Given the extent of Christian persecution in the Middle East, I have to admit to being really angry hearing that only 53 Christian refugees have been admitted into the U.S. However, the following excerpt from Open Doors – WHY AREN’T MORE CHRISTIANS AMONG THE SYRIAN REFUGEES COMING TO THE UNITED STATES? brings a new perspective.
As the nation debates whether or not to accept more Syrian and Iraqi refugees through the U.S. refugee resettlement program, some Christians have been asking, “Why aren’t more Christians among the Syrian refugees resettling here?”
Since 2011, refugees resettled in the United States from Syria include some 2,098 Muslims and 53 Christians, according to the Refugee Processing Center.
To some, this may appear to indicate discrimination against Christians in the resettlement program. After all, as Morgan Lee points out in a recent article in Christianity Today, around 18 percent of Syria’s roughly 4 million refugees are Christians. So why have the refugees resettled here only included around 3% Christians?
At Open Doors, we’re seeing a few practical reasons why there aren’t more Syrian Christians coming through the program.
But first, it’s important to note that since 2003, the U.S. has resettled more than 762,000 refugees. 340,000 of these refugees have been Christians, according to statistics from the U.S. State Department. That puts the number of Christian refugees coming into the U.S. at right around 44% of the total number of refugees.
These Christians are coming from countries around the world, including many countries topping the Open Doors World Watch List. This helpful article on Christianity Today breaks down the numbers of Christian refugees coming from each country.
The situation for refugees coming from each area of the world is different, of course, and in the case of Syrian Christians, we know that many felt protected under the Assad regime. As a result, many Christians actually chose to stay in Syria longer than their Muslim neighbors. So it’s likely that we will see higher numbers of Christians coming in as more refugees are processed.
Keep in mind, though: the security processing for refugees is lengthy (often 18 months or more). With many Syrian Christians waiting longer to even embark on this process, Matthew Soerens, US director of church mobilization for World Relief, points out that the majority of Syrian Christians are likely still waiting to be processed.
But here’s something else to consider: I’ve spoken personally with many Syrian Christians who felt called to stay in Syria – in spite of the horrifying danger – to be a light in the darkness and reach out to those who are suffering. I’m proud to know some remarkable pastors and church leaders who, supported by Open Doors, persist in distributing food inside Syria, as well as offering trauma counseling, and providing education and “safe spaces” for children. It’s an incredibly dangerous undertaking, and their courage inspires me. [Continue Reading]
SOURCE: OpenDoors
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