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Christianity in Yemen

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    Christianity is a minority religion in Yemen. The Yemeni constitution mentions religious liberty. There are three churches in Aden.

    Marble plate inscribed with an ancient South Arabian script about Christianity. From Yemen, 6th century CE. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul

    History

    Christianity was a widespread religion on the territory of contemporary Yemen as early as in 6th century before arrival of Islam in Yemen. Divisions between Jews and Christians led to the latter being persecuted under the Jewish Kingdom of Himyar. After the Ethiopian invasion of Yemen, the Ethiopian-based Kingdom of Axum supported the local Christian community and tried to encourage the growth of Christianity in the region. This led to a revenge suppression of Yemenite Jews by their new rulers.

    Present situation

    Former Anglican church in Aden

    In 2023, Christians as a group make up 0.06% of the country's population. The World Christian Encyclopedia, Second edition, Volume 1, states that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church are the largest denominations in Yemen. A 2015 study estimated that there were 400 Christians from a Muslim background in the country. Pew-Templeton estimated the number of Christians in Yemen at 40,000 in 2013.

    In 2020, there were four hundred Catholics in the country, which included one priest and eight nuns. There are also approximately 2,500 Catholics who are temporary foreign workers or refugees.

    In Aden, there are one Catholic church and two Anglican churches. In San'a there are weekly Protestant services, with 436 Protestants. Christian missions from several countries are active in Yemen. There are hospitals that belong to foreign Christian institutions.

    Protestants make up less than 1% of the population of Yemen. In 2006, an American Baptist congregation was affiliated with a hospital in Jibla; the Anglican Church runs two charitable clinics in Aden and it was noted that in the past peaceful relations between Christians and Muslims contribute to religious freedom. However, in 2020, Yemen is ranked as 'High' on the scale of state discrimination against minority religions and it is reported that Christians and other religious minorities are often discriminated against when attempting to access humanitarian aid.

    Conversion from Islam to Christianity is not legally recognized by the state. Yemen was third on Open Doors' 2023 World Watch List, an annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution. In the same year, it was scored 1 out of 4 for religious freedom.

    See also

    References

    1. "Arabian Christians Massacred". Christianity.com. Retrieved 2018-09-06.
    2. "Himyar". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
    3. "Yemen, the Crucible of al-Qaida, Was Once a Powerful Arabian Kingdom Run by Jews". Tablet Magazine. 2013-08-08. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
    4. The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) website, Retrieved 2023-07-06
    5. Johnstone, Patrick; Miller, Duane A (2015). "Believers in Christ from a Muslim Background: a global census". IJRR. 11: 17. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
    6. Pew-Templeton - Global Religious Futures
    7. Catholics And Culture website, Retrieved 2023-07-05
    8. The Association of Religion Data Archives website, Retrieved 2023-07-05
    9. "Yemeni leader to meet with Pope". Catholic World News. 2004-11-24. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
    10. "International Religious Freedom Report 2006".
    11. "Reports on Religious Freedom: Yemen". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
    12. The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) website, Retrieved 2023-07-06
    13. US State Dept 2022 report
    14. Open Doors website, Retrieved 2023-07-05
    15. Freedom House website, retrieved 2023-08-08
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