Persecution against Christians on the rise worldwide[1]
On January 19 the non-denominational organization based in the Netherlands presented its 2022 World Watch List (WWL) which ranks the top 50 countries where Christians experience the worst persecution for their faith. The survey, covering a period from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021, shows that persecution continues to rise especially in Asian and African countries and that the COVID 19 pandemic has further exacerbated discrimination.
According to its findings, which have been thoroughly analyzed by the independent International Institute for Religious Freedom (IRF), over 360 million people (that is 1 out of 7 globally) endured persecution and discrimination in their country last year. Overall, 5,898 Christians were killed (up 23,8 % versus 2020), 5,110 churches were attacked or closed (up 13,8 %), 6,175 were Christians arrested without trial (up 44,3%) and 3,829 kidnapped (up 123,9%).
Q. How did the Christians respond to the early Christian persecution they experienced? How does the life of the early Christians inspire you to live out the faith?
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Answer:
A. The early Christians responded to early Christian persecution with courage, faith and resilience, choosing to continue to proudly practice their faith and to share it with others. Many of the early Christians not only chose to remain true to the faith despite the hardships that they experienced, but also put their lives at risk to share the Gospel with others in the face of opposition and persecution. The faithful example set by the early Christians is an inspiration to us today, as it can encourage us to boldly live out our faith in the face of persecution and opposition, and to be willing to take risks for the sake of the Gospel. May we always remember the courage and resilience of the early Christians, in order to be inspired to continue living out our faith faithfully no matter what.
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