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While in nowadays Iran Shia Islam is the majority and state religion, Christianity in Iran has a long and significant history.
In 2003 about 0.3% of Iran's population are Christians. In 1975 Christians numbered about 1.5% of the total population. The reason for this statistical reduction is primarily due to a period of rapid population growth among Muslims in Iran in the first decade of the Iranian Revolution and secondly, due to emigration of many Iranians, both Muslims and non-Muslims (mostly to Western countries) after the revolution. Statistically, a much larger percentage of non-Muslims have emigrated out of Iran.
According to the reports of the Acts of the Apostles there were Persians, Parthians and Medians among the very first new Christian converts at PentecostPentecost is a holiday of Christianity, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter, and ten days after the Ascension. It is also known in English as Whitsun (Whitsunday). Since then there had been a continuous presence of Christians and Churches in Persia/Iran.
Christianity spread rapidly in Iran and beyond during the first 6 centuries after Christ. While Iran's state religion was throughout this time a modified form of ZoroastrianismZoroastrianism was adapted from an earlier, polytheistic faith by Zarathushtra ( Zoroaster) in Persia between 1400 and 1200 BC (although, in the absence of written records, some scholars estimate as late as 600 BC). Its alternative name, Mazdaism comes fr, Persia's Shahs left Christians during the first four centuries largely in peace.
There were initially few extensive persecutions, at least when compared with the treatment of Christians in the neighbouring Roman Empire. This tolerance appears to have been largely one motivated by disregard rather than respect. Shapur II, one of the strongest of the Sassanids kings, contemptuously said about Christianity: "A religion whose prophet can be slain by the Jews, is not worthy of praise" (in reference to Jesus Christ's crucifixion).
This changed substantially with the conversion of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Christians were now feared as a subversive and potentially disloyal minority. Discrimination and persecution set in, culminating in two large waves of persecution in the 6th century. During this period many Iranian Christians were martyred, many others emigrated.
With the Islamic Conquest of Persia in the 7th Century A.D. and finally with the Mongol conquest in the 12th century Persian Christianity shrunk into a small minority. Christians withdrew into ethnical ghettos (mostly Aramaic and ArmenianArmenian may refer to: The Armenian people. The Armenian language. A former Soviet Caucasian Republic, now independent. See Armenia. The system of Armenian numerals. speaking) and disengaged largely from main stream society. Most evangelism of non-christians ceased with the Muslim conquest or shortly thereafter. Christianity became an ethnic minority issue in Persia.
Fresh beginnings came with the Protestant mission movement in the 18th and 19th century. For the first time since the 6th century attempts were made to engage in an evangelistic manner with the mainstream Iranian Muslim communities. Today there are thriving churches in Persian language within and without Iran.
Christianity was one of the influences on the Bahai Faith.
There has been extensive academic debate why Christianity did not prevail to a larger degree in Iran after the Islamic conquest. The most important reasons mentioned are the use of Aramaic instead of Persian in liturgy and teaching and the absence of a Bible translation readable by lay people. (The Bible was not translated into Persian until the 18th Century.) Another explanation offered is the fatigue induced by the continuous political and economic pressure by the government and Islamic authorities.