Christian Population in the Arab World - Syria

SYRIA

Syria has for much of the century had a sizeable Christian minority, making up at least 10% of the population. The proportion is thought to be declining due to emigration, conflict and low birth rates, although there are few reliable statistics.

• Total pop: 22.5m
• Christians: 1m-2.3m
• 4.4-10.2% of total pop
• Main Churches: Greek Orthodox; Catholic
• Main issues: Declining numbers; political instability
• Sources: World Christian Database; CIA World Factbook; UN

In recent years Syria has been considered one of the easier Middle Eastern countries for Christians to live in. Power is concentrated in the hands of the Alawite minority - a Shia sect considered heretical by many Muslims - which has clamped down hard on extreme forms of Islam. This all changed once ISIS and many other Sunni extremist groups decided to wage war against the secular Assad regime. Today, the plight of Christians in Syria is very dire. Many are hunted down by Islamists, either forced to convert or face death. We have seen horrific videos of beheading of Christians by ISIS. 

It should be noted that Saudi Arabia, Gulf States, Israel, Turkey and America did support in some form or fashion ISIS and the so called "Free Syrian Army". The fact that today we, along with some "Arab coalition partners" are bombing ISIS only highlights the insanity of our foreign policy there. Prior to the conflict, some Christians have been successful in professions and business - with a few rising relatively high in the administration. Still, some have followed relatives to the West for economic reasons, to escape the general repression of the regime and more recently left to escape war.

The largest Churches are the Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholic. There are also Syrian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, Assyrian and Chaldean (see Iran and Iraq) Christians.

Christian Population in the Arab world - West Bank and Gaza

WEST BANK AND GAZA

Christian communities in the West Bank and Gaza have been declining for several decades because of  Israeli occupation, conflict, economic decline and low birth rates.

• Total pop: 3.8m-4.4m
• Christians: 40,000-75,000
• 0.9-1.7% of total pop
• Main Churches: Greek Orthodox; Catholic
• Issues: Declining numbers; Israeli-Palestinian conflict; radical Islam
• Sources: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics; UN; World Christian Database

The World Christian Database says they accounted for 5.3% of the population in 1970 and have dropped to less than half that now.

Some Christian leaders also cite the rise of radical Islam in the area as a growing pressure on Christian communities.

Christians are concentrated in and around the towns of Bethlehem and Ramallah.

A pastor in Gaza City estimates there are a mere 2,000 Christians among the Gaza Strip's 1.3 million inhabitants.

The two largest Churches are Greek Orthodox and Catholic, although the Assyrian, Armenian Orthodox and Syrian Orthodox Churches, as well as many Protestant denominations, are also represented.

Christian-Muslim relationships are largely peaceful and Christians have reached senior positions in the Palestinian Authority, although some Palestinian Christians complain of harassment and discrimination.

Christian Population in the Arab World - Egypt

EGYPT

Most Christians in Egypt are Copts - Christians descended from the ancient Egyptians.

• Total pop: 84.5m
• Christians: 8.9m (est)
• 10.5% of total pop
• Main Church: Coptic Orthodox
• Issues: Anti-Christian violence; political instability
• Sources: World Christian Database; UN

Their Church split from the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches in 451AD because of a theological dispute over the nature of Christ, but is now, on most issues, doctrinally similar to the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The Coptic language - a derivative of the ancient Egyptian language, written mainly in the Greek alphabet - is still used for small parts of services.

Christian-Muslim relations have deteriorated in recent years, with outbreaks of violence by radical Islamists against Christians and their places of worship.

Egyptian Christians have accused the post-Mubarak governing military council of being too lenient on the perpetrators of the attacks.

Copts also complain of discrimination, including a law requiring presidential permission for churches to be built.

A plethora of other Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Armenian Churches are present in smaller numbers in Egypt.

Christian Population in the Arab World - Lebanon

Lebanon is the only Middle Eastern country where Christians were once dominant and retain considerable political power.

Total pop: 4.3m Christians: 1.35m-1.5m
31-35% of total pop
Main Churches: Maronite; Greek Orthodox; Greek Catholic; Armenian Orthodox; Armenian Catholic
Issues: Political instability
Sources: CIA World Factbook; World Christian Database; UN

The country fought a civil war from 1975-1989 largely along religious lines, and relations between the patchwork of Lebanon's religious communities remain delicate. The last official census was conducted in 1932, but current estimates suggest there are slightly more Muslims than Christians. There is a widespread perception among Christians that their numbers and influence are declining. The constitution dictates that the president is always Christian, the prime minister Sunni Muslim, and the parliamentary speaker Shia Muslim. The largest Church is the Maronite Church, which traces its origins to a 4th Century Syrian hermit, St Maron. The Church united with the Catholic Church in 1736, although it retains its own traditions and practices. The Greek Orthodox Church is also strong in Lebanon, and there is a wide range of other denominations. Most religious groups operate freely. Muslim-Christian relations have generally been calm in recent years. However, tensions increased in 2005 with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the withdrawal of Syrian troops and a wave of bombings in Christian areas.

 Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-15239529

Time to establish a Christian Arabic State in the Middle East - 2

I now want to explain why American politicians don't seem to care about the plight of Christian Arabs. In our system, politicians don't act on any issue unless there is adequate pressure and lobbying to force them to. Christian Arabs to my knowledge have no centralized organization that speaks on their behalf. There is no one lobbying on their behalf with the exception of a few voices from religious corners. There is no large voting constituency that politicians need to be concerned about. Christian-Arabs in America lack organizational, financial and political might. The Arab-American institute run by James Zogby is an organization that is mostly funded by Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia and the emirate states. Even though it is run mostly by Christian Arabs of Lebanese descent, the organizations tends not to rock the boat on the status quo. You will not see James Zogby criticizing Saudi Arabia human rights record or religious freedom record. In fact, where does the Arab-American Institute stand on Christians being ethnically cleansed and oppressed in practically all of the Arab states? Another challenge is identity. Many Christian Arabs identify more with their country of origin than their religion. Christian Egyptians, Christian Lebanese, Christian Syrian, Christian Iraqi's or Christian Palestinian all put their nationality above their religion in terms of identity. This cannot continue and it has to change in order to create a new reality in the Middle East. You can't create a new reality without first creating a new way of thinking. Currently there is no such thing as the " Christian-Arab people". To create such a people and a new way of thinking, it requires an ideology that can speak to their highest aspirations. A good idea is mightier than a sword they say and history proves it to be true. Christian-Arabs can only look forward to either continue living as second-class citizens or in the worst case scenario, which I argue is unfolding now, become extinct in their own lands. Not unlike what early Jewish Zionists had to do, basically carve a "Jewish people" out of the Jewish diaspora, Christian Arabs need to follow that example. Jews came from different parts of the world and they spoke different languages. Arab-Christians need to start thinking about establishing a state of their own. Christian Arabs have a similar language, religion, geography and culture. On paper this should be easier to pull off than Zionism. Nevertheless, it is an undertaking of biblical proportion to gather all the Christian-Arabs and create a state of their own in that tinder box called the Middle East.

Time to establish a Christian Arabic State in the Middle East

The stories of immeasurable horror continue to pour in. Christians all across the Middle East are facing an existential threat that can no longer be ignored. They are being ethnically cleansed from Iraq and Syria and oppressed and threatened all across the Middle East. For too long, the plight of Christian Arabs has gone completely under the radar from any political discourse in this country and it begs the question as to why? I have my theory but not sure I can completely understand why Christian loving Americans don't express the same passion about protecting Christians as they do about Jews in that region? Let me back up and start with answering why the media ignores Christians in the Arab world. Then I will explore why American politicians don't express support for Christians in the Arab world. Finally, get to the question why American religious groups are not as passionate at protecting Christians as they are about protecting the Jews in Israel. I should point out, it should not be mutually exclusive. Wanting to see Israel secure and wanting to see Christians secure is not a case of one or the other. Both groups deserve to enjoy security, peace and prosperity. I have always believed that the media ignores the plight of Christians in the Arab world because it best serves the Israeli narrative. Which is in simple terms, David versus Goliath. The small tiny Jewish state facing the large "uncivilized", "backward", "non-western" Muslim hordes of the Arab world. To inject Christians into this narrative would not serve Israeli interest. Why complicate matters when it's so much easier to show the "other" as being homogeneous. This tactic is not new when it comes to having an effective propaganda campaign. During the heat of the battle, always the case, the "enemy" is viewed in the most narrowest stereotypical fashion. A few examples would be showing all Indians as "savages" or all Germans as Nazi's or all Russians as "Commies". Again, this is not new but unfortunately for the Christian Arabs they have become casualties of this propaganda war. I will continue to focus on this topic more in depth in the days and months ahead as time permits. This blog started back in 2007 and there is no doubt my views have shifted over time. I had to expand my thinking - to think beyond the norm - as unfortunately reality intruded into my way of thinking. In that, the Palestinian struggle cannot be detached from the bigger plight of other oppressed and tormented Arabs - who find their oppressors and tormentors to be other Arabs. Therefore, I now view the Palestinian/Israeli conflict through a different prism and new reality. The collapse of the remaining secular Arab states - Iraq under Saddam, Syria under Assad and Libya under Qaddafi - and the rise of Islamic extremism - and the creation of the Islamic State - forced me to rethink everything on the Palestinian issue. It is clear, Christians are the endangered species in this shifting new world order.