Claus & Marie Hofmann

Albania: From the Apostle Paul to Authoritarianism to Democracy, Jesus is still on the throne!

A nation once evangelized by Paul and Titus (Romans 15:19 – Illyricum was the ancient name for Albania, and 2 Tim 4:10 – Southern Dalmatia included what is today northern Albania) and known for its national hero Skanderbeg, who protected the rest of Europe from advancing Muslim armies and helped Albanians form a national identity in the 15th century, only finally won its independence (from the Ottoman empire) before World War I. After World War II it suffered under the communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, who went so far as to declare Albania an atheist state and outlawed religious expression and practice of any kind. Since the advent of democracy in 1991, Albania has struggled to emerge from the vestiges of its authoritarian past and, though there is religious freedom and missionary activity has been ongoing, evangelical believers remain a tiny minority. making up less than 1% of the population, with even fewer being active in a local congregation.

Though democracy brought hope of a better future, rampant corruption has left most with little hope of building a future in their home nation, which remains among the poorest in Europe, and over half of the adult population is actively looking for opportunities to emigrate, with hundreds of thousands already spread all over Europe and beyond in search of economic prosperity (the “Albanian diaspora”).

And yet God has a unique call on this nation as a gateway into the Balkan and the greater Muslim world. Albania has a history of religious tolerance, a shining contrast to surrounding nations (former Yugoslavia), which have long been marked by ethnic strife along religious lines. Around 60% of Albanians are culturally Muslim, with less than 20% either Roman Catholic (in the north) or Greek Orthodox (in the south). Many Albanians are incredibly adept at language learning, and Albanian society is culturally similar to the collectivist cultures of the Middle East, making them ideal candidates for bringing the gospel into these regions. We believe that, given the right training and discipleship, Albanian believers can become a force in God’s hands to impact and transform this region and the world beyond.