Key Facts WWL Ranking: 21 Leader: Prime Minister Maliki Population: 29 million (1.5% Christian) Majority Religion: Islam Type of Government: Parliamentary democracy

The Church In Iraq

Iraq has a long church history. Scientists assume that the Paradise (the Euphrates and the Tigris in Genesis) was located in Iraq.

All major denominations are present (Chaldean Catholic, Assyrian Orthodox and Evangelical). In 2007 there were probably about 475.000 Christians in the country, but since the war many of them are scattered around: 25% in Baghdad; 15% in Mosul and 20% in surrounding villages; 20% in Kurdistan; 20% outside Iraq. Although the Iraqi Church has a long history and a great inheritance in Iraq, we fear for the future of the Iraqi Church, because so many Christians are leaving. We pray for a solution in the coming year for Iraq and its (Christian) inhabitants.

Many Iraqi Christians are on the move, becoming refugees in their own country, and therefore the Church is on very low profile and very low in activities. It is too dangerous to organize meetings and seminars, even to hold a church service. The Kurdish Church in Kurdistan is growing, but is also facing some freedom problems. The strong tribal system in Iraq makes working together in one team or church very difficult. So, many small groups (tribes) of Kurdish MBBs are developing, which is not good for unity, or for the Church as a whole.

Sources of Oppression and Persecution

In the country of Iraq a civil (religious) war is going on and the situation for the population is getting worse. Especially for the Christian community the developments are negative. Many Christians fear the future for themselves, for Iraq and for the Iraqi Church. Many of them have left the country, either to the West or to one of the neighboring countries. Partly due to this (civil) war and the unstable situation, the country is nowadays divided into two more or less official regions:

1. Iraq-Kurdish: the autonomous province Kurdistan in the North (area between Dohuk, Erbil and Sullimaniya)

2. Iraq-Arab: the rest (Bagdad, Mosul and Basra and surroundings).
Kurdistan is relatively safe for Christians; the rest of the country is unsafe for the Christian minority and actually even dangerous nowadays.

Many Christians are on the move to Kurdistan, Syria, Jordan or the West. Many Islamic-fundamental and criminal groups fight a non-officially declared war towards the Christians and are trying to get rid of the Christian heritage in the country. Church buildings and monasteries have been destroyed; Christians have been kidnapped and killed. Young Christian girls/women have been raped or killed. There seems to be a government in the country, but it is unable to protect its citizens and especially its minorities like the Christians. So there is a kind of anarchy, and the Christian minority is suffering the most under this. There is no organized oppression or persecution, beside the fact that many (almost all) different independent groups are operating against the Christian minority. It is very bad and nobody knows when this will end.

With our Iraqi Christian brothers and sisters we cry out for a solution. Some points in summary:

1. The war between the Shiites and Sunnis and the different (Islamic) fundamental criminal gangs have had a very negative impact on the Christian minority. Most Christians do not feel safe anymore (many are scared to death actually) and many have left the country or are on the move (a new diaspora) to Kurdistan, Syria, Jordan and the West. Pray for the Church in Iraq to be sustained through this time of many believers leaving.

2. The Christians have been under attack, mainly from Islamic fundamental gangs, and many have been kidnapped and killed, just because of their faith. Pray for the safety of all Iraqi believers.

3. Some Muslims (especially Kurds in Kurdistan) are converting, but there is still some rejection of MBBs socially, depending on the family and social structure. Pray for MBBs to find the encouragement and support needed.

4. Out of their own safety and protection, some Orthodox churches openly dissociate from the evangelicals. Pray for unity among all Iraqi believers.