Arab Christians

Ethnic group Christian Arabs are Christians from the Arab world that are self-identified as being Arab , like Arab Muslims . Their origins are from Southwest Asia and North Africa and have been blended with many cultures and civilizations through the centuries. Large numbers of self-identified Arab Christians are found in the Southwest Asia , particularly in Syria , Lebanon , Jordan , Israel , Iraq , West Bank and Gaza Strip . Emigrants from Arab Christian communities make up a significant portion of the Middle Eastern diaspora, with high population concentrations in the Americas , particularly in Argentina , Brazil , Chile , Colombia , the Dominican Republic , Ecuador , Mexico , Peru , Trinidad and Tobago , the United States and Venezuela .

Ethnic group Regions with significant populations Syria 520,000 -703,000 (also 25,000 -52,000 Maronites) Lebanon 350,000 (also 1.062 million Maronites) Israel 127,300 (including 1,000 Copts and 7,000 Maronites) Jordan 100,000 - 140,000 (also 1,000 Maronites) Palestine 38,000 (excluding East Jerusalem) -50,000 Iraq 10,000 Egypt 10,000 -350,000 (also 6-11 million Copts and 5,000 Maronites) Turkey 10,000 -18,000 Languages Arabic , Hebrew (within Israel), French (within Lebanon and diaspora), English (diaspora) Religion Christianity : Greek Orthodox ( Arab , Jerusalem , Antioch , Alexandria ) Latin Greek Catholic Melkite and other sects [a]. excluding Copts [b]. excluding Assyrians [c]. excluding Maronites [d]. prior to Syrian civil war Arab Christians ( Arabic : العرب المسيحيين Al-'Arab Al-Masihiyin ) are ethnic Arabs of the Christian faith, They are the remnants of ancient Arab Christian clans and Arabized Christians, such as Melchites and Rum Christians . Many of the modern Arab Christians are descendants of pre-Islamic Christian Arabian tribes, namely the Kahlani Qahtani tribes of ancient Yemen (i.e. Ghassanids , Lakhmids and Banu Judham ). During the 5th and 6th centuries the Ghassanids, who adopted Monophysite Christianity , formed one of the most powerful confederations allied to Christian Byzantium, being a buffer against the pagan tribes of Arabia. The last king of the Lakhmids, Nu'man III , a client of the Sasanian (Persian) Empire in the late sixth century AD, also converted to Christianity (in this case, to the Nestorian sect). Arab Christians played important roles in Al-Nahda , and because Arab Christians formed the educated upper and bourgeois classes, they have had a significant impact in politics, business and culture, and most important figures of the Al-Nahda movement were Christian Arabs. Today Arab Christians play important roles in the Arab world, and Christians are relatively wealthy, well educated, and politically moderate. Arab Christians, forming Greek Orthodox and Latin Christian communities, are estimated to be 200,000 in Syria, 100,000 in Jordan and an equal number or more among the Palestinian Arab population and within the Arab-Israeli population combined. There is also a sizable Arab Christian Orthodox community in Lebanon and marginal communities in Iraq and Egypt. Arab Christians term is also generally applied to Arabized Melkite societies in Lebanon, Syria, Israel and the Palestinian Authority, who trace their roots to Greek and Aramaic-speaking Byzantine Christians. Greek Orthodox or Eastern Orthodox also known as Rûm Orthodox Christian communities, part of the Rūm Millet , which have existed in Southern Anatolia (Turkey) and Syrian region since the early years of Christianity: they are generally affiliated along geographic lines either to the Antiochian ("Northern") or Jerusalemite ("Southern") patriarchal jurisdictions. Members of these communities still call themselves Rûm which literally means "Roman", or "Asian Greek" in Turkish , Persian and Arabic . In that particular context, the term "Rûm" is used in preference to "Yāvāni" or "Ionani" which means "European- Greek " or Ionian in Biblical Hebrew (borrowed from Old Persian Yavan = Greece) and Classical Arabic. Some members of the community also call themselves "Melkites", which literally means "monarchists" or "supporters of the emperor" in Semitic languages (a reference to their past allegiance to Macedonian and Roman imperial rule), but, in the modern era, the term tends to be more commonly used by followers of the Greek Catholic church. Some Arab Christians are a more recent end result of Evangelization. Emigrants from Arab Christian (including Melkite) communities make up a significant proportion of the Middle Eastern diaspora, with sizeable population concentrations across the Americas , most notably in Chile, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil and the US. Arab Christians are not the only Christian group in the Middle East , with significant non-Arab indigenous Christian communities of ethnic Assyrians , Armenians , Georgians , Greeks and others . Besides those, large ethno-religious Middle Eastern Christian groups such as Copts and Maronites are being argued with a great deal of controversy whether their ethnic identity is Arab or not. Even though sometimes classified as Arab Christians, the largest Middle Eastern Christian groups of Lebanese Maronites and Egyptian Copts often claim non-Arab ethnicity: significant proportion of the Maronites claim descent from ancient Phoenicians , while some Egyptian Copts also eschew an Arab identity, preferring an Ancient Egyptian one. However, both Maronites and Copts had lost their linguistic differentiation during the Ottoman period in favor of the Arabic language, given the cultural, economic and political prestige which Arabic enjoyed, and therefore they can still be considered Arabic-speaking Christians, even if not technically Arab Christians. The Syriac Christian groups, composed largely of Assyrians , form the majority of Christians in Iraq , north east Syria , south-east Turkey and north-west Iran . They are generally defined as non-Arab ethnic groups, including by the governments of Iraq, Iran and Turkey. Assyrians practice their own native dialects of Syriac - Aramaic language, in addition to also speaking local Arabic dialects. Despite their ancient pre-Arabic roots and distinct linguo-cultural identities, Assyrians are sometimes erroneously related by Western sources as "Christians of the Arab World" or "Arabic Christians", creating confusion about their identity Assyrians were also related as "Arab Christians" by pan-Arabist movements and Arab-Islamic regimes. "Christians of the Middle East - Country by Country Facts and Figures on Christians of the Middle East" . [1] "CBS data on Christian population in Israel (2012)" (in Hebrew). [2] The named reference "walid" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page ). Christen in der islamischen Welt – Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte (APuZ 26/2008) "First, they are not recognized as distinct ethnic identities, but rather as segments from the wide "Arab nation" who are "of Christian faith." Philip K. History of the Arabs . 6th ed.; Macmillan and St.

Arabs of the Christian faith Ethnic group Arab Christians ( al-Masīḥiyyūn al-ʿArab ) are Arabs of the Christian faith. Some are descended from ancient Arab Christian clans that did not convert to Islam , such as the Sabaean tribes of Yemen (i.e., Ghassanids , and Banu Judham ) who settled in Transjordan and Syria , as well as Arabized Christians, such as Melkites and Antiochian Greek Christians . Arab Christians are estimated to number 520,000 –1,650,000 in Syria, 221,000 in Jordan , 134,130 in Israel and around 50,000 in Palestine. There are also large Arab Christian communities in Lebanon and Egypt and marginal communities in Iraq and Turkey. Emigrants from Arab Christian communities make up a significant proportion of the Middle Eastern diaspora, with sizable population concentrations across the Americas , most notably in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, and the US. The first Arab tribes to adopt Christianity were likely Nabataeans and Ghassanids . During the fifth and sixth centuries, the Ghassanids, who at first adopted monophysitism , formed one of the most powerful confederations allied to Christian Byzantium, being a buffer against the pagan tribes of Arabia. The last king of the Lakhmids , al-Nu'man III ibn al-Mundhir , a client of the Sasanian Empire in the late sixth century, also converted to Christianity (in this case, to the Nestorian sect favoured by the native Christians of al-Hira ). Arab Christians played important roles in al-Nahda movement in modern times, and because Arab Christians formed the educated upper class and the bourgeoisie , they have had a significant impact in politics, business and culture of the Arab world . Today Arab Christians still play important roles in the Arab world, and Christians are relatively wealthy, well educated, and politically moderate. Arab Christians are not the only Christian group in the Middle East , with significant non-Arab indigenous Christian communities of Assyrians , Armenians , and others. Although sometimes classified as "Arab Christians", the largest Middle Eastern Christian groups of Maronites and Copts often claim non-Arab ethnicity: a significant proportion of Maronites claim descent from the ancient Phoenicians while a significant proportion of Copts also eschew an Arab identity, preferring an Ancient Egyptian one. "Christians of the Middle East - Country by Country Facts and Figures on Christians of the Middle East" . "Archived copy" الأب د. حنا كلداني: نسبة الأردنيين المسيحيين المقيمين 3.68% (in Arabic). " 'House-Churches' and Silent Masses —The Converted Christians of Morocco Are Praying in Secret" . History of the Arabs . 6th ed.; Macmillan and St. The Huffington Post . 15 June 2009 . "Coptic assembly of America - Reactions in the Egyptian Press To a Lecture Delivered by a Coptic Bishop in Hudson Institute" .

Arabs who follow Christianity This article is about Arabs of the Christian faith. Ethnic group Arab Christians ( ) are ethnic Arabs , Arab nationals, or Arabic -speakers who adhere to Christianity . The number of Arab Christians who live in the Middle East is estimated to be between 10 and 15 million. Arab Christian communities can be found throughout the Arab world , but are concentrated in the Eastern Mediterranean region of the Levant and Egypt , with smaller communities present throughout the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa . The history of Arab Christians coincides with the history of Eastern Christianity and the history of the Arabic language ; Arab Christian communities either result from pre-existing Christian communities adopting the Arabic language, or from pre-existing Arabic-speaking communities adopting Christianity. The jurisdictions of three of the five patriarchates of the Pentarchy primarily became Arabic-speaking after the early Muslim conquests – the Church of Alexandria , the Church of Antioch and the Church of Jerusalem – and over time many of their adherents adopted the Arabic language and culture. Separately, a number of early Arab kingdoms and tribes adopted Christianity, including the Nabataeans , Lakhmids , Salihids , Tanukhids , ʿIbādī of al-Hira , and the Ghassanids . In modern times, Arab Christians have played important roles in the Nahda movement, and they have significantly influenced and contributed to the fields of literature , politics, business, philosophy , music, theatre and cinema, medicine, and science. Today Arab Christians still play important roles in the Arab world, and are relatively wealthy, well educated, and politically moderate. Emigrants from Arab Christian communities also make up a significant proportion of the Middle Eastern diaspora, with sizable population concentrations across the Americas, most notably in Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, and the US. However those emigrants to the Americas, especially from the first wave of emigration, have often not passed the Arabic language to their descendants. The concept of an Arab Christian identity remains contentious, with some Arabic-speaking Christian groups in the Middle East , such as Assyrians , Armenians , Greeks and others, rejecting an Arab identity . Individuals from Egypt's Coptic community and Lebanon's Maronite community sometimes assume a non-Arab identity. "Christians of the Middle East – Country by Country Facts and Figures on Christians of the Middle East" . "CBS data on Christian population in Israel (2016)" (in Hebrew). Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion . 11 . " 'House-Churches' and Silent Masses —The Converted Christians of Morocco Are Praying in Secret" . Haber, M; Platt, DE; Badro, DA; et al. "Influences of history, geography, and religion on genetic structure: the Maronites in Lebanon" . Quote:1-"We show that religious affiliation had a strong impact on the genomes of the Levantines. In particular, conversion of the region's populations to Islam appears to have introduced major rearrangements in populations' relations through admixture with culturally similar but geographically remote populations, leading to genetic similarities between remarkably distant populations like Jordanians, Moroccans, and Yemenis. Conversely, other populations, like Christians and Druze, became genetically isolated in the new cultural environment. We reconstructed the genetic structure of the Levantines and found that a pre-Islamic expansion Levant was more genetically similar to Europeans than to Middle Easterners." 2-"The predominantly Muslim populations of Syrians, Palestinians and Jordanians cluster on branches with other Muslim populations as distant as Morocco and Yemen." 3-Lebanese Christians and all Druze cluster together, and Lebanese Muslims are extended towards Syrians, Palestinians, and Jordanians, which are close to Saudis and Bedouins." Ellis, K.C. Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age, 1798–1939 (2nd ed.). A History of Medicine: Byzantine and Islamic medicine . "Coptic assembly of America – Reactions in the Egyptian Press To a Lecture Delivered by a Coptic Bishop in Hudson Institute" . A never-ending debate in Lebanon" . independent.co.uk .

Ethnic group Arab Christians ( Arabic : ﺍﻟْﻤَﺴِﻴﺤِﻴُّﻮﻥ ﺍﻟْﻌَﺮَﺏ , romanized : al-Masīḥiyyūn al-ʿArab ) are the Arabs who adhere to Christianity . The number of Arab Christians who live in the Middle East was estimated in 2012 to be between 10 and 15 million. Arab Christian communities can be found throughout the Arab world , but are concentrated in the Eastern Mediterranean region of the Levant and Egypt , with smaller communities present throughout the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa . The history of Arab Christians coincides with the history of Eastern Christianity and the history of the Arabic language ; Arab Christian communities either result from pre-existing Christian communities adopting the Arabic language, or from pre-existing Arabic-speaking communities adopting Christianity. The jurisdictions of three of the five patriarchates of the Pentarchy primarily became Arabic-speaking after the early Muslim conquests – the Church of Alexandria , the Church of Antioch and the Church of Jerusalem – and over time many of their adherents adopted the Arabic language and culture. Separately, a number of early Arab kingdoms and tribes adopted Christianity, including the Nabataeans , Lakhmids , Salihids , Tanukhids , Ibadis of al-Hira , and the Ghassanids . In modern times, Arab Christians have played important roles in the Nahda movement, and they have significantly influenced and contributed to the fields of literature , politics, business, philosophy , music, theatre and cinema, medicine, and science. Today Arab Christians still play important roles in the Arab world, and are relatively wealthy, well educated, and politically moderate. Emigrants from Arab Christian communities also make up a significant proportion of the Middle Eastern diaspora, with sizable population concentrations across the Americas, most notably in Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, and the US. However those emigrants to the Americas, especially from the first wave of emigration, have often not passed the Arabic language to their descendants. The concept of an Arab Christian identity remains contentious, with some Arabic-speaking Christian groups in the Middle East , such as Assyrians , Armenians , Greeks and others, rejecting an Arab identity . Individuals from Egypt's Coptic Christian community and Lebanon's Maronite community sometimes assume a non-Arab identity. "Christians of the Middle East – Country by Country Facts and Figures on Christians of the Middle East" . "CBS data on Christian population in Israel (2016)" (in Hebrew). Voice of America . see #Chaldeans, #Assyrians below Chehata, Hanan (22 March 2016). Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion . 11 . " 'House-Churches' and Silent Masses —The Converted Christians of Morocco Are Praying in Secret" . Egypt has the Middle East's largest Orthodox population (an estimated 4 million Egyptians, or 5% of the population), mainly members of the Coptic Orthodox Church. "BBC – Religions – Christianity: Coptic Orthodox Church" . bbc.co.uk . The Coptic Orthodox Church is the main Christian Church in Egypt, where it has between 6 and 11 million members. Haber, M; Platt, DE; Badro, DA; et al. "Influences of history, geography, and religion on genetic structure: the Maronites in Lebanon" . Quote:1-"We show that religious affiliation had a strong impact on the genomes of the Levantines. In particular, conversion of the region's populations to Islam appears to have introduced major rearrangements in populations' relations through admixture with culturally similar but geographically remote populations, leading to genetic similarities between remarkably distant populations like Jordanians, Moroccans, and Yemenis. Conversely, other populations, like Christians and Druze, became genetically isolated in the new cultural environment. We reconstructed the genetic structure of the Levantines and found that a pre-Islamic expansion Levant was more genetically similar to Europeans than to Middle Easterners." 2-"The predominantly Muslim populations of Syrians, Palestinians and Jordanians cluster on branches with other Muslim populations as distant as Morocco and Yemen." 3-Lebanese Christians and all Druze cluster together, and Lebanese Muslims are extended towards Syrians, Palestinians, and Jordanians, which are close to Saudis and Bedouins." Ellis, K.C. Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age, 1798–1939 (2nd ed.). A History of Medicine: Byzantine and Islamic medicine . "Coptic assembly of America – Reactions in the Egyptian Press To a Lecture Delivered by a Coptic Bishop in Hudson Institute" . A never-ending debate in Lebanon" . independent.co.uk .