May 5, 2022
By Brent Hamoud It’s voting time again in Lebanon! The upcoming May 15 parliamentary election gives those who have been blasted, devalued, robbed, and neglected a chance to steer the direction of the state. This is a democratic ritual here and other countries; a testimony to the value of republican […]
March 10, 2022
By Brent Hamoud There’s no denying that violence has an unfortunate place in Muslim and Christian history, but too often our historical narratives are laden with denial. Common presumptions position Islam as the antagonistic force versus Christianity as vivid examples of violence (of which there are many) committed by Muslims […]
December 9, 2021
By Brent Hamoud It’s nice to go to Bethlehem this time of year as starry imaginations lead us to the site of the first Christmas. Popular depictions of the Nativity story invariably include scenes of a pregnant young lady and her anxious husband searching for a resting place among crowded […]
September 23, 2021
By Brent Hamoud This is a revised version of a post first published in 2018 How do we share a world with over 82 million victims of displacement? This is a defining question of the 21st century as unprecedented numbers of individuals have been uprooted from their homes and thrust into precarious […]
August 5, 2021
By Brent Hamoud The Beirut port blast happened a year ago, and all that went up that day has not come down. Unknown tonnage of mysterious ammonium nitrate erupted on August 4th 2020, but we have not seen a sliver of accountability befall those responsible for the mass destruction. How […]
May 20, 2021
By Brent Hamoud I was sitting with my cousin in a tented settlement as he shared some major news. Syria’s war had turned his family into refugees, but after years of grueling displacement in Lebanon, a new possibility loomed on the horizon. His file had slowly moved through UNHCR processing […]
February 18, 2021
By Brent Hamoud The task of global missions in the Middle East must contend with a host of challenges, but perhaps the most prevalent obstacle confronting missionaries is political borders. These manufactured lines cutting land masses into nation-states are more stifling to Great Commission-inspired missionary ministry than we likely realize. […]
October 21, 2020
by Brent Hamoud 2020 has been a most perplexing year, and even passports are feeling it. To mitigate the spread of COVID-19 nations have implemented unprecedented measures restricting the entry of select passports. This has added intrigue to an already dynamic historic moment, and no doubt some were slightly amused […]