Christian mission takes place in a world with increasing interreligious tensions, including violence and persecution. Politics, economics, religion, ethnicity and other factors play a role in these tensions. Christians too are involved in such conflicts, sometimes as those who are persecuted and sometimes as these participating in violence. Freedom of religion and belief is a core value in the UN Human Rights Declaration. At the same time it is a core biblical value. Obstacles to and attacks on freedom of belief are therefore a central concern for witnessing to Christ. The purpose of this volume on Freedom of Belief and Christian Mission is to bring to public attention a broad overview on the history, development and perspectives on the role of mission and freedom of belief and to reflect on these issues within a context of authentic witness in mission.

Timely, enlightening and encouraging. This volume comes at a time when the Churches are faced with new challenges to religious freedom. Their respense however needs to be grounded in an objective study of what is at stake, as well as of why and where these difficulties are arising. The present collection of essays offers a very useful reflection on the entire question. And it does se in a way that invites Christians to courageous witness to the Gospel with respect for the dignity and freedom of all

Bishop Brian Farrell, Pentifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Vatican City