic to religious liberty. When Christians advocate for religious liberty, we are not seeking a special privilege for Christians, but promoting a basic human right for all people," said Philip Ryken, president of Wheaton College in Illinois, in the email.
