About the Series: Edinburgh Companions to Global Christianity Series
The “Edinburgh Companions to Global Christianity Series” is a comprehensive series that covers key facts and analyses on various regions around the world regarding the Christian faith. It offers reliable demographic information and original interpretative essays by indigenous scholars and practitioners, and is considered to be the gold standard for scholars, students, and anyone seriously studying global Christianity.
Originally published as hardcover volumes by Edinburgh University Press, Hendrickson Publishers is now publishing them for the first time as paperbacks, making them more affordable and accessible to everyone. This series includes such a wealth of information that teaches readers important facts and data about Christianity all around the world, we are honored to be able to offer these resources to a wider group of readers now.
Book Spotlight: Christianity in North Africa and West Asia
Today, we are looking at the second book released in the series, “Christianity in North Africa and West Asia.” This helpful volume offers readers:
- Clearly presented statistical and demographic information on every country in North Africa and West Asia including: Morocco and Western Sahara, Algeria and Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Egypt, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, The Gulf, Armenia, and Georgia.
- Analyses of leading features and current trends written by indigenous scholars.
- Essays examining each of the major Christian traditions (Anglicans, Independents, Orthodox, Protestants, Roman Catholics, Evangelicals, Pentecostals/Charismatics).
- And finally, essays exploring key themes such as faith and culture, worship and spirituality, theology, social and political engagement, mission and evangelism, religious freedom, interfaith relations, slavery, anthropology of evil, and migration.
Chapter Spotlight: Religious Freedom
In the chapter titled Religious Freedom, Ewelina Ochab scrutinizes the level of freedom of religion in North Africa and West Asia, its limitations, and the consequences of those limitations. Her analysis focuses on the situation of Christian minorities, explaining the governmental and non-governmental limitations to their religious freedom, including discrimination and persecution.
Ochab’s conclusion indicates that, while religious freedom is protected across the region, government provisions do not currently comply with international obligations. The future of religious freedom and religious minorities in the NAWA region is contingent upon the protections governments give minorities and the accommodation of an interfaith dialogue aimed at promoting tolerance and guaranteeing religious pluralism.
If you want to read more about her perspective and analyses of religious minorities in the region, here is a blog post she wrote:
Final Thoughts:
Christianity in North Africa and West Asia seeks to give readers a comprehensive outlook on the religious situations in the North African and West Asian region. With statistical charts in the back, this book not only maps patterns of growth and decline, but it also analyzes key themes, assesses major traditions and movements, and examines current trends regarding Christianity in the NAWA region.
Only by recognizing the current religious climate in this region will we be able to help bring more awareness to the Christian disparity between the Western and NAWA region. In contrast, the West should offer support and cooperate closely without imposing solutions.
“An accessible and up-to-date reference tool for those interested in finding an overview of the topic… I highly appreciate the attention given to making this a comprehensive text, both geographically and thematically.” –Paul Rowe, Trinity Western University.
About the Authors:
Kenneth R. Ross, formerly Professor of Theology at the University of Malawi, is parish minister at Netherlorn in Argyll, Honorary Fellow of Edinburgh University School of Divinity, and Chair of the Scotland Malawi Partnership.
Mariz Tadros is Professor and Co-Leader of the Power and Popular Politics Cluster at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex.
Todd M. Johnson is Distinguished Professor of Global Christianity and Director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts.
For more information about Christianity in North Africa and West Asia, please visit our website: https://www.hendricksonrose.com
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