The American Church is not being persecuted. I checked.
There’s been a lot of talk about persecution of the American church lately. During the height of the pandemic, the governor of California stated that the act of singing together in large gatherings is prohibited due to covid restrictions. Some people claim the church in America is being persecuted because of this. Others are claiming this is not persecution.
And more recently, we’ve seen Christian nationalists and Evangelicals claim Christians are being persecuted in America because their faith is being pushed out of public spaces or denied access to public places. But is that persecution?
Let’s take a look at the modern and biblical definition of persecution that both sides appear to be defending and hash this out.
For this study, I’ll be using Strong’s Concordance.
The English definition of persecution is hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs.
The Greek definition of persecution (διωγμός) — stems from the Greek word diṓkō and is often used to express religious persecution in the form of vengeance and/or punishment, usually resulting in death or physical harm.
There are a significant amount of examples of this word in the New Testament. I will be looking at as many diverse examples as I believe we collectively have the attention span for.
- Matthew 13:21 and Mark 4:17 — parable of the sower
“But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.”
Here the word is used in parable form. It’s likely a foreshadowing of Jesus’ death and/or the disciples coming persecution in the form of stoning (Acts 7), lashing, and beating.
2. Acts 8:1
“And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”
This passage immediately follows the stoning and killing of Stephen for preaching the Gospel. And on that same day, persecution breaks out in Jerusalem. One of the church's own was just murdered. So we can assume that the persecution that followed was violent enough to cause them to leave the city physically.
3. Romans 8:35
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”
This is the longest, most extensive letter Paul writes. And the theme of this entire book is God’s righteousness and faithfulness despite humanity’s sin. In this passage, Paul says that no matter what we go through on earth, we are redeemed and beloved by God. But to get the full picture, let’s look at the surrounding verses.
Who, then, is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
The surrounding verses both mention death. Paul uses Jesus’ death as the ultimate slaughter, to which God redeemed. And then Paul references Psalm 44:22 to remind these Christians that they will be persecuted for their belief. And in this example, persecution implies a likely death.
But we could also see this Psalm reference as a reminder that Christians must die to themselves. Choosing Jesus every day. And that their joy is not found here on earth but in heaven.
4. 2 Corinthians 12:10
“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
The church in Corinth had succumbed to the teachings of false teachers who claimed Paul was a sham. And here, Paul is reassuring them that he is not in this for the glory or self-indulgence. Instead, he says he delights in these insults because they “keep him humble” and remind him that the glory belongs to God.
The persecution he mentions here is most certainly in reference to the persecution he experienced in Asia, mentioned back in chapter 1:8–10, where Paul says:
“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again.”
We know the persecution Paul faced. He was thrown in prison, beaten, and lashed regularly. And yet, he uses this letter to remind them that his persecution further glorifies God.
5. 2 Timothy 3:11
“Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.”
Here, Paul is referencing Acts 13–14, which documents his journey through Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. In these chapters, Jews stir up persecution (Acts 13:50) so severely that Paul has to leave Antioch. And in Acts 14:19, Paul is stoned so violently in Lystra he’s thought to be dead and is dragged out of the city. This is what he’s referencing in 2 Timothy, as it’s assumed the readers have also read Acts.
From these examples, I have come to the conclusion that the word persecution, when used in the Bible, is used to describe violent harm done to Christians. It comes in the form of physical harm, such as stoning, beating, or killing. Persecution was exhibited by common people because Christianity opposed the Jewish religion. Ruling powers exhibited persecution because they feared Christians would cause a revolt or riot against the Roman Empire.
These were my findings when taking a truly unbiased look at the word persecution.
So, could Christians call the worship ban “persecution”? Persecution seems inappropriate, as the ban affects more than just Christians and is not violent or an infringement on human or legal rights. It’s inconvenient and really sucks for worship leaders who rely on indoor worship for their income. But if job loss was a qualifier for persecution, the entire world has been persecuted by stay-at-home orders. And I don’t think that’s an accurate statement either.
So how could American Christians describe their recent experiences? A hardship or trial seems like a fair word to use. It’s hard, and it’s challenging. But its results do not mirror the results of biblical or modern persecution and, therefore, can not be deemed persecution.
Not to mention, when American Christians use the word persecution to describe things like large-scale worship bans or inability to pray in a public school, it makes a mockery of religious groups facing actual persecution in the form of violence, death, and bans on entire religious practices. Christians in America might not have been able to worship in a large-scale setting, but they were still allowed to worship. In their homes, outside, and in small groups. Is that persecution or simply an inconvenience in a country where Christianity is the most convenient and supported religion?
