PODCASTS

Tag: #FRC

Faith Under Fire – Hostility Toward Churches: Implications – 4/18/24

Faith Under Fire – Hostility Toward Churches: Implications – 4/18/24

Hostility Toward Churches: Causes & Implications

Faith Under Fire – 4/18/24

A six-year national study of threats, violence and vandalism aimed at churches and religious organization shows the danger spiked in 2023. This edition of Family Life’s “Faith Under Fire” feature invites back Arielle Del Turco for a second conversation. Today, we recap the results of that survey, but then go beyond the statistics to the causes and implications.

  • How do the current cultural perceptions of Christians affect how faith institutions see more threats and violence?
  • What trends are seen in what types of churches and entities are more likely to become targets, and should all religious groups band together to denounce anti-Christian hostility?
  • What advice does she have for Christians to make a positive influence on the surrounding culture?
  • Going to worship is safe, considering the 900+ incidents in six years compared to the millions of religious gatherings in that time. Still, what should leaders of congregations and faith-based networks learn from this study?

We also encourage you to listen to, share or download our earlier conversation with Del Turco (Faith Under Fire 4/04/24) when she talked about the numbers and trends which she compiled with this annual report. Other resources are also linked from that podcast at FamilyLife.org/newspodcasts.

 

Arielle Del Turco is the director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council.

Hostility against churches – Faith Under Fire – 4/04/24

Hostility against churches – Faith Under Fire – 4/04/24

Rising Hostility Against Churches – This week on “Faith Under Fire”

The number of incidents of assaults, violence, vandalism and other hostile actions against Churches across the USA doubled in 2023, compared to the relatively high number of incidents reported the previous year. Threats and actual attacks became eight times more frequent than just six years ago.

The Family Research Council has studied law enforcement statistics, news reports and other information to compile a study of Hostility Against Churches from 2018 to 2023. Arielle Del Turco is the director of their Center for Religious Liberty. She joins Family Life News to talk about this new reality, causes for this disturbing trend, and what Christians need to know about their safety and about threats that are a direct result of the increasing secularization of the culture.

For more information:

  • An overview of this FRC study  [ www.frc.org ]
  • The full report, which includes 11 pages of analysis, maps and charts, and a full listing of all incidents of crimes and threats aimed at Christian entities
  • A 45-minute Family Research Council podcast, which delves further into the causes, recommendations for action, and how reactions by courts and the media and the general public have taken away cultural respect for the church.
  • Del Turco’s testimony at a 2023 Congressional hearing about violence against churches and other faith-based organizations

 

 

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