Protestantism in Morocco

Protestants in Morocco form a very small percentage of the total population. The largest Protestant denomination in the country is the Evangelical Church of Morocco (Eglise Evangélique au Maroc), which has links to the Reformed Church of France.[1]

Moroccan Protestants from Tangier.

On 27 March 2010, the Moroccan magazine TelQuel stated that thousands of Moroccans had converted to Christianity. Pointing out the absence of official data, Service de presse Common Ground, cites unspecified sources that stated that about 5,000 Moroccans became Christians between 2005 and 2010.[2] According to different estimates, there are about 25,000-45,000 Moroccan Berber or Arabized Berber descent mostly converted from Islam.[3]

This is a list of Protestant denominations of Morocco.[4]

  • Independent International (CIPC / TTC / MMC / RIC)
  • Assemblées de Dieu
  • Eglise Evangélique au Maroc
  • Eglise Emmanuele
  • Fréres Larges
  • Mission du Monde Arabe
  • Seventh-day Adventist Church
  • Union Evangélique Missionaire

Patricia St. John was a Protestant missionary nurse in Morocco in the post-World War II years.

History

Many historical writings indicate that Arabs were aware of the presence of a new Lutheran religion within Europe throughout the 16th Century, despite their lack of practice. Ahmad al-Mansur maintained diplomatic relations with these new Lutheran countries in the midst of his own war against Catholic enemies in Portugal and Spain.[5] There had already been a bishopric established in Morocco in the 13th Century, but this was a Catholic institution, and Protestantism had not yet been introduced.[6]

During the colonial period in Morocco, while there weren't many converts to Protestantism, there were many expatriates from France living within the country. These expatriates established churches and orders of their own, with missionaries to help them maintain. After Moroccan Independence in 1956, the sultan had much drawback towards these Churches and establishments, and this would continue throughout the 20th Century into the 21st.[7]

References
  1. http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/africa/morocco World Council of Churches - Morocco
  2. Morocco: General situation of Muslims who converted to Christianity, and specifically those who converted to Catholicism; their treatment by Islamists and the authorities, including state protection (2008-2011)
  3. Muslims Turn to Christ – ChristianAction
  4. World Christian Encyclopedia, 2001 edition, Volume 1, page 512
  5. Matar, Nabil (27 September 2019). "The Protestant Reformation through Arab Eyes, 1517–1698". Cambridge University Press. 72 (3).
  6. Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages. James Clarke & Co. 2002. ISBN 9780195188172.
  7. Ross, Tadros, Johnson (2018). Christianity in North Africa and West Asia. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 41–43.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.