WASHINGTON — Pastor Andrew Brunson, the American missionary whose imprisonment in Turkey became an international religious-freedom case, has been appointed to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) by President Donald Trump.
USCIRF announced the appointment on Sept. 16, along with the appointments of Bishop Robert Barron and former White House Domestic Policy Council Director Joe Grogan. The independent, bipartisan federal commission monitors religious freedom conditions around the world and makes policy recommendations to the president, secretary of state and Congress.
From Missionary to Prisoner
Brunson spent 23 years serving as a pastor and missionary in Turkey before Turkish authorities detained him in 2016.
His detention developed into a major diplomatic dispute between the United States and Turkey. Brunson faced charges including support for a terrorist organization and espionage. USCIRF advocated for Brunson while he remained imprisoned and sent representatives to observe his court proceedings.
After approximately two years in detention, a Turkish court convicted Brunson of aiding terrorism in October 2018. The court credited his time already served toward his sentence and released him. Brunson subsequently returned to the United States.
A Remarkable Turn
Eight years after his release, Brunson now joins the federal commission that once advocated for his freedom.
USCIRF described Brunson as a former missionary who was arrested on false charges and detained for two years. Since returning to the United States, Brunson has written the memoir God’s Hostage and leads WaveStarters, a ministry focused on Christians facing persecution worldwide.
His appointment places someone with firsthand experience of imprisonment over a religious-freedom dispute in a position to help shape recommendations concerning persecution abroad.
USCIRF Vice Chair CeCe Heil said the new appointments restore the commission’s full bipartisan composition and support its work of advancing religious freedom internationally.
For Brunson, the appointment marks an unusual journey: from missionary, to prisoner, to advocate—and now commissioner.
Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. Readers are advised to conduct thorough research before making any decisions. Source: Christian News & Investigative Reports (CNIR) — cnirbc.com
