Syria (MNN) – Syrian Christians follow in the steps of the early church as they love their neighbors and share the Gospel in a turbulent world.
Unstable Recent History
In December of 2024 the Assad regime was overthrown by a coalition of opposition groups. A new government is in place; however, instability and sectarian violence continue as the country resettles after years of war.
Hunter Williamson with Thimar-LSESD says, “Syria is made up of a number of different sectarian groups, and they were fighting amongst each other during the war. The overthrow of the government in December did not magically heal or magically resolve the situation. This sectarian violence that we’ve talked about very much highlights the grievance, the anger, the tensions that still exist among communities.”
(Photo courtesy of Mahmoud Sulaiman on Unsplash)
Williamson explains that violence coming from this tension impacts many minority groups. In some cases, Christians are targeted because of their association, not with Christ, but with another group. The violence in the Alawite community earlier this year was a good example of this. Some media outlets reported that large numbers of Christians were being killed as well, but Williamson says that was not really the case.
“There were Christians who were killed in the violence that happened. But what was going on was that these were believers who originally came from Alawite backgrounds. They were not, you might say, indigenous Christians. So, when they were killed, they were killed for being from the Alawite community, not because they were Christians.”
Trouble for the Cause of Christ
However, the church in Syria has also faced direct threats. In June a suicide bomber killed 25 and wounded 63 more during an attack at Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus. Williamson says that while this was the most significant violence against one of their partners, there have been other threats.
“We also have another church partner in Syria’s western coastal area, which had threats made against it. A few weeks after the suicide bombing, there were flyers that were distributed in front of the church and in the village where the church is located, calling for Jihad and the killing of Christians,” Williamson says. “Thankfully, nothing has materialized.”
Two Responses Within the Church
Yet the looming threats and other violence against minorities, like the Druze, have caused many people within the Church to emigrate. Williamson says that before the war about ten percent of the population was Christian. Now they make up one percent or less.
“This is sort of reignited this desire of a number of Christians to leave Syria now. Among others, there’s this feeling or sense that they need to continue to be a light to their country. They need to be reaching out to their communities, to serve them, to show the love of Christ. All of this, all of what’s happened over these past months has just reinforced this belief among them. So, we’re really seeing sort of these two strains of thought among our partners and from other Christians and believers in Syria.”
(Photo courtesy of Salah Darwish on Unsplash)
Those individuals and organizations remaining in the country reach out to the community through humanitarian aid and relief. Recent reports from the UN number about two million Syrians returning to their homes. However, many of those homes were destroyed or now don’t have electricity or other public services. The country is also facing a drought.
A Connection with the Early Church
Williamson says that with the tension around them believers in Syria identify strongly with the early Church. They are bearing a similar testimony of painful circumstances and yet trying to love their neighbors and share the Gospel. To do that, they ask for prayer.
Please pray that God would protect His people from discouragement and fear as they face the days ahead. Pray that they will remain strong in the faith and hold to truth. Pray also for peace among different groups.
“One of the things that Syria really needs to move forward, to heal, to rebuild, is for there to be healing among the different communities, among the different people. So that’s really one thing people can be praying for.”
If you want to learn more about the situation in Syria and how Thimar-LSESD is helping, click here.
Header photo courtesy of Mahmoud Sulaiman on Unsplash
