The Secretive World Of Afghanistan's Underground Christian Community

Afghanistan has a long and complex religious history. While the country is overwhelmingly Muslim today, with 99% of the population practising Islam, Christianity has existed in the region since the second century AD. However, there are currently no Christian churches in Afghanistan. Christians in the country are forced to practise their faith in secret, in private homes, due to the threat of severe punishment and discrimination. The Taliban's resurgence has made the situation even more dangerous for Christians, who are now at extreme risk of persecution.

Christians in Afghanistan are persecuted and must conceal their faith

Christians in Afghanistan are a persecuted minority and are forced to conceal their faith. The country is overwhelmingly Muslim, with 99% of the population following Islam. The Afghan constitution does not recognize any confessions other than Islamic ones and states that Islam is the religion of the state. Apostasy, or the act of renouncing Islam, is punishable by death. Christians in Afghanistan, therefore, face the constant risk of severe punishment and discrimination and are forced to keep their faith a secret.

The Taliban, who took control of the country in August 2021, have further intensified the persecution of Christians. Despite pledges to recognize more freedoms, the Taliban have failed to do so. If an Afghan's Christian faith is discovered, it can result in a death sentence, detention, or torture. The Taliban have claimed that there are no Christians in Afghanistan and are working to completely erase Christianity from the country. They regularly raid the homes of Christians and threaten their jobs and families. The Taliban are also attempting to cut contact between Afghan citizens and Western groups, making it difficult for Christians to receive support from outside organizations.

Due to the hostile environment, many Christians in Afghanistan have gone underground or fled the country. Those who remain practice their faith in secret, often in private homes or small venues. They risk beatings, torture, and kidnapping if their faith is discovered. The distribution and ownership of Bibles are also extremely dangerous, and Bibles are only available through underground networks or in digital formats.

The persecution of Christians in Afghanistan is not limited to the Taliban but also includes local and national governments, extremist groups such as ISIS, and even family and community members. Converting from Islam to Christianity is considered shameful, and those who do so face dire consequences, including disownment, forced psychiatric hospitalization, or death. The societal and legal pressure to conform to Islam is immense, and Christians in Afghanistan must take great risks to practice their faith.

Despite the dangers, there is a sense of unity among Christians in Afghanistan. Indigenous, near-culture, and expatriate believers boldly take risks to help each other grow in faith and connect with local house churches. Evangelism is forbidden, but some Christians continue to share the gospel with others, even in the face of severe consequences. The resilience and courage of Afghanistan's Christians demonstrate their commitment to their faith, even in the most challenging of circumstances.

There are no public churches in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has a long and complex religious history. Christianity in the region dates back to the second century AD and is believed to have been brought by the Apostle Thomas. However, subsequent Muslim and Mongol conquests at the end of the first millennium erased the influence of Christianity in the region.

In modern times, Afghanistan is an overwhelmingly Muslim country, with 99% of the population practising Islam. The remaining 1% are thought to be Christian, but it is difficult to estimate accurately as Christians cannot openly practice their faith. The Afghan government does not recognise any of its nationals as non-Muslims, and apostasy (the act of renouncing Islam) is punishable by death. As a result, Christians in Afghanistan must conceal their faith in public or risk severe punishment and discrimination. This means that there are no public churches in Afghanistan. Christians either practice alone or in small congregations, meeting in private homes.

The only legally recognised church in Afghanistan was within the compound of the Italian embassy in Kabul, built to serve foreigners working in the capital and not open to local nationals. However, following the Taliban offensive in 2021, the Catholic Church ceased to have a functioning presence in the country. The Taliban falsely claims that there are "no Christians" remaining in Afghanistan, and Christians in the country have reported going into hiding to avoid persecution.

Despite the dangers, there is a secret underground community of Afghan Christians living in Afghanistan, estimated to number between 500 and 8000 individuals. These Christians are boldly taking risks to help believers grow in faith and connect with local house churches. While church growth has been slow, significant Christian growth has occurred among the Hazara people, and members of other people groups are also coming to know Christ.

The Taliban falsely claims there are no Christians in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has a long history of Christianity, with the religion reaching the country by the second century. However, today, it is impossible to live openly as a Christian in Afghanistan. The Taliban falsely claims that there are "no Christians" in the country, but this is not true. There are an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 Christians in Afghanistan, according to the head of the Afghan House Church Network, identified as Luke.

The Taliban's resurgence has made the situation even more dangerous for Christians, who are forced to practice their faith in secret, often in small congregations or house churches. They risk severe punishment, discrimination, and even death if their faith is discovered. Christians in Afghanistan, who are mostly converts from Islam, must keep their faith hidden and live in constant fear of persecution, not just from the Taliban but also from their own families and communities.

The consequences of leaving Islam are dire, and Christians who are discovered face disownment, honor killings, or forced psychiatric hospitalization. Additionally, the production of printed materials contrary to Islamic beliefs is prohibited, and owning a Bible is extremely dangerous. Christians in Afghanistan rely on underground ministry networks or digital formats to access the Bible and other religious texts.

The Taliban's interpretation of Islam considers Christians to be traitors and enemies of the state, punishable by death. They have actively hunted down prominent Christians and gone door-to-door in search of converts. The Taliban's rule has led to increased control and supervision, making it harder for Christians to practice their faith in secret.

Despite the dangers, some Afghan Christians have chosen to stay and continue to boldly take risks to practice their faith and connect with local house churches. They are determined to maintain a witness for Christ, even at the cost of their lives.

Christians in Afghanistan are forced to practice their faith in private homes

Afghanistan's constitution states that Islam is the religion of the state, and apostasy, or renouncing Islam, is punishable by death. This forces Christians, almost all of whom are converts from Islam, to conceal their faith in public or risk severe punishment, discrimination, and even death. The production and distribution of non-Islamic religious materials are also prohibited, and the state automatically considers all citizens to be Muslims.

As a result, Christians in Afghanistan are driven underground, worshipping in secret house churches that are not recognized by the government. They must keep their faith hidden, and many are forced to live and identify as Muslims in their daily lives. The exact number of Christians in Afghanistan is unknown due to the secrecy and danger surrounding their faith, but estimates range from 2,000 to 20,000.

The persecution of Christians in Afghanistan has a long history, dating back to the Muslim and Mongol conquests of the first millennium that erased the influence of the church in the region. In more recent times, the rise of extremist Islamic governments, including the Taliban, has further strangled the possibility of a large non-Muslim community.

The situation for Christians in Afghanistan has become even more dire under Taliban rule. Many Christians have fled the country, and those who remain live in constant fear of exposure, torture, and death. They are forced to practice their faith in secret, relying on underground ministry networks or digital resources to access Bibles and other religious materials.

The international community has recognized the extreme persecution faced by Christians in Afghanistan, and efforts have been made to provide support and assistance to those fleeing the country. Despite these efforts, Christians in Afghanistan continue to face immense political and social pressure, with little freedom to openly practice their faith.

Christianity in Afghanistan dates back to the second century AD

Afghanistan has historically been a crossroads of many civilisations and, with it, a multitude of religions. Christianity in Afghanistan dates back to the second century AD and is believed to have been brought to the region by the Apostle Thomas.

Thomas is said to have preached in Bactria, an ancient region in Central Asia that was located on flat land straddling modern-day northern Afghanistan. The Acts of Thomas, an apocryphal book likely written in the fourth century, details Thomas's journey to India and further north to spread the message of Christ. Coins with the name of the Indian King Gundaphar, who was said to have converted to Christianity, have been found in India and as far as the Kabul valley in Afghanistan.

The Church of the East, also known as the Nestorian Church, was recognised by the Iranian Sassanid Empire, which ruled what is now Afghanistan from 224 to 579. In 424, Bishop Afrid of Sakastan, an area covering southern Afghanistan, attended the Synod of Dadyeshu, which was one of the most important councils of the Church of the East. By the sixth century, Herat was seen as a Metropolitan See of the Apostolic Church of the East, and from the ninth century, it was also the see of the Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan.

The Apostolic Church of the East established bishops in nine cities in Afghanistan, including Herat, Farah, Zaranj, Bushanj, Badghis, Kandahar, and Balkh. However, the influence of the church in the region was later erased by subsequent Muslim and Mongol conquests at the end of the first millennium.

Today, Afghanistan is known as a country with Islam as the main and only official religion. The Afghan government does not recognise any of its nationals as non-Muslims, and the constitution states that Islam is "the religion of the state". Apostasy, or the act of renouncing Islam, is punishable by death. As a result, Christians in Afghanistan must conceal their faith in public or risk severe punishment and discrimination. There are no public churches in Afghanistan, and Christians practice either alone or in small congregations, meeting in private homes or underground churches.

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