Note: The following review by Raymond Ibrahim is for the book, The Last Supper: The Plight of Christians in Arab Lands, by Klaus Wivel. A shorter version of it first appeared in the Middle East Quarterly (Fall, 2016, vol. 23, no. 4).
Danish journalist Klaus Wivel is to be commended for shedding light on an important but ignored topic, the plight of present-day, Arabic-speaking Christians. His firsthand discussions with an assortment of Christians offer helpful insights. Among these are the cultural differences between Copts, Greek Orthodox Palestinians, and Maronites, who are often conflated as “Mideast Christians.” His discussions with an Egyptian teacher and Iraqi politician are especially useful: Public schools in their countries have removed Christianity from history texts so that indigenous Christians are now seen as foreigners.
The book, however, ultimately fails to deliver. Its ambitious subtitle—“The plight of Christians in Arab Lands”—is misleading. Of the twenty-two Arab states, the book covers only Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, and the West Bank-Gaza. It does not mention the chronic persecution of Christians in Syria, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Sudan, Arab nations where, according to a 2016 study, Christians fare far worse than the places the author visited. Lebanon—which takes up one quarter of Klaus’ account—doesn’t even receive a ranking.
In addition, the work is outdated; originally published in Danish in 2013, the genocide against Christians under ISIS receives no mention.
Finally, Wivel’s ubiquitous use of first person makes the book read more like a travel memoir. While detailed descriptions of atmospheric meetings in restaurants are well and good in some genres, they come off as superfluous at best in a work on persecuted Christians. The following, overly dramatic account is typical of the book:
We say our goodbyes and walk outside; the rain in Beirut is even heavier now. As he strolls off, he uses his umbrella as a cane again. I walk down Sidani Street, past a hyperrealistic painting on the gable of a building; it depicts a bald person with full lips and an intense, friendly expression. It’s impossible to tell whether it’s a man or woman, black or white.
Such space could’ve been better utilized.
Those looking for useful and current information about “The Plight of Christians in Arab Lands” need look elsewhere.

Malcolm (SouthAfria) says
May God forgive us for our indifference, inadequacy, to the plight of our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land.
Myrtle Linder says
May GOD bless and defend HIS people around the world, who are willing to stand for HIM in the face of death!!
Angemon says
Huh, you realize that there’s more to the Arab world than the Holy Land, right? Oh, and Israel is the only safe haven for Christians in the entire ME.
Richard Paulsen says
There are some 45 million muslims in Europe. Some 30 million more every year added to already existing some 1,6 million.
Why are just those being in Europe allowed to be there? Why not the others?
Or did the others oppress these 45 millions in Europe, so they have no reason to escape from anything? Are perhaps they too waiting for moving here?
And where are the women escaping from islamic oppression? Fewer women than men coming and all muslims. Not refugees from oppression.
So false.
Richard Paulsen says
Correction: Some 30 million added to already existing 1,6 billion globally.
Paul Clark says
Where have the western Christians gone? Have they fled the cross and allowed their brothers to be martyred, while they stay hidden in their churches? They too must pick up the cross. Their Lord wants then “too pick up their cross “, and “sacrifice”. “There is no greater love….”
Champ says
Paul Clark asks:
“Where have the western Christians gone?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A better question: are you a mohammedan troll? Yes!
GET. LOST.
john spielman says
it is dire now and it will get worse( as Revelation tells us) as the antichrist spirit of this age (Satan /allah) advances BUT Jesus the Christ,who is God incarnate, will return, and the glory of His coming will destroy the enemies of God including all these muslims who abuse and terrorize and kill His children
Champ says
All true, John!
Phil Copson says
Champ – you and John Spielman are both soft in the head ! You’re relying on your invisible friend turning up to save you ??? Name one single occasion in the past 2000+ years where a massacre has been halted by the arrival of a supernatural being ! Are you getting mixed up with Superman ? And your desire that one should not only turn up, but then carry out an even bigger massacre, shows that you are childish, cowardly, and have violent fantasies of mass murder that you’d like someone else to carry out on your behalf. Seems a bit familiar, somehow…
Christianblood says
Paul Clark posted
(..Where have the western Christians gone? Have they fled the cross and allowed their brothers to be martyred..)
There are not many Western Christians left in the West today and the few that are left are mostly morally compromised by their secualr, anti-Christian states who hate the Cross. Most people in the West have abandoned Christianity and are now following a form of fanatical secular atheistic religion known as “liberal democracy”
and don’t care what happens to Christians in the islamic world. In fact, America and the Western powers are backing the islamic jihadists that are murdering Christians while they totally ignore the plight of Christians in the ME. For example, in the last 12 months, America has imported 10,801 muslim refugees from Syria but only 56 are Christians among them! Read more of this on the link below:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/09/02/gross-injustice-10000-syrian-refugees-to-us-56-are-christian.html
ploome says
The clergy have abandoned Christianity and have totally embraced what they consider a ‘progressive’ social and economic agenda.
Bob says
Ploome – don’t forget the utterly deluded Christian clergy who’re presumably hoping for special treatment under shari’a, by holding Christoislamic ‘services’!
Angemon says
Christianblood posted:
“There are not many Western Christians left in the West today and the few that are left are mostly morally compromised by their secualr, anti-Christian states who hate the Cross.”
One would think, from reading your rants about the West, that Christians are being dragged from their homes by the police and shot in the street, Russian-revolution style…
“Most people in the West have abandoned Christianity and are now following a form of fanatical secular atheistic religion known as “liberal democracy””
Please refrain from using terms whose meaning is alien to you.
“In fact, America and the Western powers are backing the islamic jihadists that are murdering Christians”
Citation needed.
“while they totally ignore the plight of Christians in the ME. For example, in the last 12 months, America has imported 10,801 muslim refugees from Syria but only 56 are Christians among them! Read more of this on the link below:”
A couple of things:
– The UN, not the US, decides which refugees get sent where. The UN is seriously compromised by islamic infiltration. You know this very well because I’ve explained this to you several times, including links from primary sources. That you keep insisting in pushing that narrative is demonstrative of how dishonest you are.
– You’re linking to an American TV station complaining about the disparity in numbers of Christians and muslims taking in as refugees on the very same post you claim that Christians in the West don’t care about Christians in the Middle East. Feet, meet loaded shotgun.
Walter Sieruk says
The violent and vicious Muslims who are jihadists in their murderous persecution of Christians aren’t really going to get away with their destruction of Christians. As the apostle Paul had written each individual Christian is actually, in the View of God, a temple of God. For to Christians, it is written in the Bible “Don’t you know that that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s Temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” First Corinthians 3:16,17. [N.I.V.] As in “A man reaps what he sows.” Galatians 6:7.