Attorney mATTHEW mCWHORTER - AUTHOR OF CANON CROSSFIRE

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS:

Biblical Scholar & Author Matthew McWhorter Warns of the Rise of Christian Martyrdom /Church Burnings/& Legal Prosecution of Prayer 

Christian persecution is indeed on the rise worldwide, with recent developments in Quebec restricting public prayer, ongoing arrests in the UK and France tied to silent prayer, and mass killings of Christians in Nigeria and an extreme amount of Churches vandalized and burned in France. Global reports confirm escalating violence, suppression, and discrimination against Christians across multiple regions.

Matthew McWhorter—retired attorney, committed Christian, and bestselling author of Canon Crossfire (currently #1 on Amazon)—is a powerful guest to address the escalating crisis of Christian persecution worldwide. With decades of experience at top law firms, McWhorter brings unmatched legal insight into how governments are codifying restrictions on prayer and worship: Quebec’s Bill 9 banning public prayer in schools and parks, the UK’s buffer zone laws criminalizing silent prayer, and France’s secularism statutes that police prayer-related gatherings. He explains how these measures erode fundamental freedoms of conscience and speech, setting dangerous precedents for democratic societies.

 As a Biblical scholar whose research into the earliest Christians sheds new light on the question of what Scriptures are authentic, he also highlights the historical perspective: "The original Church was a martyr Church.  So many of the earliest Christians were martyred, and yet over and over we find pagans and non-believers becoming Christian knowing full well they would become martyrs themselves. The history of Christianity is a long string of persecutions, and we in what once was "Western Civilization" are returning to that status, as a new cycle of martyrdom begins." 

At the same time, McWhorter speaks as a believer who sees the devastating rise of Christian persecution globally: in Nigeria, more than 7,000 Christians have been murdered in 2025 alone, often during worship services, while international watchdogs confirm persecution is rising across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. He connects the legal suppression in the West with the violent persecution abroad, showing how both are part of a broader trend to silence Christian witnesses. 

As a guest, McWhorter offers sharp legal analysis, grounded faith, and headline-ready clarity: “From bans to bloodshed, the same strategy is being used to mute the true Gospel,” says McWhorter. “I wonder how many Evangelicals know that scripture taught by Jesus and the Apostles are not even in their current day bibles. Suppression of speech historically has been used by those wanting to silence God's word. False gospels are spread by those who want to use Christianity for their own ends. 

Governments are continuing to do that today and that's why protecting prayer protects liberty for all,” says McWhorter “This is an urgent call for churches, lawmakers, and citizens to act.” Matthew McWhorter is the rare voice who can speak both as a seasoned attorney and as a Christian scholar, making him the ideal spokesperson on this issue at a moment when persecution is undeniably on the rise.

Quebec – New Law Against Public Prayer
Bill 9 (2025): Quebec introduced legislation expanding secularism laws, banning public prayer in parks, universities, and other public institutions.

The law also restricts religious meals in schools and extends bans on religious symbols to daycare workers.

Critics argue this effectively closes the public square to prayer, framing it as a suppression of religious freedom.  

United Kingdom – Arrests for Silent Prayer
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, a Catholic campaigner, has been repeatedly arrested for silently praying near abortion clinics under new “buffer zone” laws 

Though acquitted once, she has faced multiple investigations, compensation payouts, and ongoing legal uncertainty.

The UK government is considering strengthening laws to explicitly criminalize silent prayer near abortion facilities.

France – Nearly half of 2,500 anti-Christian hate crimes in Europe were in France

Arrests Linked to Prayer

While most recent arrests in France involve protests and espionage cases 

Christian groups report growing restrictions on public religious expression, especially in contexts where prayer is seen as protest.

France’s secularism laws already limit religious gatherings in public spaces, and arrests tied to demonstrations have raised concerns among Christian advocates that prayer-related activities are being policed. 

Notable church fires and arson trends in France

Notre-Dame de Paris (2019): Catastrophic blaze during renovation; official investigations pointed to accident, not arson, but it catalyzed public attention to church fire risks and security gaps.

Saint-Pierre, Romilly-la-Puthenaye (Normandy, 2021): 16th-century church destroyed by fire; highlighted heritage vulnerability and prompted national alarm within heritage circles.

Increase in criminal church fires (2023–2024): Territorial intelligence reported a surge, with 38 recorded cases of criminal arson against churches in 2023 and a 30% rise in 2024; notable blazes cited in Rouen, Saint-Omer, and Poitiers.

Saint-Omer (2024): Church of the Immaculate Conception ravaged by arson, widely covered as part of escalating anti-Christian incidents.

Pattern across multiple sites: Watchdog and press analyses describe dozens of church fires and vandalism cases in recent years, with mixed causes (arson, negligence, infrastructure aging), but a clear uptick in hostile acts targeting Christian sites.

Anti-Christian attacks and persecution-related news in France
Scale of incidents: Europe-wide reports document nearly 2,500 anti-Christian hate crimes in a recent period, with roughly 1,000 occurring in France, indicating France as a hotspot for such offenses.

“Christianophobia” debate

Coverage notes renewed public concern over attacks on churches, religious symbols, and believers, framing the issue as a challenge to Christian presence in public life; public rallies in Paris have sought to break the silence.

Nigeria – Mass Killings of Christians
Nigeria has become one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian. Human rights groups estimate more than 52,000 Christians have been killed in the country since 2009. This year alone, more than 7,000 have already been murdered and thousands more kidnapped. Advocacy groups say more than 19,000 churches have been destroyed and millions of believers displaced from their homes.

Reports show over 7,000 Christians killed in Nigeria in the first seven months of 2025, averaging 30–35 deaths per day.

Attacks are carried out by jihadist groups like Boko Haram and Fulani militants, often during worship services. The U.S. has designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious persecution, pressuring its government to act.

 FOR INTERVIEWS CONTACT: CJ WHEELER - 858-472-4285 - cjradionews@gmail.com

Learn more at www.CanonCrossFire.com  

 All proceeds from the book are donated.

  Once Taught by The Apostles, But Missing Today from Your Bible

Guest Available:  Attorney, Former Atheist Matthew McWhorter - Author of 'Canon Crossfire" Investigates The Bible, and His Findings Will Surprise You!

Media Contact: CJ Wheeler - 858-472-4285 - cjradionews@gmail.com

What Are the “Missing Books” of the Bible?

Historically, several ancient texts were once widely read by early Christians and Jews, taught by the Apostles, but were later excluded from the canon. These include:

• Tobit
• Judith
• Wisdom of Solomon
• Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)
• Baruch
• 1 & 2 Maccabees
• Additions to Esther and Daniel – including Susanna”
• 1 Enoch and others

These texts—often called the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books—were included in early versions of the Septuagint and Christian Bible Codices but were later removed or sidelined during the Protestant Reformation and other canon debates.

SAMPLE OF MATTHEW MCWHORTER'S BOOK AND INVESTIGATION: 

“Susanna [an Apocrypha] is true, but was concealed and removed from the Scriptures by men themselves not very far removed from the counsel of these elders.… removed by these rulers of Sodom, as the Spirit would call them. …” Origen’s letter to Africanus, 248 AD. www.newadvent.org/fathers/0414.htm. Origen’s writings are “the main source of information on the use of the texts that were later officially canonized as the New Testament,” and he is referring to the Jewish leaders who removed Susanna from their Jewish canon.  "A century and a half later, Jerome (390 AD) would develop his idea of Hebraica Veritas, the concept that the canon as the Jews of his time accepted it is the true original Christian canon – a view directly contrary to the evidence provided by Origen’s much earlier letter.  But it is Jerome’s view (coming 360 years after Christ, as far removed from His preaching as we are from the Great Plague that caused young student Isaac Newton to abandon his formal studies, flee Cambridge University, and invent the theory of Gravity and calculus) that would lead Protestants to eliminate Susanna from their own canon of Scripture - even though that is a step that Jerome himself refused to take, saying that 'the man who makes this a charge against me proves himself to be a fool and a slanderer; for I explained not what I thought but what they commonly say against us.'" - Matthew McWhorter

A Lawyer’s Life-or-Death Investigation

Matthew McWhorter wasn’t looking for God—he was trying to disprove Him. A successful attorney and self-described atheist, McWhorter faced a devastating health crisis that nearly ended his life. With time running out, he turned his legal training toward a new case: Was Jesus real? Was the resurrection a hoax? What he found shocked him. “I approached it like any other investigation,” McWhorter says. 

“No theology. No filters. Just evidence.” It is the historical evidentiary record that he found in his research that led him to the so-called missing books—texts that, in his view, reinforce the resurrection narrative and fill in critical gaps about the nature of God, the early church, and the spiritual war still raging today.I am not a Roman Catholic apologist attacking Protestantism: Protestants brought the Case for Christ.

I was an atheist lawyer who reviewed the evidence. My verdict: Christianity is true, and the Protestant Bible is missing books that the Apostles taught.  - Matthew McWhorter 

Canon Crossfire: The Book and the Backlash

McWhorter’s findings are now compiled in his new book, Canon Crossfire, available at CanonCrossfire.com. 

In it, he argues that the removal of these texts has distorted the public’s understanding of Jesus, especially His authority, His fulfillment of prophecy, and the spiritual dimensions of His mission. He recently sat down with top rated podcaster Sarah Westall to discuss his journey from skepticism to faith, and why he believes every Christian—and every seeker—should read the books that were left out.  Please Watch!

Canon Crossfire: Does the Protestant Bible Blow Up the Case for Christianity? is a legal-style deep dive into the biblical canon. It’s bold, thoroughly researched, and spiritually honest.

McWhorter doesn’t argue for inspiration—he argues for consistency. And he shows how early Christians embraced books like Susanna, Baruch, and Wisdom with the same reverence they gave the Gospels.

This isn’t just theology—it’s a spiritual thriller for anyone who’s ever asked, “Can I really trust the Bible?”

 FOR INTERVIEWS CONTACT: CJ WHEELER - 858-472-4285 - cjradionews@gmail.com
Learn more at www.CanonCrossFire.com  
 All proceeds from the book are donated.

AVAILABLE FOR TV, RADIO, AND PRINT NATIONWIDE