Syrian Civil Wart Taking Toll On Christian History

[Webster]

OneNewsNow: Syrian Civil War Taking Toll On Christian History

The horrific civil war that has torn apart Syria, claiming an estimated half-million lives, has also taken the lives of thousands of Christian believers.

Claire Evans with International Christian Concern tells OneNewsNow that Christians numbered approximately a million before war broke out eight years ago. “And now they're less than four percent of the population,” she says, “and it’s all because of the conflict.”

Syria's land and it people are recorded in the Old Testament, and its Christian community dates back to the beginnings of the Church, when Paul established a church at Antioch. The term "Christian" also originated there according to Acts 11:26.

ICC learned in early July that a car bomb detonated outside Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in the city of Qamishli, which is considered the Christian center of Syria. As many as 11 people were killed or injured.

According to Evans, the ongoing violence comes and goes in waves. “We just need to keep an eye on this situation,” she says, “and not forget that there are Christians who are stuck there."

 

[MennoSota]

As Christians we understand that rebels in this world may kill us for our allegiance to Christ. God has ordained a set number...and then He will justly avenge His elect.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
Revelation 6:9-11 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.