May 21, 2020

Our Gods Are Burning

By Robert Hamd All of us are affected. From the beginning of the popular protest, to the current collapse of the Lira, all of us are affected. What sets this time apart from the bloody era of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1991) is that now we can’t stand behind our […]
February 13, 2020

“History Doesn’t Repeat Itself, but it Rhymes” – how Christians can make history right here and right now.

by Robert Hamd We are living through historic times. If you are reading this, whether you live in Beirut, Bangkok, or Baltimore, you are well aware we are all witnessing massive shifts in culture, economy, environment, and political conditions. For us Lebanese, not a day passes that doesn’t reminds us […]
November 28, 2019

Beirut, Bolivia, Baghdad, Algeria, Chile, and Hong Kong

by Robert Hamd From Beirut to Santiago, from Baghdad to Hong Kong, people are taking to the streets to protest. What all these countries have in common is that more people are poorer today than ever. Meanwhile, governing elites focus on the preservation of power and the accumulation of wealth, […]
October 24, 2019

Lebanon’s McKinsey Report: corruption, for a price of a sandal

by Robert Hamd In 2017, the Lebanese government brought in the international consultancy firm, McKinsey, to analyze Lebanon’s public and private sectors. In January 2019, the Ministry of Economy released the report, describing what they saw as Lebanon’s crippling political stalemate in government. The 1,200-page report warns that the country […]
January 24, 2019

Lebanon’s McKinsey Report: corruption, for a price of a sandal

by Robert Hamd In 2017, the Lebanese government brought in the international consultancy firm, McKinsey, to analyze Lebanon’s public and private sectors. On Wednesday, January 2, the Ministry of Economy released the report, describing what they saw as Lebanon’s crippling political stalemate in government. The 1,200-page report warns that the […]
July 5, 2018

Lessons from Lebanon: Responding to Refugees and Migrants with the Heart of Christ دروس نتعلّمها من لبنان: الاستجابة للاجئين بقلب المسيح

By Robert Hamd Throughout my ministry, I have been blessed by countless books, courses, lectures, and scholarship from leading, mostly Western, voices. I earned my doctorate from a prominent Christian institution in the West. I speak with many pastors, church leaders, and practitioners, from the West to the East, who […]
January 18, 2018

Calling for Prophetic Passion الدعوة إلى شغف نبوي

By Robert Hamd Today, the younger generations of Christians are asking the difficult questions, such as why injustice persists. They are passionate about a convergence of the words of scripture and real-life practice. For example, they read passages from Isaiah that challenge us to “learn to do good; seek justice, […]
March 16, 2017

Re-Reading Our Times

The 1970s were defining for me. Those were my high school years. Growing up between Lebanon and the US gave me the opportunity to experience those formative high school years cross-culturally. I was a mid-western boy living in a Middle Eastern home. Recently, I’ve decided to reread some of my […]