Recorded 1,384 Attacks Against U.S. Churches Since 2018, Gun Violence Surges

A disturbing trend has emerged in the United States with a significant rise in hostility and violence against Christian churches and schools, including shootings, arson, vandalism, and bomb threats. Between 2018 and 2024, there were 1,384 documented incidents targeting churches, with a sharp increase starting in 2022, according to the Family Research Council. Recent tragic events include the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minnesota, where two children were killed and many others injured, and a deadly attack at Pursuit Church in Seattle, highlighting the grave dangers faced by religious communities. Experts link these attacks to broader cultural shifts, including declining church attendance, increasing societal hostility toward Christianity, and the erosion of respect for religious sanctuaries. Critics also note a pattern of political and media responses that appear to downplay the anti-Christian motives behind such attacks, focusing instead on other social issues. These developments underscore an urgent crisis for religious freedom and safety, as places once considered sanctuaries become targets in America's cultural and political conflicts.