Anti-Christian sentiment

Anti-Christian sentiment, also referred to as Christianophobia or Christophobia, is the irrational fear, hatred, discrimination, or prejudice against Christians and/or aspects of the Christian religion's practices. These terms encompass "every form of discrimination and intolerance against Christians". The presence of anti-Christian sentiment has led to the persecution of Christians throughout history.

In January 2026, the European Parliament recognized the term "Christianophobia" for the first time in an annual human rights and democracy resolution. Lawmakers highlighted an institutional imbalance, noting that while the EU features designated coordinators for antisemitism and Islamophobia, no equivalent office exists to monitor anti-Christian hatred.

Antiquity

Evidence shows that anti-Christian sentiment was already present as early as the Roman Empire during the first century AD. The steady growth of the Christian movement was viewed with suspicion by both the authorities and the people of Rome leading to the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire.

During the second century, Christianity was viewed as a negative movement in two ways: both due to accusations made against adherents of the Christian faith in accordance with the principles held by the Roman population, and because of the supplementary controversy aroused during the intellectual age.

Anti-Christian sentiment is alluded to in the New Testament, and appears to have been anticipated thus by Jesus of Nazareth, being documented by the writers of the gospels. Furthermore, anti-Christian sentiment of the first century was not expressed by the Roman authorities alone, but also by the Jews. As Christianity was, at that time, a sect which was largely emerging from Judaism, much of this sentiment was the result of anger from the well established Jewish faith towards a new and revolutionary faith.