Episode Details

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, part of our America 250 series exploring faith's role in shaping the American story, Dr. Mark Turman sits down with Knox Thames, a human rights lawyer, former State Department special advisor under both Presidents Obama and Trump, and now executive director of the Everett Center for Global Religious Freedom at Dallas Baptist University, for a wide-ranging conversation on religious liberty and freedom of conscience. Knox draws on Acts 5 and America's founding legacy, including John Leland's influence on the First Amendment, to frame why religious freedom is both a biblical value and a cornerstone of democratic life. He explains why the global persecution of billions of believers demands the church's attention, and why Christians in particular should champion religious freedom for everyone, not just their own.

Knox outlines four types of persecution found around the world: authoritarian repression, extremist mob violence, democratic majoritarianism, and terrorism, and proposes a practical framework for response built on consistency, coalitions, call-outs, and consequences. The conversation also touches on moving advocacy stories from his years of frontline work, his own unexpected path into this calling, and the graphic novel Blood and Water, which tells the story of Pakistani martyr Shahbaz Bhatti. Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of how prayer, church engagement, and thoughtful policy can together advance freedom of conscience across the globe.

Topics

(0:00) Introduction

(2:38) America's religious liberty roots

(5:34) Why persecution matters

(8:13) Good Samaritan framework

(11:02) Launching the Everett Center

(16:43) Confessional states today

(20:26) Pandemic of persecution

(27:56) Knox's personal calling

(36:10) Four faces of persecution

(41:18) Shahbaz Bhatti story

(49:33) Gen Z and calling

(54:09) Conclusion

Resources

• Everett Center for Global Religious Freedom
• Global Religious Freedom Gathering
• Ending Persecution: Charting the Path to Global Religious Freedom 
• Blood & Water: The Life and Martyrdom of Shahbaz Bhatti 
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About Knox Thames

Knox Thames is an international human rights lawyer and advocate who served under both the Obama and Trump administrations as the Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South/Central Asia. Since leaving the State Department, he has continued his mission through powerful storytelling—authoring the book Ending Persecution and producing the poignant graphic novel Blood & Water, which chronicles the life of Pakistani martyr Shahbaz Bhatti.

He currently serves as th