September 9, 2021

Getting Real in Prayer

by Kees  van der Knijff Too often these days, I find I am unable to pray more than a few words: “Lord, have mercy.” Overwhelmed by all that is happening in Lebanon and all around the world, everything else seems shallow, superfluous. Other mornings, I hear myself pray for justice, […]
September 2, 2021

The Agony of Afghanistan

by Mike Kuhn No need to review recent events in Afghanistan. We all know. The result is agonizing for much of the world, elating, perhaps, for some. No claim to a comprehensive treatment here…there’s far too much to consider—the massive toll in human lives from 20 years of military occupation, […]
August 26, 2021

Are We There Yet?: Thinking Through Perplexities of Lebanon

By Smyrna Khalaf “Are we there yet?” This is a question parents with young children have gotten used to hearing – especially during long drives – and it can drive everyone else crazy. Children usually ask this question not because they want to annoy their parents but because they don’t […]
August 19, 2021

The ABTS Blog: A New Brand for a Long-Established Platform

By Elie Haddad The stated purpose of our blog is to “provide theological reflections by ABTS voices about pressing matters of faith and witness in the Middle East and beyond.” There is no shortage of high-quality theological reflections on pressing matters of faith and witness around the globe. We read […]
August 12, 2021

Summer Repost- Standing on the Edge of a River: Palestine, Israel, and Identity

By Nabil Habiby This post that was first published by IMES in November 2018 It has been a rough week for Palestinians. They witnessed yet more Arab concessions to Israel. Their land continues to shrink. Their hopes of ever achieving freedom from oppression grow slimmer. It has been a rough […]
August 5, 2021

Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit: Sifting Through the Rubble of the Beirut Blast One Year On

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 […]
July 29, 2021

Moving Away from Faithless, Self-Centered Prayers: Towards the ‘True Disciple’s Prayer’

By Bassem Melki “My Father, hallowed be my name, my kingdom come, my will be done, hopefully also in heaven as it is on earth. Give me today and everyday what I am entitled to. Help my debtors repay me their debts as I have repaid You my debts (if […]
July 22, 2021

Summer Repost: My Inner Journey to Hell and Back

By Martin Accad This is a revised version of a post that was published by IMES in 2014 Earlier this month, during a conference I was attending in Ghana, I joined a group on a visit to one of the “Slave Castles” on the Southern coast. I expected it to […]