Most people, most of the time, are fundamentally decent. Hence if they knew that there’s a minority facing an epidemic of persecution — a staggering total of 150,000 martyrs every year, meaning 17 deaths every hour — there would almost certainly be a groundswell of moral and political outrage. There is such a minority in Read more
Media reports present the Syrian conflict as a battle waged by President Bashar al-Assad against his people struggling for human rights, but Christian observers warn the situation is much more complicated, with foreign interests — including al-Qaeda — playing key roles. “The situation is much more complex and difficult to assess than the media in Read more
We Christians have a remarkable talent for sticking our feet in our mouths. When searching the words most commonly associated with “Christian,” the list ain’t pretty. I think part of this can be attributed to a handful of phrases that, if stricken from our vocabulary, might make us a little more tolerable. Yes, these things Read more
Nicola Gray sits in her cosy kitchen, warmed by a large Sweetheart stove smouldering as the winter sun trickles through pink stained glass windows, creating patterns on the wooden walls and cupboards. Meat defrosts slowly on the bench for the evening meal that Nicola will prepare for husband Randal and children Samalah, 23 and Daniel, Read more
Britain’s Chief Rabbi and the Archbishop of Canterbury have declared conflicting positions about a Government plan to legalise same-sex marriages. For the Chief Rabbi, Lord Sacks, any attempt to redefine marriage would undermine the character of a sacred institution recognised “from time immemorial”. For the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, the Anglican Church is Read more
It is a phenomenon not often spoken about; but the Arabic peninsula, homeland of Islam, pullulates with Christians. For most of them the next few days will be a rare and limited moment of visibility, after which they return to living a very discreet life of faith. It is almost a subterranean community in Saudi Read more
Christians are a dying breed in Britain and their rights to follow their faith need protection, according to a committee of MPs and peers. The cross-party Christians in Parliament group will warn this week of widespread lack of “religious literacy” among the country’s judges, politicians and officials. The study follows a series of rulings by Read more
Christians from two churches in Malaysia rejected a requirement that they will need a police permit to sing Christmas carols in their parishes or their homes. Bishop Paul Tan Chee Ing, head of the Malaysian bishops’ conference, told Vatican-based Fides news that the country will soon be in “a police state” if authorities continue demanding Read more
Christians in Iraq continue to be scared of fresh violence, according to Fr Amir Jae, the superior of the Dominican order in Baghdad. Jae, who is also vicar to the Arab World told Aid to the Church in Need that “Living in Iraq means living in fear.” There is nowhere people can feel safe and Read more
Many of China’s churches are overflowing, as the number of Christians in the country multiplies. In the past, repression drove people to convert – is the cause now rampant capitalism?
It is impossible to say how many Christians there are in China today, but government figures estimate there are already more Chinese at church on a Sunday than in the whole of Europe.
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