Christians in the Middle East and North Africa are facing increasing insecurity as
their countries undergo huge changes in their political structures.
It's a
time of great opportunity for all those nations caught up in the Arab Spring, and
as Andrew Boyd, press officer for "Release International" says, "nobody is going
to stand up and say three cheers for hardline dictators who've kept their countries
repressed for years. It's fundamental that there should be a move towards democracy
in these nations, but at the same time, because the lid has been taken off - nation
after nation - in that world, what we are seeing is an increasing tension beteween
secular factions who want democracy, and islamist factions who want to see in one
form or another, a form of islamic law brought into these nations".
That's
why, Boyd says, his organization has called for a month of prayer for Christians in
nations caught up in the Arab Spring – especially in Egypt where persecution looks
set to grow after the presidential elections.
Speaking to Linda Bordoni, Boyd
first explains that Release is an international network of missions that serve persecuted
Christians in 30 countries.
They do this by supporting pastors and Christian
prisoners and their families, by supplying Christian literature and Bibles, by working
for justice, and by launching campaigns, such as the current one, asking for prayer
and raising awareness.
Release has produced a prayer guide, focusing prayer
throughout May on Egypt, Libya, Syria, Morocco, Yemen, Tunisia and Bahrain. Right
now, the greatest concern is Egypt, where Christians are worried that persecution
will increase following the presidential elections on May 23-24.
Boyd says
that up to 100,000 Christians have already left the country since last year’s uprising,
and persecution has increased as Islamist groups have grown in influence over the
past two decades.
And he talks of Egypt's Christian roots and heritage. Egypt
in fact was a majority Christian country for more than 1,000 years. Last year’s parliamentary
elections led to a huge victory for the Islamist parties, especially the Muslim Brotherhood
and the hard-line Salafist Nour. Extremist groups want to introduce strict Sharia
(Islamic) law across Egypt and have launched attacks on Christians, public officials
and foreigners.
Those who argue that Sharia affects only the muslims, Boyd
says, are wrong: Sharia affects Christians as well as it will not allow them to share
their faith. Sometimes with tragic consequences.
And Boyd mentions the current
situation in Nigeria where Christians are undergoing bloody attacks that are forcing
many to flee their homes.
He also talks of the initiative in the latest edition
of the "Release" magazine which is available for download. In it, are the stories
of Egyptian Christians who have had to face intimidation and sometimes persecution.
And
speaking of the campaign for prayer, Boyd says Release is asking people to pray that
Christians under threat will continue to be stong in the Lord; that God would give
them wisdom to realte to the authorities and they would respond with grace to those
who oppose them. And also; pray for the new President,that he will uphold and champion
religious freedom and work hard to encourage religious tolerance in Egypt.
"The
more people I meet during my travels across the world for Release who are suffering
persecution for their faith", says Boyd, "the more I realise that they have an overcoming
joy-filled faith and a love of freedom which we need to tak hold of. We need them
more than they need us. They need us to stand with them to share our freedom and to
share our resources, We need to capture thier overcoming spirit and their determination
to make a stand and to be joyful witnesses to the Gospel of Christ. That's their gift
to us".