In a country ruled by the Ayatollahs - one of the few in the world governed by an Islamic theocracy - religious conversions from the faith of Mohammed to Christianity seem to be occurring at an “explosive” rate, according to the American organization Open Doors USA.
The phenomenon appears to be particularly widespread among the younger generations. One of its manifestations has been confirmed by priests and clergy traveling in the Middle East and the Arabian peninsula – they are contacted in the “extraterritorial” zone of an airport, by young people who want to ask them questions and get in contact with Christian clergy.
Conversely - and to a lesser extent - there also appears to be a revival of interest in Zoroastrianism.
Unlike Islam, it is viewed and experienced by young people as an Arab element, neither national nor Persian.
This development in Iran particularly involves non-traditional Protestant denominations - a movement of “house churches” that have given rise to “many secret meetings.”
The trend has spread nationwide, especially in the big cities. Needless to say, the situation is meeting with maximum opposition from the regime - Iran is ranked at number five on the Open Doors list of the fifty countries considered the worst persecutors of Christians.
“Open Doors workers think that the growth of Christianity has everything to do with Iranians getting to know the real face of Islam, the official religion of Iran, and the mistrust of the people toward the government and leaders following the fraudulent 2009 presidential election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,” said a member of Open Doors who requested anonymity for security reasons.
For Carl Moeller, president of Open Doors, the phenomenon is not only limited to Iran: the “invisible church” is growing throughout the Middle East. It is invisible because the transition from Islam to Christianity is dangerous, if not impossible, in that region.
“Men and women, out of emptiness of their current situation spiritually, are turning to faith in Jesus Christ despite the literally lethal risks in doing so. That’s only attributable to the work of the Holy Spirit.”
Forty years ago, about 400 Christians of Muslim background lived in Iran. Now some sources are talking about as many as 370,000 Christian converts. According to the government, about 200,000 Christians are living in Iran as members of the official Churches.
Some recent government orders are acting as indirect confirmation that this wave of conversions must have some basis in reality. Just a few days ago, the Armenian Anglican Church of Tehran received an order to end its Friday religious services in Farsi.
The Nader Shah Avenue church is one of the few official churches in Iran still allowed to give services in the local language and for Christians who speak Persian.
The “Farsi Christian News Network” (FCNN) states that Islamic Court officials have warned its Anglican owners that if they continue to celebrate in Farsi on Fridays - the sacred day for Muslims - their church will be bombed “just like what happens in Iraq every day.”
FCNN adds that two other churches that had held religious services in the local language were forced to stop. But this kind of activity had been going on in churches for decades without any problem. Similarly, Saturday classes and catechisms for new Christians have been prohibited – they, too, had been going on for decades, without any official restrictions from the Assemblies of God in the capital of Tehran.
The Ministry of State Security, who is responsible for these decisions, would not comment on the policy change.
At the same time, there has been an increase in “unofficial” repression toward Christians throughout the country.
In recent weeks there have been reports of arrests in Ahwaz, Shiraz, Esfahan, and Kermanshah.
According to “Mohabat,” a Christian site specializing in the defence of religious rights, it is not only the unofficial Christian churches, but also recognized Churches who are feeling the pressure: “Anglican, Syriac Pentecostal, and Presbyterian churches have had to shut down their Friday services.
Recently, an Anglican leader who gave services in Farsi was arrested in Isfahan, and the authority for Syriac Pentecostal churches was closed.” Isfahan, the third largest city, has been the centre of this repression for some weeks.
Seven Christian leaders were arrested in their homes, and their religious material, in addition to computers and other documents, was confiscated. In one case, even the photographs that hung on the wall were taken away.
What is remarkable is that the arrests are not only of those involved in the “house churches,” which have always been in the crosshairs of the authorities, but also of those working with the official churches.
One of those arrested is in fact Hekmat Salimi, a 30-year convert who is a pastor at St. Paul’s Anglican Church and the author of books on theology.
Also arrested was Giti Hakimpour, 78, a pastor at St. Luke’s Anglican Church.
Analysts see these arrests as a tactic aimed at discouraging conversions from Islam.