Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted by the global community in 1948) states: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Current global affairs, and historical observation, demonstrate what happens when this basic human right is transgressed. People suffer, and societies decline. When this right is affirmed, societies flourish and economies grow. 

The purpose of this symposium, oriented to faith-full lay people, is to provide helpful information about what religious freedom means – both intellectually and ethically. We will learn about places where persecution is occurring. In a few cases, we will hear directly from those who have experienced this oppression. We will discuss the successful efforts to help governments and societies change course. 

Finally, we will discover how to take this knowledge and participate in efforts to enact greater freedom for our neighbors. The concept of neighbor isn’t geographic – it’s moral. And we all have a role to play.

Scott Stearman

In addition to being the Senior Pastor of Bayshore Baptist Church, Scott is the U.N. Representative of the Baptist World Alliance at the United Nations.  In this capacity he is the current President of the NGO Committee on the Freedom of Religion or Belief and helps lead the NGO committees on Human Rights.  He is an officer on the board of trustees for the Parliament of World Religions and writes regularly on the intersection of religion and international/cultural affairs.  For over three decades, he has served as a Baptist pastor with congregations in Athens, Greece, Paris, France, St. Louis, MO and New York City.  His educational background includes theological degrees from Southwestern and Princeton Seminaries and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Oklahoma.

Ed Brown

Ed Brown is Secretary General of the Stefanus Alliance International, a small Norwegian NGO focused on promoting and protecting Freedom of Religion or Belief for everyone and strengthening the presence of the church in areas of the world where there is extensive discrimination and persecution on the basis of religion or belief.

He has also worked as Senior Advisor at the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and as Leader of the Norwegian Secretariat of the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief.

Previously, Ed was pastor for the International Baptist Church outside of Oslo Norway, a small international congregation with members from a number of countries and cultures. In addition, Ed worked as a football (soccer) missionary for several years travelling to Europe, Africa and Asia.

Ed’s work has entailed teaching and facilitating seminars, workshops and conferences on the topics of Freedom of Religion or Belief and Human Rights as well as engaging in lobby and advocacy work with grassroots religious leaders and top political leaders.

His fields of interest are: Human Rights, Freedom of Religion or Belief, Minority Rights, Religious Nationalism and Identity Politics, Islam, Hinduism and issues related to caste discrimination as well as broader rule of law and good governance issues. Ed has studied Psychology, Pedagogy, Religion, Theology and Human Rights. Ed is an avid Frisbee golfer with a PDGA rating of 926 😊.