Though many seem to be expecting fireworks from the upcoming meeting between Pope Francis and President Trump, they are very likely to be disappointed. Francis has said that what he hopes to find is common ground.
Certainly, they can start by agreeing about the dismal state of religious liberty around the world, and specifically about the resulting Christian persecution. Pope Francis has spoken out forcefully on the subject, as it behooves the spiritual leader of over a billion Catholics to do. In a recent touching video, the Pope asks for prayers and material help for the estimated 200 million Christians around the world that are at risk for torture, forced migration, arrest, and death. He makes a special point that whether Orthodox, Protestant, or Catholic, the persecuted are hated and targeted simply for being “followers of Christ.”
Vice President Pence used the same phrase in a recent address where he urgently reiterated the Administration’s commitment to use the Armed Forces of the United States to stop Christian genocide, saying: “we will not rest, we will not relent until we hunt down and destroy ISIS at its source.”
