At major religion summit, faithful wonder and worry what Trump will do as Vance speech looms

Yahoo

05-02-2025

WASHINGTON —Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to speak Wednesday at IRF Summit 2025, billed as 'the largest religious freedom gathering in the world, ever,' by co-founder Sam Brownback, the former U.S. senator and ambassador at large for religious freedom.
The faithful who are gathered in Washington, D.C. are looking forward to Vance's speech. They said they aren't sure what to expect from a second Trump administration, but believe he will continue to champion religious freedom generally. The question is will his efforts to secure America's borders eclipse one of their most important issues.
'I know a lot of people are worried right now about what happens with refugees and what the administration is doing,' Baptist Pastor Bob Roberts told a crowd of 500 on Monday night at the Global Faith Forum, which he led. 'There's a lot of concern over that, and I have concerns over that. But let me make something very clear: As people of faith, we still should be caring for refugees, he said as part of the IRF Summit.
The issues involved couldn't be more crucial, for believers and nonbelievers, who in some countries face punishment for leaving the majority or state religion. Over the past two decades, extreme poverty has been cut by 75%, but the number of displaced people has jumped 300%, World Relief president Myal Greene said.
Meanwhile, the number of countries where freedom of religion or belief doesn't exist or severely restricted has grown from 27 to 40, said Freedom House interim co-president Annie Wilcox Boyajian.
'Souls are at stake,' Brownback said.
Another leader said he believes Trump wants to build peace.
'I think the president does not just want to end conflicts, but I think he also wants to be a peacemaker,' said Scott Flipse, director of policy and media relations for the bipartisan Congressional Executive Commission on China.
Flipse hoped the Trump administration will continue to keep the ambassador at large for religious freedom at the table when major world issues are discussed so the role of faith is central in bridge-building and solutions.
'I don't want to be pollyannish about this, but there is a role here for religious groups, religious organizations and people of faith to build peace. I think the president wants to do that. I think this is a pretty a big goal for religious freedom in the future,' he said.
Trump's new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is a man of faith who served as co-chair of a previous IRF Summit. One leader told the Deseret News there is confidence in Rubio's understanding of the issues and excitement to introduce Vance to the summit's work, who participants Brownback called 'the heart and nerve center of the religious freedom movement around the world.'
Flipse said he would counsel Rubio that personnel is policy and to move quickly with the White House to place people in positions in bureaus to carry out his priorities and whatever reevalutions the administration is undertaking.
Boyajian said Rubio has been incredible on religious freedom issues as she has worked closely with him and his staff. She said she would urge him 'not to throw the baby out with the bath water.'
'There's so much excellent work on religious freedom being done,' she said. 'It's very, very critically important that it make it through an expeditious review, because lives really are on the line. The second thing I would add is that he's a man of faith. For me, personally, as a Christian, we as believers, it's so important that we're advocating for religious freedom. Every single human being is precious and made in the image of God, and in my personal view, it is incumbent on us to also help protect others who are targeted and bring them along also.
Beasley's suggestions for Rubio are to focus on the big things that matter, be authentic and show your heart.
'Be yourself,' he said. 'He's a man with a good heart, great faith and leaders read your heart. Body language is vital. How you touch, embrace, hug, respect the other is powerful. Body language is the most powerful thing in these meetings. ... First make a connection from the heart. That begins the ball game.
'Our governments teach, 'Let's have an agreement, then we'll be friends.' Faith says, 'Be friends, then you'll have long-lasting agreements.' There's a difference.'
World Relief's Greene said the freeze on immigration is delaying the legal arrival of refugees who the government has already scrutinized and approved.
'It's unfortunate that individuals who are refugees, who are fully vetted and screened by the government, they're legal immigrants, most of them come to this country on a plane with a visa, are being denied their benefits, denied their opportunity to adjust right now,' he said.
Most of them are from the countries that Open Door has listed as the places where Christians and others are most persecuted, Greene said.
'This is the only legal avenue for people who are persecuted for their faith to enter this country in meaningful numbers, and that door has been closed in this season,' he said. 'I think that's something that we really need to see and that we care about. As a Christian, care about people of all faiths who are persecuted because of their beliefs, and what that means, and I think that we need to stand together and show our support for people who are looking for safety for their family and a chance to raise their family and in a safe community that wants to welcome them after communities they've lived in have forced them out.'
The networks growing at these religious freedom conferences need to move forward together regardless of the administration's direction, said Pastor Roberts, the Global Senior Pastor at Northwood Church in Dallas and co-founder of the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network.
'Whatever the administration does is what they do,' he said. 'God hasn't changed his mind about who he loves and what he expects of those of us he is blessed, and so we must be a blessing.'
Roberts pleaded with believers to united in love for one another so they can continue to grow as a force to love and help others.
'Our country is in a tough spot,' he said. 'I don't know who you voted for. It doesn't matter. No matter who won, we were going to have some challenges in our country. Here's what I want to say to you: If our country turns a corner and things get better, it's not going to be because we elect the right person. It's going to be because we start acting like the right people.
'I challenge you, don't wait for an election to do the right thing. You're Americans, and that's enough. Act like Americans — e pluribus unum — out of many, one. Now go love somebody different than you. Let them know you care about them, and let's make a different country and a different world.'