Middle East bishops lament exodus of Christians

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Lamenting the dwindling number of Christians in the Middle East, the region’s Catholic bishops called for greater religious freedom in Muslim countries, denounced Islamic fundamentalism, and criticized Israel’s “occupation” of the Palestinian territories. The statements came in a document, released at the Vatican on Tuesday (Jan. 19), laying out topics of discussion […]

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Lamenting the dwindling number of Christians in the Middle East, the region’s Catholic bishops called for greater religious freedom in Muslim countries, denounced Islamic fundamentalism, and criticized Israel’s “occupation” of the Palestinian territories.

The statements came in a document, released at the Vatican on Tuesday (Jan. 19), laying out topics of discussion for a special synod of Middle Eastern bishops, to take place at the Vatican in October.

Written by a committee of bishops, most of them members of the Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome, the document noted the exodus of Christians from the Middle East over the last century, and especially in recent years.


The Christian population of Israel and Palestine, which six decades ago was as high as 20 percent of the total, is today only 2 percent, largely because of economically driven emigration. The situation of Iraqi Catholics is equally dire, with tens of thousands fleeing since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

The bishops drew special attention to conflict in the Holy Land, writing that “Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories makes daily life difficult (for Christians) with regard to freedom of movement, the economy and religious life” — the last by limiting access to Christian shrines.

The document noted that “certain Christian fundamentalist theologies use sacred Scripture to justify Israel’s occupation of Palestine, making the position of Christian Arabs even more sensitive.”

The bishops also denounced the “rise of political Islam” in Egypt, which they said has left the country’s Christian community — the largest in the region, numbering about 10 percent of a population of 83 million — increasingly isolated.

While acknowledging that most Muslim-majority states allow Christians freedom of worship, at least in principle, the bishops deplored the prevalent lack of “freedom of conscience,” which it defined as the right to change religions.

Released two days after Pope Benedict XVI visited the Great Synagogue of Rome to promote stronger ties between Christians and Jews, the document stated that the “religious bond between Judaism and Christianity, based on the inherent link between the Old and New Testaments, needs to be explained to (Catholics in the Middle East) to prevent political ideologies from spoiling relations.”


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