Barron, Robert Bishop. What do their deaths demand? Christian persecution today. 2026: Word on Fire. ISBN: 9781685783754

              It is only fitting that my first book review post should be a review of the short book written by a preeminent Catholic scholar and evangelist, his excellency, Bishop Robert Barron regarding the persecution of the Body of Christ, His Church, throughout the 20^th century. As he rightly notes on the back cover summary of the book, “The twentieth century saw more Christian martyrs than all the other centuries combined, yet this violence against Christians, in both word and deed, continues to this day.” (Barron, 2026, Back Cover) In fact, in his forward to this succinct, yet important work, his eminence, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, notes “It is hard to believe that even today – indeed, I would say especially today – many of our Christian brother’s and sisters around the world are suffering because of their faith. This book by Bishop Robert Barron comes at a crucial moment. It is a raw, necessary, and urgent testimony.” (Barron, 2026, p. ix)

              At a time in world history where materialism and secularism have risen to such prominence that many have lost their Faith, and those who still hold on to their Faith, find it difficult to justify their belief in a world beyond the senses; the martyrs serve as a reminder that Jesus has overcome death through His own ultimate sacrifice and that love for Him triumphs over death. This small tome provides an antidote to the secularism and materialism of our world by bringing us back to what is important, the ultimate truth of our existence which is love itself as expressed in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. For through Christ, we are redeemed, and in Him we are saved. The martyrs knew this and gave up everything, including their own life, as witness to their undying Faith, Hope, and Charity towards our Lord Jesus Christ. By paying the ultimate price for their Faith, they have been given the ultimate reward – a seat at the table with our Heavenly Father sharing in the light of the Beatific Vision for all eternity.

              In his book, Bishop Barron first declares forcefully and without apology that Christianity is by far the most persecuted religion in the world today. From the murder of Father Jacques Hamel in France in 2016 to the persecution and murder of Christians in the Middle East, Nigeria, North Korea, and China; and in the desecration of Churches in the United States; Bishop Barron spends his first chapter providing the evidence and outlining his conviction that Christianity, and Catholicism in particular, is the most persecuted religion in the world, and has been throughout the 20^th century. But Bishop Barron does not want us to despair, on the contrary, he writes this book to help us understand the promise and the fruits of such witness to Faith, Hope, and Charity.

              In the second chapter, Bishop Barron answers the difficult question of “why the persecution of Christians?” As he so clearly denotes in the opening paragraphs to this wonderfully written explanation of the “why” of martyrdom, “It is of supreme importance to notice a difference between the manner in which the great religious founders died.” (Barron, 2026, p. 26) He then notes that Buddha died at an old age surrounded by his disciples, Confucius and Moses died of old age, and Muhammad died in bed from an illness. He then goes on to write one of the most profound truths of the Catholic Faith:

              And then there is Jesus.

              Jesus died at the age of approximately thirty-three, nailed to a terrible instrument of torture, with an animal cry of abandonment on his lips. His disciples, save one, had denied, betrayed, and fled from him. By all accounts, it seemed clear that His movement would die with Him. Among His last words were “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34). Hatred of Jesus, persecution of Jesus to the point of death, marked Christianity from the beginning. (Barron, 2026, p. 26-27)

              As Bishop Barron notes, the death of a movement’s leader in such a gruesome and painful way should have detracted his followers from continuing his mission, and yet Christianity not only endured, but flourished, not because of His death, but rather because of what His death accomplished, which is the ultimate victory over death. For Christ not only suffered and died, but as the Scriptures bear witness, he was also resurrected and thus conquered death once and for all. It is this truth, a truth which the apostles bore witness to in their own martyrdom that changed the world forever. No longer did we need to fear death for death no longer had the final word.

              And for this truth Christians are persecuted. Christ Himself made clear that those who would follow Him will suffer as He did, not all resulting in martyrdom, but suffer none-the-less. As Christ made clear during the last supper:

              If the world hates you realize that it hated me first. If you belong to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin; but as it is they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me also hates my Father. (John 15: 18-23)

              Jesus made it clear to His follower’s that they would suffer for their faith, and yet, despite knowing this, eleven of the twelve apostles remained loyal to, and followed Christ, and all but one of those eleven were martyred for their witness. The fact that the apostles, and at least one of their wives (Simon Peter’s), who lived and witnessed to Christ our Lord directly would willingly take up the cross of martyrdom is a testament to the truth of His teachings, His resurrection from the dead, and of our Faith. No one dies willingly for a lie. Such witness continued throughout the past 2000 years with such noted martyrs as Saint Stephen (the first recorded martyr in scripture), St. Paul of Tarsus, Saint Thomas More, St. Joan of Arc, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Maria Teresa Goretti, St. Oscar Romero, St. Andrew Kim Taegon, St. Boniface, and St. Catherine of Alexandria, to name just a few.

              Fortunately, Bishop Barron also answers the question to the title of his book in the chapter entitled, “So What Can We Do?” In this final chapter, Bishop Barron makes it clear that we should not despair in the ongoing persecution of the Church since Christ has already won the final victory, but we should also not bury our head in the sand. We must “take action.” As Bishop Barron so eloquently writes in the opening paragraph to his final chapter:

              So are we left in a lurch, compelled to resign ourselves to the inevitability of anti-Christian persecution? By no means. Just as the great martyrs stood up to their opponents, so we must stand up to ours. But we must utilize the same nonviolent gospel methods that our courageous forebears employed. (Barron, 2026, p 53)

              He then concludes with six concrete actions that all Catholics can take against the persecution of the Body of Christ as follows:

1. Pray for the Persecuted
2. Stay Informed
3. Persuade the Government to Take Action
4. Provide Aid to the Persecuted
5. Respect Religious Liberty at Home
6. Resist “soft” Religious Persecution

If I may be so bold, and with no disrespect to Bishop Barron, I would add a 7^th action we can take – Pray for the Persecutors – for even Saul (known to us as Saint Paul) who persecuted Christ and his disciples, was not beyond God’s saving grace and was himself martyred. We must pray for the conversion of those who persecute Christ as much as we pray for those being persecuted. For through Mary’s intersession and Christ’s mercy, even those living in the darkest night may have their eyes opened to the truth of God’s love.

Additionally, Bishop Barron puts words into action donating the proceeds of the sale of this book directly to those persecuted Christians in Nigeria through Aid to the Church in Need. If the Holy Spirit moves you to do so, please use the link for Aid to the Church in Need to make a donation to help persecuted Christians throughout the world.

To Jesus Through Mary.

May God Bless You This Day, And Every Day!  

References:

1. Barron, Robert. What Do Their Death’s Demand? Christian persecution today. 2026. Word on Fire Catholic Ministry. ISBN: 978-1-68578-375-4. Back Cover, Page ix, Pages 26-27, 53

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