Worthy Christian News > Christian Persecution > Christian Persecution - Africa > World largely silent as thousands of African Christians were butchered this year

World largely silent as thousands of African Christians were butchered this year

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The world and the Church were largely silent as almost 6,000 Christians around the globe were murdered by Islamic jihadists in 2022, most of them in Africa, Israeli journalist Hananya Naftali reports for the Christian Post.

The slaughter of Christians in Africa has gone on unabated for more than a decade and is increasing in its scale and intensity.

The Open Doors USA persecution watchdog reported in November that 5,898 Christians were murdered on account of their religious beliefs this year. Open Doors also listed four African countries – Somalia, Eritrea, Libya, and Nigeria – among the top 10 worst states for the oppression and persecution of Christians. Nigeria alone saw 4,000 Christians murdered by jihadists from Fulani, Boko Haram, and Islamic State West Africa extremist terror groups this year.

While persecution watchdogs including International Christian Concern, Genocide Watch, Open Doors, and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom have long been calling for help and action to stem the slaughter of Christians in Africa, and Nigeria in particular – the world has said and done next to nothing.

Addressing the worldwide church in his piece for the Christian Post, Naftali noted: “When Churches were shut down across America due to COVID-19 restrictions, there was a big outcry and rightful protests, which I supported. Still, when it comes to African Christians, many of them don’t have a voice, and many of the ones that wanted to protest are lying under the ground.”

“The silence from around the world in response to the persecution of Christians in Africa is deafening,” Naftali continues. “We need to take action now if we want to end Christian persecution in Africa. Whether it’s raising awareness about the issue, financially supporting organizations that protect persecuted Christians, advocating for legislation abroad, or volunteering on behalf of persecuted people, we can all do our part to help end Christian persecution in Africa.”