Video: Pakistan’s Christians: Persecuted yet steadfast in faith

By Matthew Davies
Posted Sep 22, 2014

[Episcopal News Service] One year ago today (on Sept. 22, 2013) two suicide bombers targeted All Saints Anglican Church in Peshawar at the end of a Sunday worship service, killing 127 people and injuring 170. Many of the victims were women and children. Bishop Samuel Azariah of the Diocese of Raiwind, moderator of the Church of Pakistan, spoke with Episcopal News Service shortly after that tragic day, saying that despite years of intense persecution from religious extremists, the Christian population in Pakistan is resilient and growing in numbers. “Nothing will dampen our spirits. Bombing, murder, burning, shooting will not dampen our spirits and our commitment to Jesus Christ,” he says.

This video was first published on Nov. 19, 2013.

Azariah briefed the Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops on Sept. 19 about the life of his church in a country where Christians account for 1.5 percent of the 189 million Pakistanis.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has issued a statement on this first anniversary of the suicide bombings at All Saints Church, Peshawar, Pakistan.

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Comments (3)

  1. Catherine Cheek says:
    September 23, 2014 at 8:14 pm

    Our parish (Trinity Episcopal Church, Columbus, Ohio USA) has been focusing on the persecution of Christians in the last few weeks. And I often ask myself, “Is my faith strong enough to withstand the persecution that Christians are experiencing all over the world?” I wonder about these amazing people, who laid down their lives for our Lord Jesus Christ. These persecuted faithful are our modern-day martyrs. Most of whom will never be listed on a church calender, or in such books as “Holy Women, Holy Men, but are still like many of our saints. I pray to God that my faith could be, at least, a fraction of the strength of the people like Archbishop Azariah, and All Saints Church. Our brothers and sisters in Pakistan, Egypt, Syria, and Iraq are pillars of faith. We have to admire these amazing people for the depth of their faith, and pray for them. They are fantastic role models for Christians everywhere.

    Our rector and parish are very involved with Ecumenical and Interfaith affairs. We gather with Muslims, Jews, and other Christians for the opportunity for understanding each other and fellowship. Being the case, I have to state this. Groups like the Islamic State and AL Qaida are not a part of the real religion of Islam. I studied Islam for seven years and practiced Islam for twelve years, before returning home to the Episcopal faith. During some of those years I lived in Amman, Jordan. To this day, I have never met any terrorists. Those who persecute non-Muslims are not Islamic. They are violating the Qur’an, Hadiths, and the Sharia. Sadly, the media generalizes these fanatics as representatives of what is actually a religion of peace. I write about this frequently, because Islam is not an evil religion. It is one of the Abrahamic faiths whose moral teachings and ancestry is very similar to our own faith. I think it is important to stress this, because of the Anti-Islamic attitude that has become popular with many in the West.

    Muslims are not the only religion that is guilty of persecution. This has happened at the hands of Christianity and other faiths, as well. Maybe this is a factor of human nature, to destroy anything with which we don’t understand. The worst part of all of this is the fact that the persecutors justify their horrible actions, by claiming they are doing so, “In the Name If God.”

  2. Julian Malakar says:
    September 24, 2014 at 2:00 pm

    It is sad to say that so much blood has been flown around the world since September 11, 2001 till today by the name of Islam and there is no sign to stop. After so many innocent souls have been lost prematurely does it make sense to say Islam is religion of Peace and point finger to few terrorists responsible for such huge crime against humanity by the name of Islam and majority Muslims are innocent?

    Muslim’s holy book the Quran says in Surah 9:29 “Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture – [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled”.

    In Surah 9:73 the Quran says “O Prophet, fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them. And their refuge is Hell, and wretched is the destination”. There are many more Sutras in Quran that speaks hates against Christian, Jews and non-Muslims.

    It is unlike Christ’s overall teaching that love your neighbor as yourself. Are ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko-Haram etc. violating the Quran, Hadith and the Sharia?

    To get permanent solution for peace we must know the truth and find path accordingly to set us free from evils’ claw as Christ taught us to do. May Almighty God open up hearts and minds of people who prosecute His holy people!

  3. Julian Malakar says:
    September 24, 2014 at 2:07 pm

    It is sad to say that so much blood has been flown around the world since September 11, 2001 till today by the name of Islam and there is no sign to stop. After so many innocent souls have been lost prematurely does it make sense to say Islam is religion of Peace and point finger too few terrorists responsible for such huge crime against humanity by the name of Islam and majority Muslims are innocent?

    Muslim’s holy book the Quran says in Surah 9:29 “Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture – [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled”.

    In Surah 9:73 the Quran says “O Prophet, fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them. And their refuge is Hell, and wretched is the destination”. There are many more Sutras in Quran that speaks hates against Christian, Jews and non-Muslims.

    It is unlike Christ’s overall teaching that love your neighbor as yourself. Are ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko-Haram etc. violating the Quran, Hadith and the Sharia?

    To get permanent solution for peace we must know the truth and find path accordingly to set us free from evils’ claw as Christ taught us to do. May Almighty God open up hearts and minds of people who prosecute His holy people!

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