The Middle East

A future region without Christians?

Abstract

The Islamic world is undergoing a very turbulent, agonizing, barbarous, intolerant and dreadful time, hardly witnessed before in its history. Old regimes are collapsing; countries are disintegrating; sectarian, ethnic and racial conflicts are rising to the surface and are flaring up everywhere. Tribes and adherents of certain religious groups, especially the targeted native Christian population, are being forcibly deported or coerced to leave their native countries. In order to address the rather prophetical question on the future of Christianity in the Middle East and North Africa, the article identifies the roots of the crisis of Christians in the Middle East and the status quo of historic Christian Churches in the light of the “Arab Spring” by scrutinizing a sample of countries regarding religious freedom. After that the author proceeds to describe the development of human rights issues which arise. The article ends with some suggestions as to how a dependable consensus between native Christians and Muslims can be achieved.