On February 1, Myanmar’s military staged a coup. While media coverage has centered on the end of Myanmar’s partial democracy and the demonstrations that followed the takeover, very little has been written about the coup’s impact on religious freedom.

Even before the takeover, the country ranked 18^th on the Open Doors World Watch list for the persecution of Christians, who face double jeopardy in Myanmar. Not only are they not Buddhists, like 90 percent of the population, they primarily belong to ethnic minorities.

The coup will likely make things even harder on Christians in Myanmar. According to Open Doors, “The military government … has always been protective of their Buddhist culture and tradition.”

So, let’s pray for God’s protection for the Church and, if possible, a restoration of civilian government in the country.

Without these, Myanmar’s ranking on the Watch List will likely rise… in the wrong direction