Christian Persecution Letter Writing Project

3,490 Christians were killed for their faith in Nigeria in 2025 (BBC, 2025), and 2,830 were kidnapped in 2026 (Open Doors, 2026). This is just one of many countries where our brothers and sisters are facing great persecution for their faith.

The following is how I came across the extent of the horrors faced by so many Christians around the world, and what I hope is a small way to help. Data shows that Christians are currently the largest group affected by religious persecution. But, this issue also extends more broadly to people of other faiths too, such as the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community who are facing violence in parts of Pakistan.

This summer, I went to the WeBelieve Festival at St Mary’s College, Oscott. One of the talks was from Ribqa Nevash, who spoke about growing up as a Christian in Pakistan, being bullied because of her faith and eventually having to flee the country after receiving death threats.

She was speaking as part of Aid to the Church in Need’s Article 18 campaign, which calls for the protection of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. To learn more of the truly horrendous storys of other chirstians i would recomend you read the Aid to the Church in Need publication report. Hearing her story made me think about how little many of our students know about Christians around the world who still face persecution simply because of their faith.

This inspired me to create a Christian Persecution display in my classroom.

At the centre is a map showing where Christians face persecution around the world today. I also show the history of the Church persecution through the many saints of the Church who has died for Christ. As Tertullian wrote "the oftener we are mown down by you, the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians is the seed of the Church"

I didn't want the display just to tell students that persecution exists. I wanted them to do something about it.

This led to our Sixth Form Letter-Writing Project. Students write letters of encouragement and support to Christians who are imprisoned or facing persecution because of their faith, as well as to people of other religions who have been denied their dignity and religious freedom.

My hope is that the project helps students realise that Christian persecution is not simply something from the time of the Roman Empire. For millions of Christians, courageously practising their faith is still a reality today.

And while our students might not be affected by persecution, a prayer, a letter or fundraising reminds our persecuted brothers and sisters suffering for their faith that they have not been forgotten.