Indonesia, Southeast Asia
Population: 234,693,997
Christians: 9%
Dominant Religion: Sunni Islam
Persecution Ranking: 48th
Political Leader: President
Susilo Bambang YudhoyonoReligious Freedom in Constitution: Yes
With at least 226,000 tsunami deaths and a devastated coastline, including the destruction of entire villages, the task of reconstruction and restoration to those left behind will undoubtedly continue for years to come. Many Christians within Indonesia and from around the world are among those who responded to the crisis, sharing the love of Jesus Christ with help of various kinds. The 22 million Indonesian Christians are a minority in their nation of 200 million, known to be the world's most populous Islamic state. However, since Indonesia is a secular state, by law Christians are professed to be equal in status. In experience, however, thousands of Christians have been killed in recent years due to conflict often intensified by Muslim jihad solders. Churches in Indonesia face many problems in trying to get registered, and a number of churches have been forced to close down. In West Java, local bylaws require approval from the surrounding community before a permit is granted to build a church or hold services in an existing building. Since this is a Muslim-majority area, permits for church construction are seldom granted. In Bandung, not only do local officials rarely give permission to erect church buildings, but they also do not allow congregations to meet in private venues. Many of the Christians in that area have complained that this is an abuse of their basic right to religious freedom. The Church of Indonesia has a great concern for its nation and there is much indigenous ministry going on, reaching out to the poor and unevangelized.
