Who We Are • Solidarity with the Persecuted Church

Who We Are

about_church_smallSPC builds solidarity between the Christian communities that live in freedom, and those that suffer under religious persecution. It is our belief that increasing the awareness between Christians around the world increases the sense of unity within the one Church of Christ. As Christians we have a responsibility to care for those who are living, and in many cases dying, as second-class and oppressed people in nations around the world.

SPC builds this solidarity, and strengthens the Church by:

Working with local church leaders to promote projects and sustainability

In all cases, Solidarity with the Persecuted Church supports initiatives which are defined by local Christian leaders (Bishops, Pastors, Sisters, Local Evangelizers, etc.). This means SPC has no pre-determined preference for any ‘brand’ of projects. Local communities know what they need to reach sustainability—and SPC listens to them. These projects include the construction or improvement of sacred facilities, such as churches, residences for priests, pastors, or sisters, and schools for religious instruction. Because we see the provision of charitable services by the Church as an important means of defending its presence in hostile areas, eligible projects also include secular facilities, such as hospitals and schools, or the Little Angels Orphanage as well as community development finance programs, such as microfinance loans.

Resisting persecution and maintaining viability in areas of hostility

Recent events in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia have vividly demonstrated that the Christian presence in these and other regions of the world is facing an extremely potent strain of persecution. The very existence of a Christian Church in many countries is uncertain. Under ISIS, if a Christian community is not killed or kidnaped, they are forced to pay a tax, barred from displaying signs of their faith in public, and are forbidden from any form of evangelization. In Pakistan, it is illegal to convert to Christianity or to communicate Christian beliefs to non-Christians.

Encouraging participation in public life

The “Arab Spring” promised greater democracy and personal liberty in the Middle East. This idea has been hijacked by extreme Islamic fundamentalism, resulting in displacement, discrimination and a more intensive persecution for Christians. A profoundly anti-Christian regime now controls large swaths of Syria and Iraq. While Pakistan’s only Christian government minister was assassinated in 2011. Since then, no Christian has held public office. The ability of Christians to practice their faith in peace and freedom is curtailed in these countries and elsewhere; One’s public demonstration of faith is an integral part to creating equality and dignity among all members of a nation. Christians, being barred from worshiping, are force to hide their relationship with God from the public.

Live in peaceful harmony with their neighbors

The call of Christ is clear: We must live in the peace and love of the Holy Spirit. The ultimate goal of SPC is to allow Christians to live out this call with all people of goodwill, and by doing so, promote the goodwill of others. Our programs help the Church better resist persecution and maintain its viability, allowing Christians to fully participate in the public life of the nations of which they are citizens, to worship openly; and to live in harmony with their neighbors.

Take the step to help Christians around the world!

Please consider standing with the Church around the world, and take a step to save Christians living under oppressive regimes by contributing . All contributions go toward increasing program success and aiding thousands of Christians, with a current focus on the Middle East.

Our current projects can be found here and you can always feel free to send us a message about any thoughts, concerns, questions or ideas.

Newsletter

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Rebuilding Christian Villages in Iraq

The Islamic State occupation of Iraq’s Nineveh Plain devastated the Christian presence. Now that Many Christian villages have been liberated, the Christians are eager to return home. Join Solidarity with the Persecuted Church in rebuilding these Christian villages.

Nineveh Plain, Iraq

The Holy Family Center

The Holy Family Center in Erbil helps create jobs for displaced families and cares for newborn children in order to create a stable family environment allowing them to remain together and prosperous even in an otherwise desperate situation.

Erbil, Iraq

Parishes in Exile

25 Syriac Christian Parishes are living as exiles in Northern Iraq. These communities, mostly Orthodox and Syriac Catholic, are struggling to rebuild their lives as refugees while they await n eventual return to their ancient homelands.

Dohuk, Iraq

Rebuild the Nigerian Church

For over six years Nigeria has been fighting a vicious radical Islamic insurgency, Boko Haram. In a nation which is over half Christian, Churches have been destroyed, girls have been kidnapped, forced to convert to Islam, or slaughtered outright. Finally, Nigeria is able to begin focusing on a long road to reconstruction, but the Church needs help rebuilding parishes, and caring for the hundreds of thousands displaced by Boko Haram.

The Nigerian Church

The Little Angels Orphanage

Orphans caused by the 220,000 deaths due to the Syrian civil war may have a future at the “Little Angel’s” orphanage on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria.  Patriarch Aphrem of the Syrian Orthodox church has recently acquired a property that he intends as a place to care for Syria’s orphans.

The Little Angels Orphanage

Northern Iraq

Help Bishop Rabban al-Qas of Dohuk, Iraq build schools to teach Christian refugee children.

Northern Iraq

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