Qatar: Religious Freedom Gains New Foothold

Catholic church established in principle.

“The establishment of a Catholic church in Qatar has been approved in principle,” Italian Ambassador Ignazio Di Pace told the Gulf Times, a publication in Doha, the Qatari capital city. Calling the decision “yet another sign of Qatar opening up to new vistas of freedom and religion tolerance,” the report said only the technical and financial details remained to be worked out in establishing the nation’s first Roman Catholic church. Previously, Catholics and other Christians were limited to informal group meetings in homes. To date only the Anglican church has enjoyed official status. According to reports, a plot of land is expected to be allotted for use as a church compound in Doha, with property shared among several Christian communities. An estimated 60,000 Catholics live in Qatar, a small peninsula jutting off the east coast of Saudi Arabia into the Persian Gulf. One of the leading oil and gas producers in the world, the tiny state has an estimated population of 700,000 that is three-fourths expatriate. Along with Saudi Arabia, Qatar prohibits the public practice of any religion except the strict Wahhabi interpretation of Islam. The government has for several years quietly allowed the Christian communities of Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and other Protestant denominations to meet informally for private worship services, but only if local authorities are notified in advance.Copyright © 2000 Compass Direct. Used with permission.

Related Elsewhere

The December 30 Gulf Times story, “Qatar Approves Plan for Church,” is still available online.A more expanded Compass Direct report on the Qatar church is available other places online, including Maranatha Christian Journal.

Copyright © 2000 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Also in this issue

Won't You Be My Neighbor? The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ordained Fred Rogers an evangelist to work with children and families through the mass media." There's theological depth behind the lighthearted songs and the ready smile of this gentle man."

Cover Story

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Prepared for Pilgrims?

Moral Combat: More Christians campaign against media violence

Swaggart Employee Arrested

Updates

Internet: Mormons, Evangelicals Tangle Over Web Site

People: North America

’Odd Couple’ Politics

Miami: The War for Elián

The Back Page | Charles Colson:The Ugly Side of Tolerance

Jerusalem: Temple Mount Artifacts Removed

Venezuela: Churches Bring Disaster Relief

Briefs: The World

Rome: Protestants Boycott Jubilee Event

Zambia: 'Christian Nation' Label Rings Hollow

Yugoslavia: The Case for Compassion

How Free Are We?

A Precarious Step Forward

Hang Ten?

Taking Back Fresno

What Your Retirement Planner Doesn't Tell You

Human Commodities

Receiving the Day the Lord Has Made

The Torture Victim Next Door

He Made Stone Talk

A Writer’s Change of Pace

Wire Story

FCC Reverses Religious Programming Limits

Reforming Sex by Rolodex

The Church Should Divorce the Military

Popular Culture:Stephen King's Redemption

Should We All Speak in Tongues?

Classic & Contemporary Excerpts from March 06, 2000

Mormon Makeover

In Print:Freedom Outside the Closet

In Summary:Biography

View issue

Our Latest

Hail ‘Mary,’ Full of Violence

Director D.J. Caruso calls his dramatic new film a celebration of the mother of God.

News

The World Evangelical Alliance’s Controversial Korea Announcement

Local conservative evangelicals challenge the global body’s decision to hold its 2025 General Assembly in Seoul.

Public Theology Project

Russell Moore’s Favorite Books of 2024

The top 10 picks of CT’s editor in chief range from dystopian fiction to philosophy, with a dose of Sabbath poems, Inklings, and country music.

My Book Sales Stink. But I’m Glad I Took the Publishing Plunge.

Even though the experience bruised my ego, God redeemed it in surprising ways.

Latino Christians Deserve a Straight Answer on Immigration

The Russell Moore Show

A Conversation with Peggy Noonan

The Pulitzer Prize winner ponders who we are and what we may become.

A Better Trans Conversation

As the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on youth gender medicine, Christians must prepare to speak with love while holding fast to biblical truth.

Ethics Aren’t Graded on a Curve

President Joe Biden’s pardon of Hunter Biden was wrong, and no amount of bad behavior from Donald Trump changes that fact.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube