Christianity in Crisis in the Middle East  

September 2013

Christians in the Middle East have been subjected to terrible acts of violence in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. Islamists  have driven Christians out of the ancient Syrian city of Homs and have murdered Christians in Maaloula. Islamists are demanding jizya payments from Copts in Egypt.

For more than a decade American media outlets have been reluctant to address Muslim acts of violence against Christians in the Middle East and  Christians in the Middle East have paid the price for this longstanding lack of coverage with their lives.

The story seems to have finally broken through this  media veil of silence. Here are  a few articles documenting  terrible acts of violence and suffering endured by Christians in Syria and Egypt. 

Syria

Jihadists force Syria Christian to 'convert at gunpoint', (AFP, September 10, 2013)

Christians Will Be Massacred: If Syrian army leaves Aleppo, faithful will be killed, Chaldean Catholic leader warns, (Catholic Online, September 10, 2013)

Kass: Syrian Christians largely ignored in debate over U.S. intervention, (Chicago Tribune, September 10, 2013).

Syrian Christians Pack Passports Fearing Islamist Onslaught, (Bloomberg, September 10, 2013).

Syria Islamist rebels take control of historic Christian town of Maaloula, (CNN, September 9, 2013)

Egypt

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood to Coptic Christians: Convert to Islam, or pay 'jizya' tax, (Washington Times, September 10, 2013)

Egypt's largest Christian community threatened as Islamists take over town, (NBC News, September 6, 2013)

Coptic Christians Killed for Ransom in Egypt, (Christian Post, September 6, 2013)

Amid Unrest, Egypt's Christians Pay a Heavy Price (Slide Show), (New York Times, August 20, 2013)

Islamists Step Up Attacks on Christians for Supporting Morsi's Ouster, (New York Times, August 20, 2013)

Egypt's Christians Get Trapped in a Crossfire, (Wall Street Journal, August 20, 2013).