Written by Stefan van der Berg (Ministry Leader at dia-LOGOS)
Gaza was once home to a thriving Christian community. Unfortunately, with Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, which has so far killed more than 29, 000 Palestinians and left 1 in 6 children under the age of 2 acutely malnourished, could be the final chapter in a rich history of faith, endangering the very existence of Gaza's small Christian community.
There are slightly more than 50,000 Palestinian Christians in the contested territories, with fewer than 1,000 living in Gaza.
The Christian population in the current Palestinian territories has been on the decline, both in absolute numbers and as a proportion of the larger population. In 2007, there were 3,000 Christians in Gaza, but this number has since dwindled, partly due to lower birth rates and higher emigration rates. The ongoing Israeli presence and blockade, imposed since 2007, has prompted many Christians to leave, although some remain determined to maintain their homes and land, despite the challenges posed by the current attacks on Gaza.
The Christian community in Gaza boasts a remarkable history, stretching back to the early days of Christianity in the 1st century. This makes it one of the oldest Christian communities in the world.
The St. Porphyrios Church in Gaza City, founded in the 5th century, stands as the oldest church in Gaza and one of the world's oldest churches.
More than 80% of Gaza’s Christians belong to the Greek Orthodox Church. Around 100 Roman Catholics are a part of the Latin parish of the Church of the Holy Family. The remaining are part of the Baptist/Protestant church of Gaza.
In multiple accounts since 2007, Christians from Gaza have described their situation as living between two hammers. One hammer represents the living conditions: living in Gaza with the Israeli blockade due to the Hamas conflict has also meant Israel squeezing the economy, resulting in more than 60% unemployment, along with a breakdown in civil services and extreme poverty.
The second hammer represents travel restrictions. It is difficult for Gazan Christians to visit relatives and Christian Holy sites in Jerusalem and the West Bank. As one Gazan Christian described it: “I have never been to prison, but I normally live in a prison.”
Despite their small number and religious minority status in a volatile region the Christian community tends to be well-educated and active in their communities. They are involved in institutions like schools, churches, and hospitals, where Gazans are taking refuge in the hopes that Israel will spare these places from the bombardment. Sometimes referred to as “living stones,” Palestinian Christians seek to be an active testimony to the Good News of Jesus in the Holy Land.
Mitri Raheb, a Palestinian Lutheran pastor and founder of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem, highlighted the devastating impact of the war on Gaza's Christian residents, with about 3% of them being killed by airstrikes and shooting attacks by Israel since the conflict began.
Israel’s devastating war along with the ongoing blockade threaten the very existence of Christians in the Gaza Strip for the first time in their 2000-year history.
“I’m afraid the last chapter of Christianity in Gaza is being written,” said Palestinian Lutheran pastor Mitri Raheb.
A Christian Perspective
An honest question that every follower of Christ needs to answer when witnessing hardship is this: “Do we still feel the anguish of our Saviour?” Do we really? Or have our senses been dulled by politics, wars, and corruption? Have we as Christians lost the art of weeping in our endeavours to “feel good” about our Christian experience?
Anguish, that deep inner pain that floods our souls when we witness the hardships of others, is not a Christian duty, it’s a Christian's DNA. It is a virtue that defines those who share the heart of Christ. We care, not because we have to, but because of who we are. If God is the Father of compassion, then we become children of compassion. If the DNA of Anguish is absent, then something is wrong. ANGUISH is non-negotiable. It is the trademark, the ID Document, of what we believe and Who we confess.
I’ll never forget one of our visits to Upper Egypt where we met Brother Atif. As a banker, Brother Atif is involved in mercy ministries and also shares the gospel with everyone he meets. This not only jeopardises his work but also endangers his safety and his life.
“I am willing to give my head (my life) for the people I serve,” Brother Atif shared. The boldness and perseverance combined with such a gentle and humble spirit reflected the God he proclaimed.
“Do you encounter any opposition?” was our obvious question.
“Much, much!” he answered, “There is not one month in the past 12 years in which I was not called in by security.”
“Then how do you do it?” we asked.
And this was his answer: “As believers in this region, we have only two things: our knees to pray with and our eyes to cry with!”
The virtue of anguish cannot be bypassed. Without acknowledging that we have “eyes to cry with”, we dare not confess that we follow a Saviour who wept when He encountered people in need. And it is absolutely crucial that we comprehend this.
In Exodus 33:18, we find a compelling Scripture where Moses pleads with God for His presence and to show him His glory. Listen to God’s answer: “Then Moses said, ‘Now show me Your glory.’ And the LORD said, ‘I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim My name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.’”
God’s glory is revealed in His goodness, in His mercy, and in His compassion. This is His glory. This is His DNA.
Listen to how the reign of Jesus is described in Luke 4:18-21.
“’The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him, and He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’”
And listen to how Paul describes God in 2 Corinthians 1:3.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.”
The Father of compassion, the God of ANGUISH.
May we have the courage to allow God to give us hearts of anguish and eyes that cry over suffering. And may God enable us to be comforters.
''Man may dismiss compassion from his heart, but God never will.'' William Cowper