Displaying items by tag: Middle East

The Christian communities of Syria and Iraq are in the middle of a ‘cataclysmic crisis’, a report warns. Their very existence is in peril, as the world witnesses one of the greatest threats to the Church in the Middle East since its birth over 2,000 years ago. Christians are facing targeted persecution and leaving Syria and Iraq at an increasing rate. If this rate of emigration continues, within a few years the Christian communities in these countries will be utterly devastated. The report warns that war in Syria and Iraq has ‘unleashed a tidal wave of violent persecution’, which has targeted the highly vulnerable Christian population and has dramatically accelerated the flight of Christians from Iraq and Syria. Before 2011, Syrian Christians numbered about eight per cent of the population of 22 million: today about half are believed to have left the country. Before 2003, there were around 1.5 million Christians in Iraq, less than five per cent of the population: now, estimates hover between 200,000 and 250,000. Those who have left often have no hope or expectation of return.

2017 is set to be fraught with challenges for the people of the Middle East, Christian and Muslim alike. A brief summary: 1) Iraq will remain precarious, even though the battle to retake Mosul is making progress: Shiite-dominated rulers in Baghdad face conflict with an unwilling Sunni minority. 2) Turkey’s stability is threatened by challenges from IS and from Kurdish militants, who have killed some 1,000 Turkish soldiers in the last two years. 3) There are hopeful signs in Iran, though changes could be slowed by the death of former President Rafsanjani and the expectation of more hostile US policies under Donald Trump. The poor health of supreme leader Ali Khamenei might mean a potential leadership change soon, which could have serious implications for the entire region. 4) The mood in Syria seems to be turning towards a ceasefire and acceptance of Assad staying on as president, at least in the short term. 5) Egypt is expected to see new protests and tensions with continued terrorism, and the economy will remain the number one challenge. The whole region remains in much need of continuing prayer: yet every challenging phase is also a chance for Christians to rise up as salt and light, and to offer reconciliation and restoration where they are desperately needed.

For some time now, Iran has had the infamous reputation of being one of the most dangerous countries to be a Christian. However, Christianity is taking root in an ongoing revival for Jesus. Hundreds of Iranians as well as Afghans were baptised in November. It is thought that twenty years ago there were 2,000-5,000 Christian believers in Iran: that number has grown more than tenfold since then. At least 300,000-400,000 former Muslims now live new lives in Christ. TBN Nejat TV, a broadcasting ministry, has also seen astounding harvests. Since its launch in 2006, as many as five million Iranian Muslims have begun a new life in Christ as a result of the network. TBN reports that it has helped to establish and disciple over 90 underground churches in Iran, Afghanistan, Kurdistan and other Farsi-speaking areas.