Jan Ruuth’s Post

ETHIOPIANISM... Ethiopianism or Ethiopanism is a religious, political and cultural movement that emerged in the context of the African diaspora, mainly in the Caribbean and West Africa, as a response to colonialism and racial oppression. This term refers to the idea of an African renaissance and the desire for independence, self-determination and a return to African roots, symbolized in Ethiopia, which was one of the few African countries not to be colonized by European powers. Ethiopanism has its roots in several ideological and religious currents, such as Ethiopian Christianity and Pan-Africanism. In addition, it has had a strong influence on movements such as Rastafarianism, which sees Ethiopia and its former emperor, Haile Selassie, as a messianic and redeeming figure. In religious terms, many African and Afro-descendant Christian groups saw Ethiopia as a symbol of resistance, faith and strength in the face of European domination and its imposed religion, European Christianity. They therefore adopted a more independent view of Christianity, which led to the rise of indigenous African churches. In short, Ethiopianism is a movement that promotes African pride, resistance against colonialism and oppression, and the recognition of Ethiopia as a symbol of African freedom and sovereignty.

Persecution is on the rise around the world. Religious minorities continue to be the target of growing violence and pressure from governments, culture, and civil society organizations. The recent annual report released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) stands as a measure of accountability for those who seek to use their power to suppress people of faith. In Armenia, the endurance of this ancient Christian community has not come without significant challenges and tragedies, including the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and the repressive period endured under the Soviet Union. Now, it faces genocidal violence and aggression from Azerbaijan, and it has become clear that Azerbaijan seeks to erase Armenian presence and history from the region. https://lnkd.in/gBrWAXMq

Russian propaganda often veers into the absurd, but some of its narratives, although ridiculous to Ukrainians and those well-versed in Ukrainian context, still resonate with wider audiences. A prime example is the 'Ukraine bans religion' narrative, which has found surprising traction in the US. The Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church, leveraging decades of influence over Orthodox Christians globally, are pushing the false claim that Ukraine is 'banning Christianity' and 'persecuting believers.' This narrative is notably echoed by US presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who accuses Ukraine of 'using American taxpayer money to ban Christianity.' Contrary to these claims, the United States State Department's International Religious Freedom Report reveals a diverse religious landscape in Ukraine: 62.7% Orthodox Christians, 10.2% Greek Catholics, 3.7% Protestants, 1.9% Roman Catholics, and 8.7% identifying as 'just Christians,' totaling approximately 37.9 million Christians. Additionally, around 5.6 million people in Ukraine are Jews, Muslims, members of other faiths, or non-religious. To fully grasp this topic, understanding the history of Christianity in Ukraine and the reasons behind the attempts to limit the Moscow Patriarchate's influence is crucial. We delve into this with Oleh Turii, director of the Institute of Church History at Ukrainian Catholic University, and researcher Anatolii Babynskyi, exploring the history and conflicts between church institutions in Ukraine. https://lnkd.in/g9irD24B

This dives in somewhat if you want to understand the issue on a historical level. However, it would take very deep research and a massive book to really understand the complexity. This article is worth the read.

Consider this. On February 5, 2024, the local ordinary in Beijing, Archbishop Joseph Li Shan, attended and spoke at a meeting of Chinese religious leaders organized by the United Front Work Department and chaired by Wang Huning, Chairman of the CPPCC. The meeting discussed goals for Chinese religious organizations, including the implementation of the Five Identifications within the organizations. It is imperative for USG officials to be mindful of such things to avoid setting themselves up to appear to either be affirming or turning a blind eye to the CCP controls on the Catholic church and the Sinicization underway. There are any number of ways USG officials who are people of faith to keep their worship obligations and not be used as a tool for propaganda. 新東方政策 (“Ostpolitik” in Mandarin) was a failure and is failing again.

In the latest update in the Struggle for Freedom series, Bush Institute's Ellen Bork highlights the story of Wang Yi, the pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, who was arrested for "incitement to subversion of state power” in 2018. Bork emphasizes that "repression of Christianity and other religions is a hallmark of Chinese Communist Party rule." She goes on to mention that the lack of coverage on Wang is troubling, and that the struggle for freedom will be won by individuals like Wang Yi, who sacrifice their freedom, health, and sometimes their lives. Learn more and read Wang Yi's fight for religious freedom in China: https://lnkd.in/gPrnBcxm

Religious Sanction The Catholic Church provided theological justifications for French colonial conquest and conversion, from the Doctrine of Discovery to the missionary zeal of figures like Charles de Foucauld in Algeria. The Church of England and Protestant missionaries played a key role in sanctifying British colonial rule and the "civilizing mission" in Africa and Asia. Figures like David Livingstone combined Christianity and colonialism. American Protestant missionaries were at the forefront of the colonial project in the Philippines, Hawaii, and elsewhere, combining religious conversion with cultural imperialism. So while there were certainly differences in how these ideologies were articulated and implemented, cultural chauvinism, civilizing mission, paternalism, and religious sanction were common threads that ran through the colonial projects of France, Britain, the United States, and other European powers. These elements provided the ideological justification for colonial conquest, domination, and exploitation.

More than 80 percent of the world’s population identifies with a religion. So why do we try to avoid the topic as much as possible? Growing up in New England, we were never to discuss religion–along with the topics of politics and sex–over dinner.  Religion is often seen as “too charged” of an issue to discuss, let alone embrace, by most governments, philanthropies, and human rights groups.  Organizations deeply embedded in global advocacy are strangely intimidated by the power of engaging with religion: Until about 2013, the US State Department’s Foreign Policy Institute conducted rigorous language training for diplomats heading overseas but virtually took a pass on any meaningful religious literacy.        This must change.  Religion is not the problem. It’s our inability to understand spirituality and the diverse faith traditions that move and motivate more than 6 billion humans.  Beyond conventional governmental and economic material solutions, we must learn to relate to people across cultural differences. Religious leaders and people of faith are critical to standing up to violence and sustaining peace.  Secular human rights activists, humanitarians, and diplomats serving any region must learn basic skills of religious literacy and engagement. Besides showing goodwill and cultural appreciation, learning about others’ religions can point the way toward peace.       Foreign policy and human rights professionals: Is your organization willing to engage with religion more deeply? For example, can you understand the latest conflict in the Middle East without understanding how many in the region interpret their scriptures, including their prophecies and expectations for what they call “end times”?   #Peace #Interfaith #URI #Together #YouareI P.S. Read about how to activate religious communities as a pathway to peace here: