H. Knox Thames is an international human rights lawyer and advocate who served for twenty years in the U.S. government across multiple administrations, most recently in the Obama and Trump administrations as a State Department special envoy for religious minorities in the Middle East and South/Central Asia. He is currently a senior fellow at Pepperdine University. The University of Notre Dame Press is thrilled to publish his newest book, Ending Persecution: Charting the Path to Global Religious Freedom (September 2024). He recently answered some of our questions about his research and writing processes.
When did you first feel prompted to write a book about ending religious persecution?
People of faith face violence and persecution on account of their beliefs every day. The United States, despite being a global leader in combating religious persecution and supporting religious freedom globally, needs a new approach. I know because for 20 years, I was at the center of the U.S. international religious freedom establishment, serving at the State Department and two special U.S. government foreign policy commissions focused on human rights and religious freedom abroad. Over my career working for both Congress and the State Department and three different administrations, I traveled the world to press repressive governments to reform. I and others endeavored to leverage U.S. influence to speak up for the oppressed and persecuted, reflecting the best of American values of diversity, minority rights, and freedom of conscience. Special offices and ambassadors were created and appointed, money appropriated, summits convened. Yet, these efforts have not changed grim statistics demonstrating unrelenting restrictions on the free practice of faith. From my time in government, I know a 20th century approach won’t defeat 21st century persecution.
Ending Persecution presents fresh ideas to combat religious persecution and reinvigorate systems set in place more than 25 years ago. Religious persecution knows no boundaries and impacts all communities. Repression on account of faith is the most personal of human rights abuses, as targeted individuals, both women and men, pay a heavy price for what they believe. Freedom of religion or belief protects an individual’s ability to seek truth as their conscience leads, find meaning, share with others, and search for ultimate truth. But it is a right respected in the breach. The challenge has outpaced our response, and we need new ideas and approaches to see an end to persecution.
Walking away from the fight is not an option; doing so will only leave a more unstable world with millions of people suffering. To confront this challenge, a recommitment is necessary. More of the same won’t reverse these negative trends. Instead, we need to harness 21st-century tools and strategies if we are to turn the tide against age-old problem. Ending Persecution will hopefully begin this crucial conversation. The enormity of the challenge is daunting, but we will not see an end to persecution if we never try.
Certainly these are unprecedented times in the United States, Europe, and around the world. What can readers find in your book that will resonate with them during this era?
A pandemic of persecution impacts every religious group somewhere, with persecution a daily reality for millions and millions of people worldwide. While persecution can seem monolithic, readers will find a practical examination of different kinds of persecution in places like India, Iraq, China, and Burma. But I don’t just admire the problem. I offer specific solutions based on my personal experiences of promoting religious freedom, tolerance, and coexistence, highlighting ways the United States can better support religious freedom for all. These insights are particularly relevant as every society is grappling with religious diversity and societal divisions, with the potential for conflict growing.
But the ideas in Ending Persecution are also particularly relevant in this election year. While elected officials, regardless of political affiliation, espouse support for religious freedom and condemn persecution, more pressing concerns over trade, military alliances, and energy almost always prevail. Realpolitik always trumps real human rights violations. Accordingly, little is done to change the underlying dynamics that result in human rights abuses on a massive scale. That’s not to say U.S. efforts haven’t helped individuals fleeing persecution—they have, and American leadership is critical to offset malign actors like China and Russia. But the piecemeal approach is insufficient to meet the tidal wave of persecution sweeping the globe. We must commit to consequential diplomacy that extracts a price for ongoing abuses. If the United States says human rights matter, then they must matter in every relationship, or our pronouncements will be nothing more than arid euphemisms.
Seeing an end to persecution is an audacious but achievable goal. But a new plan is needed. The United States and our like-minded allies have a vital and indispensable role to play. Together, we can make a difference and bring about a world free from persecution.
How did you research this book?
First, I looked back upon my 20-year career working on these issues in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, as well as working for the administrations of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. I also drew upon scholarly works, contemporary reports, and interviews with experts and survivors of religious persecution. However, this is not a textbook; I include stories to make it engaging for policymakers, activists, and general readers interested in international affairs.
Ending Persecution is a book that speaks to the heart of today’s global issues. It takes readers on a journey through some of the world’s most repressive countries in the Middle East and Asia, shedding light on the reality of persecution and the millions who suffer for their faith. The book’s relevance is underscored by the fact that two-thirds of the global community live under systems that restrict religious life. In these pages, readers will encounter the persecuted and the persecutors, and discover new strategies to combat oppression.
In what way is the book you wrote different from the book you set out to write?
Ending Persecution is situated at the intersection of faith, current events, and foreign policy. The book became more focused on actionable steps and personal stories during the writing process than I initially anticipated. This shift occurred as I realized the power of individual narratives in inspiring change and empathy. I wanted to elevate the voice of the persecuted, as their plight often seems distant from centers of power. While I originally envisaged an American audience for Ending Persecution, the global phenomenon of religious persecution makes the topic relevant to audiences everywhere. The overarching theme is the necessity of working together to discover new ways to combat persecution, protect human rights, and promote pluralism and stability. With persecution at all-time highs and confronting every faith community at any given moment, the defining challenge of the 21st century will be defeating this age-old scourge.
Who is the biggest influence on you and your work?
Advocates for the persecuted who risk so much to help others. I dedicated the book to Shahbaz Bhatti, a courageous Pakistani human rights leader murdered by the Pakistani Taliban for speaking out against religious persecution. His story, along with the countless others who have sacrificed much, deeply influenced the direction and tone of my book. Their bravery and commitment to their faith, even in the face of such adversity, is a testament to their strength and a call to action for us all.
What is your writing schedule like?
Slow and steady every day. Some days, it came quickly; others, it was more slowly. But I always tried to write something, even if only a paragraph.
What advice would you give to a writer who wants to start a book?
It’s harder than you think but more rewarding than you expect. I encourage writers to get words on the page and not edit until you’ve completed a chapter. I believe in the maxim, “Good writing is good rewriting.” However, if you rewrite in the middle of a chapter, it will impede your overall progress. I found it better to edit once I had a rough draft, which allowed me to see gaps or where pieces overlapped.
Who would you like to read Ending Persecution and why?
A universally relevant topic, Ending Persecution will appeal to readers following religion and foreign affairs and to audiences concerned about religious freedom in the United States and abroad. It will also interest policymakers, activists, educators, and general readers who follow global events. I tell stories, making the book accessible and engaging while also including policy recommendations on ways to improve U.S. efforts.
Ending Persecution will also appeal to readers outside of Washington’s Beltway, those in Middle America with an active interest in religious liberty. Individuals belonging to Christian congregations and those of other faiths will find this book of great interest, as their fellow believers also face the brunt of persecution. I expect strong institutional interest from secular and religious universities and colleges in acquiring the book for libraries, as well as in undergraduate and graduate-level classes on international relations, human rights, or current religious trends.
Overall, I am hopeful the book will gain a wide readership. If the United States and people of goodwill unite to push back against the rising tide of religious repression, we can make a significant difference. Ending Persecution will empower them to understand the importance of religious freedom and tolerance as a reflection of American values and why it’s in American interests.
What books are you currently reading?
Rubicon by Tom Holland, Oath and Honor by Liz Cheney, and The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek.
What book are you working on next?
Next, I will oversee an edited book on why Christians should advocate for anyone facing persecution, both suffering Christians and their persecuted non-Christian neighbors. Based on the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 and Christ’s call for us to “go and do likewise,” I will assemble a range of voices, including pastors, activists from abroad, and scholars, to unpack the Christians calling to speak up for all. Our website addresses these issues, but we want to go deeper while keeping it accessible to people in the pews.