We, of course, care deeply about defending our fellow Christians, but one does not have to share our religious conviction to see the moral obligation that belongs to us as Americans. With our many blessings comes a duty to stand on the side of the oppressed, which is why a pillar of American foreign policy has always been moral clarity. Sadly, today that pillar is crumbling.

To combat this troubling trend, the two of us have worked closely together toward the successful re-authorization of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which is an independent body tasked with monitoring religious freedom abroad and making recommendations to the president and Congress. But as important as this commission’s work is, it can only do so much without a president or State Department willing to take its counsel seriously.

This starts with leaders who are unafraid to send a message to the world by meeting with embattled Middle Eastern Christians, political dissidents and former prisoners of conscience. Our political leaders should have the courage to hold adversaries and allies alike to a high standard. For example, China must be made to understand that its suppression of religious freedom will no longer be shrugged off as a mere “internal affair.” And nations throughout the Middle East — including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan — should be challenged on their blasphemy laws.

Our commitment to global religious freedom is not just about strong diplomacy.