Can a Lebanese Seminary Move Beyond the Liberal-Conservative Impasse?
The oldest Protestant seminary in the Middle East has a new vision. Officially founded in 1932 but with origins dating back to the 19th-century missionary movement, the Near East School of Theology (NEST) is operated by the Presbyterian, Anglican, Lutheran, and Armenian Evangelical denominations. Installed this week, its 11th president is a nondenominational Lebanese evangelical.…
Middle East Muslims are Finding Jesus. Can They Fit Within a Weakened Church?
In the Arab world today, the war in Gaza dominates the news, with its small Palestinian Christian community caught in the crossfire. But over the last decade, ancient churches have faced persecution in Syria and Iraq, while political instability and terrorism have threatened believers in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan. Nevertheless, the church’s activity in this…
Gaza War Strains Bible Scholars’ Model of Christian Conversation
When Jesus told the 12 disciples to shake the dust off their feet in protest of any town that did not receive them, it is easy to forget their mission was among fellow believers in Yahweh. Jews were speaking to Jews, and the message was simple: The kingdom of God is near. But Jesus foresaw…
Egyptian Christians Show ‘Love of Jesus’ to Displaced Palestinians
Almost six months have passed since Issa Saliba boarded a bus in Gaza with 15 other Christians to seek safety in Egypt. But he still relishes how they sang, clapped, and danced as they escaped devastation. The air conditioning cooled his nerves, frayed from the harrowing journey to the border. Later that day, the wayside…
Expert: Ukraine’s Ban on Russian Orthodox Church Is Compatible with Religious Freedom
During Tuesday night’s presidential debate, Kamala Harris accused Donald Trump of a fondness for dictators, alleging that he supported a negotiated settlement with Vladimir Putin following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Trump, declining to affirm that a Ukrainian victory would serve US interests, replied that if he were still in the Oval Office, the war would…
Iranian Christians Question Reformist Credentials of New President
The surprise election in Iran of the sole reformist candidate for president was met with an unsurprising reaction from the United States. Heart surgeon Masoud Pezeshkian tallied 53 percent of the vote for a clear but narrow victory over hard-line former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili in an electoral process the State Department labeled “not free…
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Jayson Casper 