Baptism of Christianized Iranian refugees in Darmstadt
Most Iranian refugees cite “religious coercion in Iran” as the reason for their conversion to Christianity. The Protestant “Matthias” Church in Darmstadt is one of the churches where Iranian converts are baptized.
The process of converting Iranian refugees to Christianity in Germany continues. According to a report by the Frankfurter Allgemeine, the number of Iranian converts to Christianity in the past few months is increasing every day.
According to a report published in this media outlet on Tuesday (May 24), the Protestant "Matthias" Church in Darmstadt is one of the "holy places" where Iranian converts are baptized.
Noting that he has not been given the "missionary task of Christianizing Muslims," pastor Esven Engel says of the volunteer Christian groups in his church: "In 2016, five of the refugees we support converted to Christianity. Another group of the same number is on the way."
According to the priest, those who wish to adopt Christianity "must be truly faithful and patient."
Teaching the Bible in English with Persian translation
One of those who will soon be baptized by Asun Engel is an Iranian refugee named Amir. He tells the Frankfurter Allgemeine reporter that he also believed in the principles of Christianity in Iran because “the religion of Martin Luther is better for me.”
Sven Engel has explained the principles of the religion in six sessions to Iranian refugees who have converted to Christianity. “I spoke in English and Amir translated the material for the other Iranians,” says the pastor of the Matthias Church. Two other Iranians have also participated in the “Bible Study” classes.
The Frankfurter Allgemeine correspondent writes that the two Iranians refused to give him their names for security reasons and the possibility of danger to their family.
All three of these refugees, aged 25, 28, and 30, cite “compulsion in religious matters in Iran” as the reason for their conversion to Christianity.
One of them says: "I drank alcohol in Iran and they could have imprisoned me for that."
Another convert refugee says: “Everything in our previous religion was based on lies.”
These refugees also emphasize that there is no way back for them: leaving Islam is considered apostasy and can result in the death penalty for them for "fighting against God and causing corruption on earth."
Doubt of government institutions
It is said that although many Iranian converts, including Amir, had converted intellectually before entering Germany and are in contact with Christians in this country, some government institutions doubt the authenticity of their beliefs and cite the motivation for their conversion to Christianity as receiving asylum.
Asun Engel, however, says that the conversion of Iranian refugees to Christianity under the auspices of the church has no effect on their asylum application process.
For years, the German Protestant Church has been supporting and sheltering refugees who face deportation, in opposition to government policies.
Source: Deutsche Welle
