Christianity is one of the world’s major religions and its followers comprise a significant proportion of the global population. The number of Christians worldwide has been increasing, but one place you’d perhaps least expect to find a large number of practicing Christians is the Middle Eastern nation of Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an Islamic state and many of its restrictions on public expression of religion have been in place since its inception in 1932. Although the government officially recognizes Christianity as one of the three religions in the region, it is not allowed to be practiced in public in the country. Nevertheless, there are a significant number of Christian believers and expatriates residing in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the larger cities a Djeddah and Riyadh.
The freedom of denominations within the Christian faith is also limited. The law only allows the practice of the Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox denominations of Christianity. Other denominations such as Baptists and Pentecostals, for example, are not officially recognized. The law does not permit public worship even for these three sanctioned denominations of Christianity. Any public worship must be kept private and conducted within churches that are registered with the government.
The situation in Saudi Arabia is often perceived as one where Christians are not allowed to practice their faith in public, with only some limited exceptions. There is, however, some evidence that this is beginning to change. For example, there has been a growing acceptance of private prayer and Bible study groups among some of the Christian expatriate communities, although such activities are still subject to suspension if discovered by the authorities.
In recent years, there have also been a growing number of churches that are registered with the government, although they must be low-key in order to remain in business. Most of the churches provide social activities, prayer meetings and bible study groups rather than services. Some of the churches also cater to Christian pilgrims who are transit to the Holy Sites in Israel and Egypt.
Although public worship for Christians is still not officially allowed in Saudi Arabia, it appears that attitudes towards Christianity are gradually changing. The government has recently announced plans to open a new church in Riyadh and is also considering official recognition of established churches, although there is still a long way to go. In the meantime, the Christian community continues to exist in Saudi Arabia, although it remains largely underground.
Religious Awareness
One of the biggest challenges for Saudi Arabia’s Christian communities is the lack of religious awareness among the broader population. Although there is growing acceptance of Christianity among some sections of society, there is still a prevailing attitude of ignorance and intolerance towards the religion. This has led to increasing levels of discrimination and even incidents of violence against Christian believers.
As a result, some Christians choose not to reveal their faith publicly and instead opt to keep a low profile. This is especially true for foreign Christian workers, who may face discrimination and even deportation if they reveal their faith too openly. Despite this, there is growing willingness on the part of the government and the public to be more open-minded and tolerant towards Christians, and this is gradually leading to a more accepting attitude.
The growing religious tolerance in Saudi Arabia has been reflected in recent government initiatives such as the issuance of religious visas for Christian pilgrims and Christian clergy members. This shows the government’s recognition of Christianity as a legitimate religion in the country, and its willingness to make religious rights more accessible for its citizens and for those coming from abroad.
However, much work still needs to be done in order to ensure that Christians in Saudi Arabia can practice their faith without fear of harassment or discrimination. A large part of this involves educating the population on religious tolerance, so as to foster a more inclusive and accepting attitude towards Christians.
Recognition & Visas
Despite only limited public worship being allowed in the country, the government of Saudi Arabia recognizes the right of its citizens to practice their faith freely and to make visits to holy sites. This has been made possible by the introduction of religious visas, which allow pilgrims to freely access certain holy sites within the country. It is important to note, however, that these visas are only available to the sanctioned denominations of Christianity and access to certain sites may be limited or restricted.
Although the issuing of religious visas has been welcomed by some Christian groups, the fact that only sanctioned denominations are allowed to make pilgrimage visits to holy sites remains contentious. This has led to some criticism from religious leaders and human rights activists who argue that all Christian denominations should be recognized and given full access to religious sites.
There is also the issue of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia. Although it is true that public worship is still not officially allowed in the country, the government does recognize the right of its citizens to practice their faith in private and does not interfere with those who choose to do so. However, the government closely monitors any public expression of faith and retains the right to suspend religious activities or disrupt gatherings if they are deemed to be against the teachings of Islam.
Discrimination
Another issue facing Christians in Saudi Arabia is discrimination. As previously discussed, there is still a prevailing attitude of ignorance and even intolerance towards the faith among some sections of the Saudi population, which has led to increasing levels of discrimination against Christian believers. This has also been compounded by the fact that there are still some Saudi citizens who are completely unaware of the existence of practicing Christians in the country.
The government has taken some steps to address these issues, such as the introduction of education campaigns aimed at raising awareness of Christianity and other faiths that are practiced in the country. However, much more needs to be done in order to foster a more inclusive and tolerant attitude towards Christians in the kingdom.
There is also the issue of employment rights for Christians in Saudi Arabia. Despite the fact that there is no explicit legal discrimination against Christian workers, many employers are reluctant to hire them due to the potential backlash from both customers and employees. This has led many Christian workers to stay largely underground, which further exacerbates the problem of discrimination.
Religious Security
Christianity may be a minority religion in Saudi Arabia, but its adherents still face the same risks that all other religious minorities face. The government has made some efforts to ensure the security and safety of Christian believers and foreign workers, but there are still some areas where improvements need to be made. For example, there have been reports of Christian workers being targeted by radical Islamic groups and threatened with violence due to their faith, and the government needs to take steps to address this.
The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C. is proactively working to protect the rights and safety of religious minorities and to ensure their security in the kingdom. This is a positive step, but much more needs to be done in order to ensure the safety and security of Christian believers and expatriate workers in the country.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is a growing acceptance of Christianity in Saudi Arabia and the government has slowly begun to recognize the faith and its adherents. However, much still needs to be done to ensure the full acceptance and integration of the Christian community in the Kingdom. Public worship is still not allowed in the country and many Christians choose to keep a low profile in order to remain safe. Discrimination and security risks remain an issue for many Christian expatriates, but the government is working to address these issues and ensure their safety.
