Christians Under Siege in Egypt

​A Pattern of Persecution
Wherever Christians live alongside large numbers of Muslims they are under relentless attack. Even in Africa, where Christianity has spread the fastest over the last century, Islamic persecution of Christians is pervasive. Even in countries where Christians outnumber Muslims, such as Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania, churches are being regularly attacked by Muslim Jihadists.

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​Eradicating Christianity 
North Africa and the Middle East, the birthplace of Christianity, now has the smallest regional Christian minority in the world. Over 93% of the Middle East is Muslim, 1.6% Jewish and less than 4% Christian. Less than 0.6% of the world’s 2.2 billion Christians now live in the Middle East and North Africa. And that number is plummeting. The London Guardian has observed: “The religious ecology of the Middle East looks more fragile than ever, as the Arab Spring gives way to Christian Winter.”

The Islamisation of Egypt
Even in Egypt, where for a thousand years Christians made up the majority of the population, vast numbers of Christian families are fleeing Egypt - where their families have lived for many hundreds of years.

Targeting Christians
Amnesty International has reported that the Egyptian Government continues to be a major recipient of US Aid despite its continued pattern of failure to protect Coptic Christians from wide-spread discrimination and extreme violence.

Mosques Mobilising Murderous Mobs
Many historic churches in Egypt have been stormed, stoned, burned and demolished by mobs of Muslims who are frequently being mobilised by Muslim leaders in mosques and through the megaphones on the minarets to throw stones and petrol bombs at Christian churches and to assault Christian worshippers.

Governmental Complicity
The Egyptian police have generally refused to intervene and protect the lives and property of Christians. Nor have the Muslim assailants been charged or prosecuted. The new Sharia based Egyptian constitution passed by the Muslim Brotherhood dominated parliament of Egypt have encouraged a resurgence of Islamic extremism and open hostility towards the large Christian minority in Egypt.

“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honoured all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”  1 Corinthians 12:26-27

Dr. Peter Hammond
​
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za