Christianity In Saudi Arabia

When one thinks of Saudi Arabia, one immediately conveys an association with Islam. While this association is warranted and overwhelmingly reflects the reality of the country, it does not adequately reflect the history or the struggles experienced by minority religious groups, particularly Christians—the group this essay will focus on. Christianity in Saudi Arabia can be dated back to the earliest years of the religion. However, due to the fact that Islam originated in Saudi Arabia and was the earliest place that it gained a stronghold, it is not surprising that Islam quickly overshadows Christianity to the point where Christianity becomes completely put in the dark. While much of what is known about Christianity in Saudi Arabia is still coming to light due historical

However, such strict implementations have not extinguished the covert practice and spread of Christianity. This essay will explore part of the history of Christianity in Saudi Arabia as well as what life is like for Christians now and what it may be like in the future. Saudi Arabia is located in an area of the world where western religions originated and spread. Therefore, it is not surprising that early forms of Christian conversion took place in the area and developed into rich cultures. Precisely how Christianity initially spread to Saudi Arabia is unknown and up for debate. However, two traditions are widely considered to hold the answer. “According to one tradition, a merchant from Najran (on the southern tip of Saudi Arabia) converted during one of his trips to modern day Iraq and formed a house church at the beginning of the 5th century. Another tradition concerns an envoy of the Roman emperor, Constantius, who preached the Gospel to the Himyarite king of South Arabia, who as a result converted” (Open Doors USA). Christianity was mostly existent in the south of Saudi Arabia before the Muslim expulsion. Another interesting historical element of early Christianity in Saudi Arabia is