Should there be a Christian state in the middle east? Should the Christians of the middle east come together to form a Christian state?

Short answer- It is a good idea but chances for it to materialize is few.

The idea of a Christian State in middle east is a concept much similar to Israel the ‘Jewish state’. Modern Israel came into existence on 14 May 1948 as the homeland of Jewish people. In a similar way the middle east Christian to form a nation of their own is a good idea.

But unlike the Jews the middle east Christians have less in common which will pose a threat stumbling block to form a Christian state.

• They belong to various ethnic groups. Eg Arab Christians, indigenous Phoenician etc. So culturally they are different from each other.
• They don’t belong to one Christian denomination. Eg Maronite Christianity, Eastern Orthodox Church, Chaldean Catholic Church, Assyrian Church of the East etc

Christianity, which originated in the Middle East in the 1st century AD, had been one of the major religions of the region from 4th-century Byzantine reforms and until the Arab Muslim conquest of the mid-to-late 7th century AD. But now Christians now make up 5% of the Middle Eastern population, down from 20% in the early 20th century.

The number of Middle Eastern Christians is dropping due to such factors as

• low birth rates compared with Muslims,
• dis-proportionally high immigration
• ethnic persecution.
• Rise of a less tolerant Islam

We know the chaos which occurred when Israel was formed, but they had the support of Europe, Soviet Union and US so they were able to form a Jewish state.

But this is not the case with Middle east Christian state.

• Christianity is gradually loosing its relevance in Europe, hence the plight of middle east Christians is not a big concern for them.
• If Europe support the cause it means fight with the Arab world.

Hence the chances for a Christian State in the middle is grim. Probably in next 50 to 100 years Christianity will go extinct in middle east.