Interfaith Call ’25 to Protect Religious Liberty

World Religious Leaders Declare United Interfaith Stand Against Persecution in Asia as Anti-Religious Concepts of Totalitarian States Gain Ground in Democratic Nations Like Japan and South Korea

Large International Interfaith Conference in Seoul 5th to 8th August 2025

See also Religious Freedom: 330 Faith Leaders Speak Up

On 7^th August 2025, The Washington Times carried a compelling report titled “Faith leaders demand freedom of religion guarantees at Korea conference”. The piece by Andrew Salmon spotlights a five-day Conference for World Religious Leaders held in Seoul, South Korea. Drawing over 300 faith leaders from across the globe, the gathering was more than symbolic – it was, according to the paper, a united appeal for the protection of religious freedom amidst rising authoritarian and democratic pressures throughout Asia.

Setting and Purpose

The Washington Times piece is written in a fairly straightforward, factual journalistic voice. Salmon manages to convey well the conference’s sense of urgency and moral seriousness.

Tageldin (Taj) Hamad, president of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), the conference’s organizer, framed the meeting as a vital response to mounting threats against worshippers. From the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar to restrictive policies in China and the criminalization of Bible distribution in North Korea – religious freedoms are under siege across the region. Hamad’s words – “something sacred is under threat: That is our shared spiritual heritage” – anchor the gathering in a deeply empathetic and spiritual rationale for action.

Broadening the Scope: Modern Threats to Spirituality

Conference speakers didn’t limit their concerns to overt religious persecution. Patriarch George Stallings Jr. offered a broader critique: the very structure of modern civilization – driven by science, technology, and institutional efficiency – is gradually constricting the space for spiritual life. He invited attendees to reaffirm religion’s indispensable role as the moral compass and the soul of societies, counterbalancing laws with values and conscience.

A Three-Point Declaration

The religious leaders crafted a focused, three-part declaration:

1. Prayer for religious freedom – asserting it as “universal and inalienable”, to be upheld by both national constitutions and international norms.
2. Interfaith solidarity – rooted in shared values of truth, conscience, and spirituality.
3. Commitment to universal values – truth, love, justice, and peace, seen as the ethical foundation derived from religious traditions.
   This declaration emphasizes unity without diluting the particular strengths of different faith traditions, a clear strength of the approach.

Complexities: Family Federation in Legal and Political Crosshairs

A nuanced tension runs through the article, as the UPF is closely linked with the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification – formerly the Unification Church – which has ownership ties to The Washington Times. The Federation is under scrutiny: In Japan, it faces dissolution proceedings over alleged “spiritual sales”; in South Korea, it’s embroiled in investigations tied to former first lady Kim Keon-hee. Kim is accused of accepting luxury gifts from a former Federation official through a shaman intermediary.

In response, Federation leaders claim political victimization, asserting that their anti-communism stance has made them a target, particularly by left-wing groups. Such allegations make it of course harder to get the message across and underscore at the same time that any religious organization today must be able to navigate legal and reputational minefields.

Impact and Call to Action

Strong criticism was voiced when South Korean authorities raided the Family Federation and other worship sites – raids decried by speakers as violations of religious freedom.

U.S. Bishop Nancy Rosario called the conference “a clarion call […] to expand the movement for continued global peace without fear of persecution,” reinforcing the message that this moment demands courageous and collective responses.

Yet, as Patriarch Stallings insisted, declarations alone are insufficient:

“Talk is not going to cut it […]. You have to put your feet to your faith.”

He urged religious leaders to go beyond rhetoric,

“The religious leadership of our churches is spiritually impotent [if] they cannot bring any kind of challenge to situations where we see religious persecution rearing its ugly head.”

Stallings suggested that “any movement to promote the declaration’s three points” should ground itself in grassroots action and spiritual reawakening.

Analysis and Reflections

The article by Andrew Salmon offers a compelling blend of vision and vulnerability. On one hand, the conference stands as a beacon of interfaith solidarity, moral clarity, and spiritual hope. The three-point declaration offers a polished framework that could galvanize global religious communities. The urgency is palpable, and the ethical appeal strongly resonates.

On the other hand, the UPF’s affiliation with a religious movement facing serious allegations shows how vulnerable and exposed today’s champions of religious liberty are. We live in a world where totalitarian regimes constantly work to export their anti-religious narrative to democratic societies like Japan and South Korea. And those regimes do not lack supporters in the free world. Unless one’s faith is firmly rooted in strong conviction and a clear understanding of being in the middle of a battle between good and evil forces – and a veritable information war – the sense of urgency of the freedom-of-religion message is easily lost.

The Washington Times piece conveys well how serious the situation is for the cause of religious liberty. On one hand, the article celebrates a powerful, collective spiritual awakening among global faith leaders. At the same time, Salmon points out how advocates of freedom of religion or faith are up against powerful forces scheming to take hard-won freedoms away.

See also Religious Freedom: 330 Faith Leaders Speak Up

Text: Knut Holdhus

Featured image above: From the press conference in Seoul on 7th August 2025, that was part of the World Religious Leaders Conference 2025. Screenshot from video by FFWPU.

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