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Edition: U.S. Article Comments (0) Slideshow Email Print Reprints Full Focus Editor's choice A selection of our best pictures from the past 24 hours. Full Article Read Hungarian sludge spill reaches Danube river | 10:59am EDT Gold turns lower after hitting record high 11:00am EDT Super-rich investors buy gold by ton 04 Oct 2010 Hungary clears up after toxic spill, rivers at risk | 06 Oct 2010 Lady Gaga "more powerful" than Nancy Pelosi: Forbes 12:35am EDT Discussed 87 Super-rich investors buying gold by the ton 76 Health reform to worsen doctor shortage: group 68 Racial predatory loans fueled U.S. housing crisis: study Watched Red faces over top model gaffe Tue, Sep 28 2010 Cleanup after Hungary toxic spill Wed, Oct 6 2010 Fatal floods hit Vietnam Wed, Oct 6 2010 Vatican synod mulls Middle East Christian exodus Tweet This Share on LinkedIn Share on Facebook Factbox Christian communities in Middle East 6:26am EDT Related News Egypt Christians say intolerance grows, close ranks 6:26am EDT In Holy Land, Christians a community in decline 6:26am EDT Christians in Lebanon fret despite privileged role 6:26am EDT Analysis & Opinion Catholics and Orthodox report promising progress in latest round of unity talks TEXT-Excerpts from Pope Benedict’s address to British society Related Topics World » 1 / 10 A Palestinian nun prays inside a church in the West Bank city of Ramallah October 6, 2010. Credit: Reuters/Mohamad Torokman By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor PARIS | Thu Oct 7, 2010 11:21am EDT PARIS (Reuters) - With Christianity dwindling in its Middle Eastern birthplace, Pope Benedict has convened Catholic bishops from the region to debate how to save its minority communities and promote harmony with their Muslim neighbors. For two weeks starting on Sunday, the bishops will discuss problems for the faithful ranging from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and strife in Iraq to radical Islamism, economic crisis and the divisions among the region's many Christian churches. They come from local churches affiliated with the Vatican, but the relentless exodus of all Christians -- Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants -- has prompted them to take a broad look at the challenges facing all followers of Jesus there. While conditions for Christians vary from country to country, the overall picture is dramatic. Christians made up around 20 percent of the region's population a century ago, but now account for about five percent and falling. "If this phenomenon continues, Christianity in the Middle East will disappear," said Rev. Samir Khalil Samir, a Beirut-based Egyptian Jesuit who helped draw up the working documents for the October 10-24 synod at the Vatican. "This is not an unreal hypothesis -- Turkey went from 20 percent Christian in the early 20th century to 0.2 percent now," he told journalists in Paris. The Christian exodus since the U.S.-led 2003 invasion "could bleed the Church in Iraq dry." CALL FOR CHANGE Instead of simply appealing for more aid to Catholics in the region, the experts who prepared the synod call for sweeping social changes to bring forth democratic secular states, interfaith cooperation and a rollback of advancing Islamism. "At issue is the renewal of Arab society," said Samir, who stressed most Christians and Muslims there are fellow Arabs. Challenged by western-style modernity, many Middle Eastern societies have fused their Arab and Muslim identities, he said, narrowing religious freedom for non-Muslim minorities. The working document stated: "Catholics, along with other Christian citizens and Muslim thinkers and reformers, ought to be able to support initiatives at examining thoroughly the concept of the 'positive laicity' of the state. "This could help eliminate the theocratic character of government and allow for greater equality among citizens of different religions, thereby fostering the promotion of a sound democracy, positively secular in nature." The document pins most of the blame for the Christian exodus on political tensions in the region: "Today, emigration is particularly prevalent because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the resulting instability throughout the region." It cited the "menacing social situation in Iraq," where about half the estimated 850,000 Christians there in 2003 have since fled sectarian violence and persecution, and "political instability of Lebanon" as further factors driving them out. The rise of political Islam since the 1970s, especially its violent variations, menaces the whole region, it added, saying: "These extremist currents, clearly a threat to everyone, Christians and Muslims alike, require joint action." 1 2 Next World Add a Comment *We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language or appear to be spam and review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Editorial Editions: Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom United States Reuters Contact Us Advertise With Us Help Journalism Handbook Archive Site Index Video Index Reader Feedback Mobile Newsletters RSS Podcasts Widgets Your View Analyst Research Thomson Reuters Copyright Disclaimer Privacy Professional Products Professional Products Support Financial Products About Thomson Reuters Careers Online Products Acquisitions Monthly Buyouts Venture Capital Journal International Financing Review Project Finance International PEhub.com PE Week FindLaw Reuters on Facebook Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. 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