Nigerian Christians Are Exhausted From the Terror. Will They Fight Back?

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Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3 • 622 Ratings

🗓️ 23 May 2018

⏱️ 59 minutes

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Summary

Nigerian Christians have had enough. Thousands took to the streets this week after an attack during a church service left nearly two dozen dead last month. Among the victims were two priests, spurring Catholic leaders to protest the government for failing to do enough to protect the Christian community. Divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south, the country is home to some of the world’s most vicious scenes of religious conflict. Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for a spate of attacks on Christian in the last decade. But, in recent years, the community faces another enemy known as the Fulani Herdsmen, the group behind the most recent attacks. Nigerian Christians need the support of their brothers and sisters in Christ, said Gideon Para-Mallam, the former regional secretary for the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, the international version of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. “It’s important that believers all the world pray for us,” said Para-Mallam. “It’s also really important that the governments of the world really, really look closely and critically at what is happening in Nigeria. Just look at the sequence, from the systemic to the frontal attacks, to the killing of Christians, and now you’re beginning to ask Christians to move away from their ancestral homes. It’s pointing somewhere and I think we need to discover that.” Para-Mallam joined associate digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss the history behind the country’s Muslim-Christian conflict, why the government has been so ineffective at fighting Islamists, and why there may be a bigger threat to the church than extremism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.
0:11.0	Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion.
0:14.5	Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail del Rosario at Apologeticsky.com.
0:28.8	Music Michael Del Rosario at Apologeticsguy.com. You're listening to Quick to Listen.
0:31.1	Each week we go beyond hashtags and hot takes to discuss a major cultural event.
0:35.9	I'm Morgan Lee, Associate Digital Media producer here at
0:38.9	Christianity today, and I'm joined by Mark Galley, our editor-in-chief. Good afternoon. Hey, Mark.
0:44.8	Hey. Glad you're here. I'm glad to be back. We're not the only ones here in this. No,
0:49.9	we have a special guest in the studio today, which is always special for us. His name is Gideon Paramalam.
0:55.7	He was born in Nigeria.
0:57.6	He studied at Madubello University in Zaria-Kaduna State, Nigeria.
1:03.5	He is an advisory leader with Luzon and former regional secretary for the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, which is the
1:11.1	international version of University, by the way, working with English and Portuguese-speaking
1:15.1	Africans. He's most proud of the fact that he's married with five children and maybe some
1:19.8	grandchildren on the way. We'll see. Welcome, anyway. Hi, thank you, Morgan. Thank you, Mark. It's
1:25.5	my joy to be here. It's awesome that you're here. Where did you
1:28.7	come to us from? Where were you before this? I was in Spokane. It's my first time in what people
1:36.0	call, is it the Northwest or Pacific Northwest. Pacific Northwest, yes. And frankly,
1:41.4	each time I come to the States, it's always Chicago and Wheaton.
1:46.2	Chicago and Wheaton, okay, I go to other parts.
1:48.8	But I've never been to that part of the States.
1:51.5	And then when I got there, I really fell in love, especially with the pine trees.
	...

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