Christianity is the world’s most persecuted religion, and its position as a worldwide religion is under threat because of severe persecution, in particular in the Middle East and parts of Asia, a new report has said.

The report, Persecuted and Forgotten, published by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need focuses on 30 countries with a history of persecution of Christians.

It finds that, particularly in a number of countries in the Middle East “Christians are disproportionately vulnerable to attack, and secondly that their reaction has been to flee regions of conflict with little prospect of returning, at least in the short-term”.

Add it adds that these trends “have become so pronounced that it would take far more than simply a change of government to win back the confidence that has been so comprehensively crushed”.

The report says: “Christianity may yet remain the largest world religion, but its claims to universality – a truly global presence on all five continents – may soon be lost as it becomes the prime victim in the emergence of theocratic states where minority faith groups – most especially Christians – have no place, except perhaps as third-class citizens.

It noted that in 2010, a report issued by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) concluded that at least 75 per cent of all religious persecution was directed against Christians.

The report said “that the situation has deteriorated in the overwhelming majority of the countries under review”.

“Even in the period since the last full report was produced, in March 2011, there has been a worsening – in most cases a severe one – in a majority of cases,” it said.

It said: “[I]n the 30 countries in question, ACN compared religious freedom issues facing Christians at the end of the period under review with those experienced two years earlier and before.

“Foremost among the issues considered was the preponderance of anti- Christian violence, notably attacks on churches and Christians’ homes and businesses, as well as kidnapping of faithful for reasons connected to their faith or religious identity. “

The report said that there has been “a clear and in some cases dramatic deterioration in most of the countries of greatest concern. In only four of the countries under review had the situation improved – and of these, the improvement was marginal in three cases. In eight other countries no substantial changes were reported – in many cases because the situation was already so bad, it could scarcely get any worse”.

In 20 of the 30 countries under review the situation for Christians had worsened, the report said.