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Libya: Gospel Prospects Called Hopeful

  • Religion Today Religious persecution, missions, Christianity around the world
  • Updated Aug 29, 2011

Baptist Press reports that it may be several years before the dust settles in Libya and Christians can hope for a clear way to the nation's hard-to-reach people groups, said Drew Carson*, a Christian leader among North African and Middle Eastern peoples. "Unlike any other situation so far (in the Arab Spring), this whole situation in Libya sort of takes the governmental system back to zero," Carson said, noting that in Egypt and other places, when the leader fell, the government was still intact. That's not the case in Libya, where rebels are pressing Muammar Gaddafi's regime hoping it will crumble from the inside out. But Christian leaders in the region remain optimistic that in the long view there will be new avenues to reach Libya through a new government that gives more freedom. "Overall, I'm positive about a total reset in Libya," Carson said. "In a sense what you have is the chance for a rebirth of a country. Hopefully in the midst of that there will be an opportunity for freedom of thought and freedom of expression."