Vatican Radio is reporting on an interview with Andrew Boyd of Release International in which he cited two challenging areas for Christians in the upcoming year.
The first is “the continuing rise of Islamist persecution”, Boyd said, particularly in the form of militant groups that are trying to take control of their governments, such as in Afghanistan and Nigeria which will both hold elections this year.
For instance, in Afghanistan, as NATO troops pull out at the end of this year, Boyd warns that the Taliban will likely increase their attacks, making matters even worse for Christians living in that nation. At this point, “anyone who converted to Christianity (has) either faced persecution by the state or risked being murdered by their relatives," he explained.
“There are Christians who are active in Afghanistan and there are Muslims who are wanting to convert. The numbers may be small but the oppression against them is absolutely severe and the authorities today are turning a blind eye to persecution in that country,” he said.
He cited Afghanistan as an important country to watch because what is happening there is happening in other countries and "where there’s a hardening of religious fundamentalism against Christianity and against anyone who would like to change their faith.”
Nigeria is another example. In this nation, the Islamic militant group Boko Haram has already declared war on the country's president as well as its Christian citizens.
Communist and post-communist countries of the world are the second challenge facing Christians these days.
“North Korea has headed many organizations’ lists as the worst persecutor of Christians in the world for quite some time now,” Boyd said.
In some countries in Central Asia, where majority-Muslim populations are combined with communist governments, the plight of Christians is even worse. Even though these nations are "constitutionally secular," he says, wherever there is both a strong Islamic culture and a strong communist culture, "there you have really quite a great deal of oppression.”
Even though Christians expect persecution, "that doesn’t mean that we stay silent about it,” he said.
Boyd called on Christians to pray for those who suffer and to speak out against the injustices being committed against them around the world.
“There is a need for advocacy. There is a need to say that this (persecution) is wrong,” he said. “Governments need to be taking action to do something about this. Laws are unjust. They need to be changed.”
Meanwhile, Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman who has been incarcerated for four years on trumped-up blasphemy charges recently wrote to the pope saying she believes only God will be able to free her from her years-long captivity.
"I also hope that every Christian has been able to celebrate the Christmas just past with joy. Like many other prisoners, I also celebrated the birth of the Lord in prison in Multan, here in Pakistan," she wrote. "I would have liked to be in St Peter's for Christmas to pray with you, but I trust in God's plan for me and hopefully it will be achieved next year."
Bibi, who was arrested in 2009 after being accused of slandering the prophet Mohammed, remains in jail pending the conclusion of an appeals process that has left her sitting in jail for more than four years without a trial.
In her letter, she also claimed to believe her strength is coming from those who are praying for her.
"I am very grateful to all the churches that are praying for me and fighting for my freedom. . . . I do not know how long I can go on and on. If I am still alive, it is thanks to the strength that your prayers give me. I have met many people who speak and fight for me. Unfortunately still to no avail. At this time I just want to trust the mercy of God, who can do everything, that all is possible. Only He can liberate me."
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