THE BRIEFING – May 2017: Solidarity with a Church under fire
May 2017As the military war against so-called Islamic State enters a new phase, on the Church front, Christian leaders made bridge-building visits to the region’s beleaguered church communities. The Syrian civil war entered a new phase this week, with the decision of President Trump to arm the Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Forces (SDF) with heavy weapons in preparations for the campaign to […]
North African youth: struggle and opportunity
For decades North Africa’s young people have pushed against social, economic and religious restrictions. A Moroccan Christian shares their struggles and the new paths some are finding as they turn to Christ. Ever since they shook off European rule or “mandates” between 1951 and 1962, the five countries forming Northwest Africa (known collectively as the “Maghreb”) have not served their […]
Home-based discipleship in Morocco
May 2017It isn’t easy to define “religious freedom” in Morocco. On the one hand, the Moroccan Constitution “guarantees the free exercise of worship for all”. Foreign Christian residents can attend officially recognised Catholic, Evangelical, Anglican or Orthodox churches, and Morocco’s 3,000 to 4,000 Jews generally go about their lives freely. On the other hand, the law does not allow […]
Pope Francis visits Egypt: “Important for all Egyptians not only Christians”
April 2017SAT-7, 27 April 2017 Egyptian Christians look forward to welcoming Pope Francis to their country this Friday 28 April with eager anticipation, says SAT-7 Arabic Channels Programme Director, George Makeen. “With the current developments in Egypt and several attacks on Christian churches and properties, this visit is very important to Christians and to others too,” Makeen said. The recent incidents […]
Egypt: The cry of a Church under pressure
Population: 94.7 million; 90% Muslim; 10% Christian Literacy: 82.2% men; 65.4% women A two-day visit to Egypt by Pope Francis (28-29 April 2017) was arranged to bring a message of unity and give hope to the country’s Christians, still grieving after several church bombings. SAT-7 will cover the visit, including a communion involving an expected 21,000 people, and a visit […]
Turkey: The cry of isolated believers
Minority report Population: 77 million; 99.5% Muslim; 0.5% Christian These are difficult times for Christians in Turkey. The country has suffered an increase in terrorist attacks in major cities and been in an extended state of emergency following the attempted coup in July 2016. The far-reaching repercussions included mass sackings, arrests and the closure of hundreds of media outlets. The […]
Iran: The cry for meaning from young men
April 2017Tackling drug addiction Population: 82.8 million; 99.4% Muslim; 0.3% Zoroastrian, Christian, Jewish; 0.3% other Literacy: 91.2% men; 82.5% women Iran has the highest rate of drug addiction in the world, with at least 2 million Iranians in a population of 75 million addicted to illegal substances. Young men are at the centre of this phenomenon – with high unemployment, gender […]
Algeria: The cry from a first-generation Church
April 2017Church growth – past and present Population: 40.3 million; 99% Muslim; <1% Christian Literacy: 87% men; 73% women What is now Algeria was once home to Saint Augustine (AD 354-430), one of the Church’s foremost theologians. Christianity flourished here between the fifth and seventh centuries but gradually disappeared after the Arab invasions. Although new churches were started under French rule, […]