Trump's Withdrawal from Syria Threatens the Growing Kurdish Church

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Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3 • 622 Ratings

🗓️ 16 October 2019

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Transcribed highlights of the show can be found in our episode summaries. Last week President Trump abruptly announced that American soldiers would be leaving Kurdish-controlled territory in Syria. The news shocked the US military. It was also an unwelcome surprise to Kurdish fighters, whom the US had backed in the fight against ISIS. The announcement was good news for Syria's neighbor Turkey who have long fought the Kurdish guerrilla group known as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK has waged a decades-long insurgency inside Turkey and both Turkey and the US consider it a terrorist organization. Shortly after Trump’s announcement, Turkish troops began a military assault on the Kurdish-controlled parts of Syria. Many of the Christians that live in that area have fled to Armenia, says Charlie Costa, who pastors a congregation in Beirut and actively plants churches in the Middle East. “But of course, that empties the area of any Christian witness, at least theoretically or on a human level,” said Costa. “It leaves the place without a witness for Christ. Even those who support the President were disappointed with that because the view in the Middle East is always that America protects Christians.” Costa joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to learn why Kurds are coming to Christ, the community’s long history of persecution, and how Middle Eastern Christians view American Christians. This episode of Quick to Listen is brought to you in part by Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God's Image, a newly updated and combined book by Paul Brand and Philip Yancey, from InterVarsity Press. For 40% off and free US shipping on this book and any other IVP title, visit ivpress.com and use promo code POD19. This episode of Quick to Listen is also brought to you by Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University, which offers a practical, student-centered approach to seminary. Wesley Seminary’s model connects applicable coursework with active ministry. For more information, visit http://seminary.indwes.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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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.
0:11.1	Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion. Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail Del Rosario at apologeticsky.com.
0:23.5	Last week, President Trump abruptly announced that American soldiers would be leaving
0:28.5	Kurdish-controlled territory in Syria. The news shocked the U.S. military. It was also an
0:34.6	unwelcome surprise to Kurdish fighters, whom the U.S. had backed in the fight against ISIS.
0:39.7	The announcement was good news for Syria's neighbor Turkey, who fear the work of a Kurdish guerrilla group, known as the Kurdish Workers' Party.
0:47.2	This guerrilla group has waged a decades-long insurgency inside Turkey, and Turkey and the U.S.
0:53.5	Both considered a terrorist organization.
0:55.8	Shortly after Trump's announcement, Turkish troops began a military assault on the
1:00.0	British control of Syria. A number of evangelical leaders, including some of his biggest
1:05.2	supporters, like Franklin Graham, criticized the decision. I'm just going to read one of Franklin
1:10.4	Graham's tweets that he
1:11.8	directed about this particular situation. He said, today, I ask that you join me in praying for
1:17.4	the lives affected by the White House decision to pull U.S. troops out of northern Syria. Both
1:22.3	Democrat and Republican leaders are deeply concerned because this would, in essence,
1:26.3	abandoning our closest allies there,
1:28.5	the Kurdish people. The Kurds are the ones who have been leading the fight against ISIS and Syria.
1:33.3	Also pray for the Christians who the Kurds have been protecting. They could be annihilated.
1:38.3	Would you pray with me that President Donald Trump will reconsider?
1:41.9	Thousands of lives hang in the balance. So that is a tweet from Franklin Graham
1:47.1	on this topic. Since last week, Turkish attacks have killed a number of civilians, including at least
1:53.1	three Christians. We wanted to learn more about the Kurds and discuss why this story is important
	...

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