Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world. Tragically, anti-Christian animus in the West has largely led to ignorance of the persecution of Christians today and the result has been a human rights travesty of historic proportions. Hank often says that the problem of Christian persecution in the Middle East is squarely in the blind spot of the West. When it comes to addressing the issue of Christian persecution, Hungary is a small country making a big difference. Through various government sponsored initiatives, such as the Hungary Helps program, Hungary is aiding persecuted Christians and other persecuted religious groups around the globe, setting an example that it hopes other countries will be inspired to emulate. Hank is joined by Tristan Azbej, Hungary’s State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, to discuss this critical issue and help bring Christian persecution out of the blind spot of the West.

Topics discussed include: Growing up in an anti-Christian communist dictatorship has made the issue of Christian persecution so important to Tristan Azbej (5:00); Tristan Azbej on his title as the State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians (8:40); the history of Hungary as a Christian nation (11:40); how Hungary is able to maintain a Christian identity in an increasingly secular European Union (16:15); why it is critical to protect the roots of our Christian heritage (21:45); the necessity for Christian unity in the face of persecution (27:25); how the Hungary Helps program has provided humanitarian aid to over 100,000 people since 2017 (32:50); how Hungary is setting an example for how to be a modern Christian democracy (39:15); illegal immigration and the Hungarian approach to immigration policies (44:30); countering the narrative that the Hungarian immigration policies are racist (49:20); the rise of Christian persecution in Africa (52:30); the difference between peaceful Muslims and violent Islamic ideology (58:10); extremist liberalism as a form of totalitarianism growing in the West today (1:03:25); Red Wednesday, an initiative of Aid for the Church in Need to commemorate the blood of Christian martyrs (1:09:20); Hungary isn’t focused on merely helping persecuted Christians, but all religious persecution (1:10:45); why are there narratives creating a sense of Christian guilt for some Western Christians when Christian charity is at the forefront of aid around the world? (1:14:30); Tristan Azbej on his recent visit with Pope Francis and persecuted Christians in Iraq (1:19:20); the need for Christians from different traditions to work towards Christian unity in the face of growing oppression (1:24:20); how Tristan Azbej become the State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians (1:27:00).
"For more information on the work of Tristan Azbej and the Hungary Helps program visit https://hungaryhelps.gov.hu/en/."

For further resources on persecution we recommend the following:

The Global War on Christians: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Anti-Christian Persecution Paperback by John L. Allen Jr.-focuses on worldwide persecution https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-the-global-war-on-christians/
They Say We Are Infidels: On the Run from ISIS with Persecuted Christians in the Middle East by Mindy Belz-focuses on persecution in the Middle East https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-they-say-we-are-infidels/
Free to Believe: The Battle Over Religious Liberty in America by Luke Goodrich -focuses on persecution in America https://www.equip.org/product/free-to-believe-the-battle-over-religious-liberty-in-america-2/
Demon in Democracy: Totalitarian Temptations in Free Societies by Ryszard Legutko, focuses on persecution in America, Europe and the West https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-cri2101hup/
It’s Dangerous to Believe: Religious Freedom and Its Enemies by Mary Eberstadt focuses on persecution in America https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-dangerous-believe/
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