The government monitors Christian activity, all Christians receive a high level of pressure.
bottom"The villagers and authorities beat us. But because God loves me, I will love others. I do not hate the ones who persecute me; I pray for them, I love them.”
– Vahn, Vietnamese pastor
Vietnam fell by nine places on this year’s World Watch List compared to last year. The government has sought to strengthen its diplomatic relations with the Vatican, which is best evidenced by the appointment of the first resident papal representative in December 2023. However, the Catholic Church is still monitored and suffers various forms of oppression.
In Vietnam’s more remote areas, villagers follow traditional ethnic-animist religions, and persecution towards anybody who becomes a Christian from this background is fierce. Believers can have their homes destroyed and be expelled from the community.
Local authorities crack down on Christian meetings, evangelism, or Bible teaching. They may break up church services and detain, threaten, fine and sometimes imprison church leaders, ordering them not to speak about Jesus anymore. They are particularly suspicious of Christians from minority ethnic groups such as the Hmong. Despite this, Hmong Bible teachers bravely travel miles by motorbike into remote areas to train believers in secret Bible schools.
The historical Roman Catholic churches enjoy more freedom than other denominations and groups but can still face interference by the state. Like all Vietnamese people, these Christians are still likely to be imprisoned if they speak out on political issues.
Christians who convert from Buddhism or traditional religious backgrounds face the greatest persecution from their communities and local authorities. Women continue to be regarded as inferior. This is reflected in the troubling and ongoing practice of sex-selective abortions, with the sex ratio at birth one of the most unequal in the world. Christian men can face discrimination, harassment, and interference in the workplace, even losing their jobs.
– Ask God to comfort Vietnamese Christians who are oppressed and attacked for their faith.
– Pray for blessing on the work of Open Doors partners as they help with Bible distribution.
– Pray that the believers gathering in unregistered churches can follow Jesus freely.
Open Doors works through local partners to strengthen persecuted believers in Vietnam by providing relief and practical aid, advocacy support, Christian resources, leadership and discipleship training, and socio-economic development projects.
