We are glad that IJRF is continuing to catch up on its backlog. Although this volume is labelled as 2018, its publication occurs in early 2021. Some of the articles had their genesis in papers presented at the Second International Researchers Consultation on Freedom of Religion or Belief, held at Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, Brazil, on 17-18 September 2020 by IIRF and its partners. Many papers are current to 2018 but some have been updated to 2020. This issue covers a wide variety of topics from a truly global array of authors. Several authors show that Christians face marginalization, particularly in the West, for their faith. Christians can even be marginalized within their religious communities. But we are also aware that Christians face death for their faith and we honour those who have been martyred for their faith. We are very pleased to include an opinion piece by former Canadian MP David Anderson about the founding of the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB). Anderson was one of the founding parliamentarians in this organization and still plays an active role in it. Dennis Petri provides a literature review on some of the current important theoretical frameworks for observing violations of the religious freedom of religious minorities. He evaluates these frameworks and explains why a more comprehensive framework is necessary. Leah Farish writes on the origins of the US Bill of Rights’ provision on religious freedom, arguing that it has its genesis in the Westminster Confession. The US is often seen as a model of religious freedom, and understanding the origins of the peculiar wording in the First Amendment may prove helpful to ensure its robust interpretation. André Fagundes and Eugenia Relaño Pastor have both contributed articles analysing religious freedom in Europe, where Christians experience marginalization for their faith. Fagundes focuses on a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of a Christian denomination in Moldova that was denied recognition. Pastor considers judgements addressing the autonomy of religious organizations in the light of employees’ right to be free of discrimination on religious grounds. Sindy Oliveira Nobre Santiago and Fernanda Bezerra Martins Feitoza analyse the law relating to religious education in Brazil. They apply international law to argue for a broad interpretation of the freedom to learn and teach in the context of one’s faith. Father Mishek Mudyiwa examines apostasy claims against the first indigenous Catholic priest in Zimbabwe. He argues that this was a situation of persecution within the Roman Catholic Church and that it carries overtones of colonization. Finally, Marisol Lopez Menendez documents martyrs for their faith in Latin America from the 1920s to the present. These martyrs have paid the ultimate price for their faith and we honour their memory. The “Noteworthy” section was compiled by student researcher Monica Rawlek Elizondo and me, but we continue to search for an editor dedicated specifically to this valuable section. Our new book review editor, Werner Nel, and I collaborated on the book reviews in this issue. We welcome papers from a wide variety of disciplines that relate to religious freedom. These can include academic articles, opinion pieces, reports, interviews and book reviews. Please see www.iirf.eu for submission guidelines and deadlines. The journal is available online at no charge or by subscription in hard copy format. Yours for religious freedom, Prof Dr Janet Epp Buckingham Executive Editorweiterlesen