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It was on the road to Damascus, capital of today’s Syria, that Saul was stopped short in his mission to destroy the early Church. The risen Christ asked him “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4). It was in Damascus that Saul regained his sight again after being struck blind, and it was here that he was filled with the Holy Spirit, was baptised and began his ministry as an apostle.
The Muslim majority in Syria is unusual amongst Arab nations in the degree of respect and warmth they extend towards the Christian population (10%). In the Armenian Genocide of 1915, Syria welcomed hundreds of thousands of Christians fleeing from the murderous policies of the Turkish government. Today Syria is accommodating hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Christian refugees, as well as other refugees from the chaos of Iraq. There is freedom of worship, albeit under close surveillance by the Baathist government. Church buildings can be freely established and are then provided with free electricity, like mosques.
Although Islam is no longer the state religion, there are elements of shari‘a in personal status law and inheritance that apply to some Christian denominations. It is illegal to convert from Islam to Christianity (but conversion in the opposite direction is allowed). Although there are no reports of this law being enforced, converts from Islam to Christianity are in danger from family and community. In a landmark victory on 29 September 2008 a Syrian couple, both Christian converts from Islam, were granted asylum in Britain after receiving death threats from their relatives.
