As civil war engulfs Syria leaving a tragic stalemate, the fate of Christians in the country hangs in the balance. The Vatican and others have addressed the condition of the Christian community in the Arab world, not only in Syria but also in the Levant in general, as if the myriad Christian sects were a single entity. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the Christians make up theologically opposed, geographically dispersed and politically diverse communities, unlike the Sunnis, Alawites, Kurds and Druze. 

A reductionist approach applying a one-size-fits-all standard to the Christians could well jeopardize the Christian presence in Syria. There are two grand approaches to the situation in Syria, and they each encompass certain Christian groups in the country and elsewhere. On the one hand are the proponents of what is effectively a largely Sunni revolt against the rule of the Assad family; on the other are those who back President Bashar Assad, fearing Sunni fundamentalism and the serious repercussions affecting minorities should the regime fall. [Link]