Institute on Religion and Democracy Media Advisory
May 7, 2018
Contact: Chelsen Vicari, cell: 540-239-2170, e-mail: cvicari@TheIRD.org
Who: Institute on Religion and Democracy
What: A summit examining why American Christians have failed persecuted Christians overseas and aiming to inject concern for the Persecuted Church into the very DNA of American churches.
Where: Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room SD-G50, 2nd St NE, Washington, DC 20002
When: May 10, 2018, 10 AM—3:00 PM (EDT)
Washington, DC—The Institute on Religion and Democracy will host a provocative one-day summit at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. to highlight global Christian persecution.
Ambassador Samuel Brownback, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, will deliver opening remarks. The distinguished lineup of experts will also include the Honorable Frank R. Wolf, U.S. House of Representatives (retired), and U.S. Senator James Lankford.
The summit speakers will join IRD’s International Religious Liberty Director, Faith McDonnell, and Evangelical Action Director, Chelsen Vicari, to address issues such as:
Lay people answering God’s call for caring for the Persecuted Church: (Matt Behum, founder and director S.I.T. (Trinitarian International Solidarity) St. Lawrence Martyr Church; The Honorable Frank Gaffney, President, Center for Security Policy and Rabbi Jon Hausman, Congregation Ahavath Torah, Stoughton, MA, founding members Save The Persecuted Christians; Jordan Allott, documentary filmmaker, Executive Producer, In Altum Productions; and Slater Armstrong, worship leader and songwriter/recording artist, founder Joining Our Voices.)
Engaging youth in an important social justice issue: (Chelsen Vicari, IRD; Sarah Roderick Fitch, Coalition for the Defense of Human Rights; Luke Moon, Deputy Director, Philos Project; and Alex Inman, a student awakened to the injustice of persecution.)
Influencing American foreign policy on behalf of persecuted Christians overseas: (The Honorable Sam Brownback, Ambassador-at-Large International Religious Freedom; The Honorable Frank R. Wolf, U.S. House of Representatives (retired), Distinguished Senior Fellow 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative; The Honorable James Lankford, U.S. Senator, OK; Faith McDonnell, IRD; Albert Thompson, military historian, professor, NOVA; and Michael Horowitz, human rights activist, former General Counsel White House, former Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute.)
Keynote Luncheon Address on the Biblical Mandate to Christians to Care for Persecuted Christians: Dominic Sputo, author Heirloom Love: Authentic Christianity in This Age of Persecution, founder of Mute No More; with responses from Dr. Scott Redd, President and Associate Professor of Old Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary, and the Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs, Bishop, Missionary Diocese of CANA East, Anglican Church of Nigeria and Anglican Church in North America.
Media are invited to attend. For interviews with panelists, please contact Chelsen Vicari at cvicari@theird.org
Comment by Mickien Stevens on May 25, 2018 at 7:55 am
I thank you guys for the this effort. If Christians in Africa can take a bold step and fight for their freedom, there could be a change. A lot is happening in my country here in Nigeria.