New theological university in Damascus: Hope for Syrian Christians!

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Damaskus, Syrien - In Damascus, an important new church theological university was recently opened by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. The facility was officially launched by a decree by President Bashar al-Assad and includes faculties for theology, philosophy, religious studies and an institute for old languages. This initiative should not only strengthen the educational offer for the remaining Christian community, but also promote the interreligious dialogue, as reported on kathpress.at . Before the civil war, up to 1.5 million Christians still lived in Syria; The number has now fallen to an estimated 300,000 to 500,000.

a historical heritage in danger

The Christian communities in Syria look back on a long history and were an important religion in the region until the country's Islamization in the 7th century. Today Christians only make up about 10% of the population of Syria, as wikipedia . The situation in the areas affected by the civil war is particularly dramatic, where many churches and Christian communities are under pressure. According to reports, hundreds of thousands of Christians fled abroad, since security in the Kurdish areas and other regions, some of which are under the influence of Islamist militants, is severely restricted. Despite the dangers that the enclaves bring for Christians, many remained in the hope of fairer times, whereby Syria was long considered a safe place for Christian minorities.

In the meantime, the military conflict in the country continues, especially around the city of Hama, where violent battles between government troops and Islamist rebels romp. More than 570 people have been killed in a recent increase in violence in the past few days, including civilians. The reports on massive air strikes and the support of Iraqi fighters continue to heat the fights and show the complex and often brutal extent of the civil war, which has been holding the country in its catch for years. While the new theological university offers hope for the retention of Christian culture in Syria, the security of the communities remains questionable in view of the continuing struggles and radical religious tensions in the region.

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OrtDamaskus, Syrien
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