Thinking Out LoudIt’s been a disorienting week in global news. With the US following Israel’s lead in attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities, there are staunch critics of Netanyahu and Trump who find themselves cautiously endorsing the move – and staunch Trump supporters appalled by the possibility of the US being dragged into another war in the Middle East.
There’s much to fear, and much to hope. And there are radically different narratives doing the rounds, from how close Iran actually is (or was) to developing nuclear weapons to the likelihood or otherwise of regime change.
Amid the unpredictability and clashing accounts, there’s a story about the Islamic Republic that remains little known: Iran has perhaps the fastest-growing Christian population in the world. Elam Ministries, a group which seeks to strengthen and expand the church there, says that more Iranians have become Christians in the last 20 years than in the previous 13 centuries combined. Some estimate there are now over a million Christians in Iran.
Open Doors, an organisation which supports the persecuted church across the world, regularly lists Iran in the top ten most dangerous countries for Christians. Most converts meet discreetly, in secret house churches; estimates of their numbers are based partly on prison records. In a place where it’s illegal to proselytise, many report coming to faith through dreams or visions of Jesus. The government’s efforts to ban the Bible, censor Christian websites, and even kill a number of pastors have backfired, making many curious about what Christians believe.
Even expert predictions about world events are often wildly inaccurate. Predictions about the decline or extinction of Christianity have also tended to age badly. As we all hold our breath for what happens next, let’s keep in mind how reliably our fellow humans – and I would say, God – can surprise us.
This Thinking Out Loud was first published on Facebook.