Ridley Scott’s epic historical action film Gladiator II – which opened in Irish cinemas this weekend – brings us immediately back to the Colosseum of ancient Rome. Twenty-five years after the original Gladiator with Russell Crowe, the sequel has Paul Mescal in the lead role. Thanks to the wonders of CGI, the Flavian Amphitheatre is presented in all its glory, a million miles away from the crumbling monument we see today.
If you’re like me, you grew up with stories of the heroic Christian martyrs of the first century meeting their grizzly end being fed to lions in the Colosseum, bravely refusing to renounce their faith. The reality of martyrdom and religious persecution, of course, is much less romantic. And one would be mistaken to consign it to history or see it as a thing of the past. Today, one in seven Christians in the world faces persecution or extreme discrimination because of their faith.
It is to highlight their plight and to hopefully provoke global action on religious freedom that the charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Ireland dedicates the week of November 17th to 24th as the “week of witness”.
“Martyr” comes from the ancient Greek word for witness, and the centre-point of the week – known as Red Wednesday – will see many cathedrals and churches across Ireland illuminated in red, the traditional symbol of martyrdom. Today, more than 360 million Christians, of all denominations, experience high levels of persecution and discrimination worldwide. This includes violent oppression, government-imposed restrictions, societal discrimination and social ostracisation.
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Countries in Asia, the Middle East and parts of Africa are frequently highlighted as hotspots where Christians face the most severe forms of persecution. Some 5,000 Christians were killed for their faith in Nigeria last year.
In places such as North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen, being openly Christian can lead to arrest, imprisonment or even execution. Strict blasphemy laws in countries such as Pakistan and Iran can lead to death sentences or life imprisonment for those accused of insulting Islam, a charge frequently levelled against Christians. These charges are often arbitrary, based on false accusations, or used as tools of personal vendettas.
For many Christians living in these areas, practising their faith must be done in secret, away from the prying eyes of authorities, radical religious groups or even neighbours. Underground churches have become a necessity and being caught attending one can result in severe punishment. In the most extreme cases, Christians are driven from their homes, forced to flee their communities and live as refugees in foreign lands.
By drawing attention to their stories, ACN aims to give voice to those who are often voiceless and to assure them that they are not forgotten by the global Christian community.
Sadly, the situation is getting worse. A new ACN report, entitled Persecuted and Forgotten? – due to be published this week – provides a global and regional analysis, examining the situation for Christians in 18 countries of key concern, from Nicaragua in Latin America to Myanmar in the Far East to Burkina Faso in West Africa.
In the 21st century, you might be forgiven for assuming that religious tolerance and freedom are universally recognised and respected. However, Christians across the globe continue to face varying degrees of persecution, discrimination and hostility
The report reveals that Islamic extremism was responsible for the increased persecution in all six African countries reviewed, indicating that the epicentre of militant Islamism has shifted from the Middle East to Africa. The mass migration of Christian communities, triggered by militant Islamist attacks, has destabilised and disenfranchised them, raising questions about the long-term survival of the Christian community in key regions.
Countries where Christian persecution and oppression has increased include world powers such as China and India, as well as Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country.
For the first time in the report’s 18-year history, Nicaragua is featured in response to extreme oppressive measures targeting Christians, notably the mass detention and expulsion of clergy. Recurring themes in the report include the displacement of Christian communities following attacks by extremist groups and the forced marriage and conversion of Christian women and girls, as well as the kidnapping and intimidation of priests and the publication of derogatory content about Christianity in school textbooks.
Anti-Christian persecution has been perpetrated by both state and non-state actors, such as militant organisations, other groups of religious extremists and criminal gangs.
At the same time, authoritarian regimes, including those in China, Eritrea, India and Iran, ramped up repressive measures against Christians, either in the name of religious nationalism or state secularism. In the 21st century, you might be forgiven for assuming that religious tolerance and freedom are universally recognised and respected. However, Christians across the globe continue to face varying degrees of persecution, discrimination and hostility. While the nature and intensity of this mistreatment differs from region to region, the phenomenon remains disturbingly widespread, affecting millions of believers in both overt and subtle ways.
Michael Kelly is director of public affairs for the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need, Ireland. For more information, or to read the Persecuted and Forgotten? report, see www.acnireland.org
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