The Persian Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabi recently made history. On the tiny island of Sir Bani Yas, archaeologists discovered the remains of a Christian monastic complex dating from around 600. After some restoration, authorities opened the place to the public as a tourist attraction and heritage site.
This decision may not sound surprising, but it stands in stark contrast to the embarrassment and contempt with which other nations in the regionâ??above all, Saudi Arabiaâ??treat their own pre-Islamic heritage. And that same relative tolerance also applies to the practice of faith today in the Gulf states. If the smaller Gulf nations do not practice freedom of religion in anything like the Western sense, Christianity has nevertheless secured a surprisingly strong foothold in these coastal states.
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