Iraqi Religions: Christianity



Figure 1.--This photograph was taken in 1966 among a Christian community in Mosul, just before the Bathist era. Mosul in northern Iraq is a historic center for the Nestorian Christianity of the Assyrians Church. The tombs of Old Testament prophets such as Jonah are located here. The city has a mixed population and is located on the ethnic divide between Kurds and Arabs. Saddam pursued an Arabization policy. Kurds were forced out of the city. Assyrian Christians were forced to adopt an Arabn identity. Since the outure of Saddam, attacks on Christians have increased, including some bloody attacks in Mosul.

The other important religion in Itaq's history is Christianity. The country today is overwealmingly Muslim, but there is a small Christian minority, estimated at about 3 percent of the population. There are several Christian groups, includung Armenian, Assyrian, Catholics, Chaldean, Jacobite, Syrian, and other smaller churches. One small Christian group is the Yezidis. They are sometimes accused of being Satan worshipers. There are also Sabaeans or Mandeans who follow the teachings of John the Baptist. Tragically an estimated 0.5-1.0 million Iraqi Christians have been displaced under the new democratic Iraq. The persecution of Christians has been much worse than the situation under dictator Saddam Hussein. The situation is similar to that of minorities in the national states that replaced the Austro-Hungarian Empire, only worse because of fanatical Muslims prone to use violence against people who are relgiously or ethnically different. No Islamic religious authorities of any importance has spoken out against the violence. What is happening with Christians today is similar to the suppresion of Jews in Iraq which began during the World War II period.

Prevalence

The other important religion in Itaq's history is Christianity. The country today is overwealmingly Muslim, but there is a small Christian minority, once estimated at about 3 percent of the population. Because of Muslim repression, this appears to have declined to about 2 percent and may soon decline to 1 percent. The documented attacks on Christians in Muslim countries stands in sharp contrast to the thriving Muslim communities in the West who are able to practice their religun in security. Despite the clear evidence Islamic spokesmen ignore the supression of Christians and instead express and instead manufacture a fictious narative of a Christian war on Islam.

History

St. Thomas know today as the doubting apostle brought the new Christian faith to Mesopotamia (33 AD). St. Thomas traveled from the Syrian city of Edessa (Urfa in southern Turkey). Syria ans anatolia was part of the Roman Empire at the time. Mesopotamia (roghly modern Iraq) was disputed between the Romans and various Persian dynasties. Mar Addai and Mar Mari (Mar in Aramaic means Lord) accompanied St. Thomas to establish the Assyrian Church of the East. The early Church was founded and spread from the Assyrian city of Arbel in the north of Iraq (modern Kurdistan). The early Mesopotamian Christianity spoke Aramaic as was the case inthe Levant (Syria and Palestine). This was the language spoken in the earlier Assyrian and Chaldeans (Babylonians) Empires. Christianity gradually spread among both the Assyrian and the Chaldeans peoples. In the early centuries of Islamic rule, Christian scholars and doctors played an influential role in Iraq. As more Muslims were educated, Christian influence declined. Muslim rulers began to persecute Christians (late-13th century). These persecutions continued (into the 16th century). There were various methods used, including outright massacres. the Iraqi military conducted large-scale massacres of the Assyrian Christians--the primary denominartion at the time. The largestv action was the Simele massacre. (1932). Some Armenian Christians are descendants of refugees fleeing the World War I Turkish genocide destroying the Armenian people. Christians numbered an estimated one million in Iraq during the Bathist era. Saddam's police statev supressed attacks on Christians who were largely apolitical. A small number were forced into a relocation program. The primary goal was to force Assyrian Christians to identify as Arabs. The Christian declined some what even before the Gulf War and the removal of Saddam from power (2003).

Denominations

There are several Christian groups, includung Armenian, Assyrian, Catholics, Chaldean, Jacobite, Syrian, and other smaller churches. One small Christian group is the Yezidis. They are sometimes accused of being Satan worshipers. There are also Sabaeans or Mandeans who follow the teachings of John the Baptist. The three most important denomintions are: The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian church of the East, the Assyrian Orthodox church, and the Chaldean church of Babylon. All of the various denominations have declines in recebnt years as Chtistians are being driven from the country because of violent attacks from their Muslim neighbors. The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian church of the East once estimsted its membership at 0.8 million. This Church is among the oldest Christian community in the world. The Assyrians adopted Christianity brought by St. Thomas (1st centyury AD). The Assyrian Church became the center of Eastern Rite Christianity until the middle ages. The Assyrian Orthodox church once estimated its membership at 0.7 million members. The Chaldean church of Babylon once estimated its membership at about 1.0 million members.

Legal Status


Supression

Tragically an estimated 0.5-1.0 million Iraqi Christians have been displaced under the new democratic Iraq. The persecution of Christians has been much worse than the situation under dictator Saddam Hussein. The situation is similar to that of minorities in the national states that replaced the Austro-Hungarian Empire, only worse because of fanatical Muslims prone to use violence against people who are relgiously or ethnically different. No Islamic religious authorities of any importance has spoken out against the violence. What is happening with Christians today is similar to the suppresion of Jews in Iraq which began during the World War II period. An estimatef half Iraq's Christian population has fled the country because of violent attacks and threats. Most has sought refuge in Syria. Smaller numbers have gone to Jordan. Others have fled to Iraqi Kurdistan. Virtually none have sought regfuge in Turkey or Iran.

Sources

Panow, Naima. "Christianity in Iraq: A Brief Historical Survey".








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Created: 2:51 AM 10/13/2011
Last updated: 2:52 AM 10/13/2011