What happened: India’s recently tabled amendment to its FCRA laws governing foreign donations to charities marked the most pressing threat to Christian ministries — and other non-profits — in recent years. It was also far from the only means by which the Hindu-first government has sought to repress religious minorities.
Why it matters: While the amendment failed to pass for now, it points to a striking reality and escalating threats of persecution to believers within its borders. Knowing what’s going on helps us know how to pray, and our fellow Christians in India need our prayers.
The backstory
While countries like Iran, China and North Korea typically come to mind first when we think about persecution, India belongs in the conversation as well. They hovered just outside the top 10 of Open Doors’ “World Watch List” for years, and the recent drop from eleven to 12 has more to do with other nations jumping up than with conditions for Christians improving in any noticeable way.
Perhaps part of the reason why India is not typically thought of in that same category is that the Christians there share much of the Hindu government’s aggression with the nation’s much larger Muslim population. That said, Christians can face persecution from Muslims as well, but it is the government’s efforts that are most troubling for the future of the faith there, and there’s reason to believe things might be getting worse soon.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Ryan Denison and originally published by Denison Forum.
