Student Staff Project Update by Angela Kim

After completing a significant portion of the project with regards to the restriction on speaking about God in schools in Mongolia, I have faced many obstacles, but through the encouragement of Professor Ernie Walton and my team member So Park, I was able to get a step closer in completing my portion of the project.

My portion of the project required researching facts and situations in different countries that deal with proselytization. In the beginning, I did not know where to begin, but slowly realized that the countries were divided up to three levels in terms of proselytization. Some countries prohibit proselytization through promulgated law, whereas other countries prohibit proselytization de facto. And of course, in some countries, proselytization is permitted. Libya serves as an example of a country that prohibits proselytization by law. In Libya, proselytization is considered a criminal offense and punishable by the death penalty. Churches, in order to comply with the law in Libya, sign “tacit agreements” with the government not to proselytize. As recently as 2013, four Christian missionaries were arrested for printing and distributing Christian books and proselytizing.

Prohibiting proselytization de facto occurs when a country does not prohibit proselytization through actual law, but through the practice of the government. This occurs in countries, like Egypt, for example, which does not legally forbid proselytization, but in practice it is not permitted. This is seen through the acts of police officers, such as detaining or harassing those accused of proselytizing. And finally, many countries do not prohibit proselytization either through the law or de facto and allow their citizens to freely share their faith.

Unfortunately, I have yet succeeded in finding a specific happening in Mongolia that shows the view of government with regards to proselytism. Therefore, my portion of the project suggests that because Mongolia grants freedom of religion in its Constitution, and neither statutory law nor government practices prohibit proselytization, Mongolia should fit under the category of countries that do not limit proselytization.

This post was written by a Center for Global Justice student staff member.  The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.