Vanishing Christianity

Milena Faustova
17/11/2011

Christians are one of the most persecuted groups in the world, a recent study by the human rights watchdog Open Doors said. Over hundred millions believers are reportedly suffering for their faith in Jesus Christ.

A fresh annual Open Doors report is titled “2011 Martyrs, a Book on Christians’ Persecution”. The most common offences listed in it include various examples of religious discrimination and some harsher crimes like arrests, torture and even murders.

Eritrea, Nigeria, India, Malaysia, the Maghreb states and the Middle East top the list of the most oppressive countries. Analysts cite the unstable political and economic situation, the rise of fundamentalism and extremism in these nations as the main cause for growing xenophobia.

The Russian Orthodox Church has been warning about the second age of Christian persecution for a long time. Patriarch Kyrill discussed the issue with the heads of Syria and Lebanon during his recent visit there on the 12th -15th of November. In 2009, The Russian Orthodox Church asked the UN to introduce to the list of threats the notion of Christianophobia in addition to anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Religious persecution takes place not only in countries with Christian minorities, but also in historically pro-Christian states, says the Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations Metropolitan Hilarion.

“There are forces that want to wipe out 2000 years of Christian history from the European memory. It is impossible to find a single Christmas card in the UK, one of the most tolerant Western states. There are New Year cards, but it is considered to be somewhat intolerant to mention Christmas. There was a case when a British Airlines employee was prohibited to wear a cross. Christian symbols are banned in schools, allegedly not to hurt feelings of nonbeliers and atheists.”

The Russian Orthodox Church is denouncing secularization, as religious beliefs and practices are ousted from the social life of Europe and there are attempts to replace Christian moral values with new moral norms. They say this also leads to the aggravation of interconfessional conflicts, as it was in Kosovo, the breakaway of which destabilized the situation in the region.

In May 2011 the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church denounced the Christian persecution and urged the international community to cooperate on fighting xenophobia. We should not limit ourselves to condolences or bold statements. We have to act, says Metropolitan Hilarion.

“A structure that would defend the Christians from persecution has to be created. It will include information systems that will monitor crimes committed out of religious hatred. Every case of violence and Christians’ persecution should be judged. Interreligious consolidation and solidarity are also needed.”

Analysts believe that if xenophobia is not stopped right now, Christianity will only feature in history books in future. The 21st century will thus signify not only the end of Christian history, by the twilight of the whole of civilization.

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