Tunisia

Tunisia has played a role in world history for millennia. First inhabited by Berbers and trading with the Phoenicians, Carthage grew so greatly in power that it became a powerful antagonist to Rome during the Punic Wars. When Rome finally subdued Carthage, they renamed it Africa $mdash; a name that the continent eventually adopted. It was during its years as part of the Roman empire that Carthage became the seat of religious controversy and doctrinal error.

Later, the Muslims conquered, bringing Islam to the region. They were succeeded by the Ottomans, whose influence is reflected in the design of the country’s flag. The French came at last brining their language and the influence of their laws. Tunisia saw significant action in WWII, being controlled by Axis powers until 1943. It gained its independence from France in 1957; however, the extreme rule of their leaders led to the Tunisian Revolution which brought a new constitution in 2012 and the promise that the state would remain secular—without the enforcement of sharia law. In 2021, the president took dramatic measures to form a revised constitution, named a new prime minister, and suspended parliament. The world has yet to see the full results of these decisions.

Arabic and French are the most spoken languages in this country, approximately the size of Georgia. Of its nearly twelve million citizens, ninety-nine percent are Sunni Muslim. Its laws reflect sharia law and the French system. Although at one time Tunisia was considered to have great freedom and democracy, recent actions have proved the reverse, reminding us freedom is superficial without Christ — the true Author of Liberty.

Missionaries in Tunisia:

Missionaries in Africa (listed with BIMI account numbers)