I was not prepared for the beauty of Oman when I first travelled there. Of all the countries in the Arabian Peninsula, it has the most diverse landscape and climate: mountains, deserts, picturesque harbours nestled against craggy cliffs, wadis and fresh water streams, oases and gardens, blistering bone-dry heat, as well as monsoon winds and rains.
It is a nation with a long and glorious history of maritime trade, stretching from China and India to the East coast of Africa. From sultan to shopkeeper, farmer to craftsman, the citizens of Oman embrace a surprising diversity of cultural heritage ranging from Baluchi, Persian and Yemeni to East African. They live in desert encampments, remote mountain communities, coastal fishing villages and urban cities.
Oman is little known in the West; the main reason for this is because, until recently, there were few Western travellers there. A hostile climate and terrain, as well as tribes zealously guarding their regions, were obstacles that discouraged a casual visit.
Like their neighbouring countries on the Arabian Peninsula, Omanās main religion is Islam. All Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) brought a message from God, which would enable whole societies to live in peace with their creator and neighbours. To enable these new communities to flourish, God reveals his divine law through the prophet which governs every aspect of life: from trade to marriage, from warfare to personal hygiene. To interpret and apply these laws, four schools of scholars and lawyers have evolved in Sunni Islamic history: Hanbali, Hanafi, Maliki and Shafiā. Yet there is a fifth school which is unique to Oman (although there are pockets which can be found in North Africa and Zanzibar today), and that is the Ibadi school of Islam. Far from being a modern innovation, Ibadis can trace their roots right back to the origins of the Islamic faith, and today many Omanis see their identity as being intrinsically bound up with being an Ibadi Muslim.
So, Oman is an Islamic nation on the Eastern shore of the Arabian Peninsula. Its immediate neighbour is Saudi Arabia, which is known for implementing a distinctive but strict form of Islam. Unlike Saudi Arabia, the greatest surprise for Western visitors to Oman is that there is freedom to worship. As one Omani scholar explains,
I think the biggest factor in the tolerance of the Omanis, is the Ibadi doctrine.Oman ās people welcome strangers and foreigners, driven by their nature, religion and culture, irrespective of the foreignerās creed or religion. Omanās people are interested only in good morals and good behaviour and if someone manifests good character, and conducts themselves decently, we do not question them about their beliefs or religion, we leave that to God.I have not heard of a Christian who has been treated badly in Oman because of his religion or his faith. This has been the case since our ancestors and is still the case to date. For example, these days we find temples and schools in the Indian communities, as well as churches, and as far as I know, we have not heard of a single incident of Omanis ill-treating or denying others the right to practice their religions, as far as I know. But God only knows! 1
Going to Church in Oman
The first thing that hits you when you attend worship at the Ruwi church compound in Muscat is that despite the huge parking lot, there are no spaces left. The parking is chaos and one is lucky to find space, even by illegally parking on the kerb. The competition for parking spaces can be decidedly unchristian.
The next noteworthy detail is the noise. There are different languages and different styles of music ranging from traditional hymns and chants to chorus music played by contemporary bands. There is always more than one service taking place at any given time, held in multiple rooms and halls. Organ music from one congregation blends in the air with the rhythmic clapping and drumming which bursts out of another room; the sound of chanting from an ancient liturgy adds to the cacophonic atmosphere of worship. As soon as one congregation concludes their worship, they leave the hall only to be replaced by another congregation who will worship in yet another language or tradition. During the course of a typical Friday (the main day off for most workers in Oman), literally thousands of worshippers congregate throughout the day.
Finally, you will notice that the church is truly international. Indian and Filipino worshippers far outnumber those from Western countries; in between there are Arabs (mainly from Egypt and the Levant), Africans (especially from Ethiopia and Nigeria) and Koreans. Buildings are shared between the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox churches. The biggest community by far is the Roman Catholic Church. It hosts thousands of worshippers every week with masses held in different languages. This is just one example of the many denominations which meet in five different locations in Oman.
Why This Book?
For those not familiar with Oman, or indeed with the Arabian Gulf, the presence of a flourishing church community (or communities) comes as a surprise. This surprise is because we are constantly bombarded with negative images from the Arabian Peninsula which convey narratives of persecution against religious minorities and oppressive regimes implementing harsh systems of justice. There is a dearth of reliable information in current academia regarding the religious communities of the Arabian Gulf. This book aims to tell the story of the church in the region, specifically in Oman.
For the last 20 years, I have had the (occasionally uncomfortable) position of mediator in interfaith relations between Christians and Muslims in the Muslim majority countries of Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and most regions in the Arabian Gulf. As a Christian priest who has resided and worked in many of these countries as a visible representative of the church, it has been fascinating to experience the diverse ways in which different Muslim authorities relate to the Christian communities in their midst. Despite the secular constitution of Turkey, my personal experience of Christian ministry there can only be described as fraught. In contrast, in my role as the Anglican priest in Abu Dhabi, my relationships with the ruling families in the United Arab Emirates are very cordial.
This diverse range of experiences has led me to ask āwhat factors determine the response of an Islamic government towards the local Christian community?ā
When I ask Gulf Arabs themselves, the usual answer I get is that it is economic concern which drives the quality of interfaith relations. It is believed that a secure and diverse economy results in openness to trade with the religious other.2 Yet when one surveys the Arabian Gulf States, we see significantly varying levels of religious freedom in Gulf States with similar economies. Rather, this disparity in religious freedom across the Gulf appears to me to be reflected by the interpretation and application of the particular school of Islam to which each state subscribes. These Islamic theological understandings and practices range from a complete prohibition of Christian worship in Saudi Arabia through to multiple churches and other religions enjoying freedom to openly worship in Bahrain, despite both countries having similar trading interests and economies. When I raise the possibility with Gulf Arabs that their school of Islam might play a significant factor in their approach to Christians, I am immediately confronted with an abrupt dismissal of this suggestion. So, does Islamic theology determine the treatment of Christians in a Muslim country?
This question has provoked me to explore the subject in more detail and led to the ...