March 30, 2023

Toxic Positivity: Biblical Perspectives on a Harmful Trend

Smyrna Khalaf In a world that values happiness and success above all else, toxic positivity has increasingly become a widespread issue. The term – Toxic Positivity – has been trending on social media among counselors, psychologists, and coaches, leading people to question their approach towards being positive. Toxic Positivity refers […]
March 16, 2023

The Function of Meshalim in Re-telling the Story of the Bible

By Walid Zailaa A few weeks ago I, with some of my colleagues at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS), visited some churches and seminaries in Sudan.  The strategy of periodically visiting our students in their contexts has been eye-opening for me. I have realized that most communities not only […]
March 2, 2023

Deconstructing the Kerygmatic?

By Martin Accad This year will mark nearly twenty years since I first began to think about the SEKAP spectrum for Christian-Muslim interaction. I have advocated for a moderate posture on a five-level continuum between Syncretism (D1: “all roads lead to Mecca”) and Polemics (D5: “aggressive and exclusivist”), with D2 […]
February 16, 2023

Let Us Continue the Conversation: The Bustani-Van Dyck Arabic Bible and the Discussion Around Inerrancy

By Wissam Nasrallah This blog is overly ambitious. I seek, in a very short space, to tackle two major topics that each deserve several pages to unpack. The first one revolves around textual criticism and the Bustani-Van Dyck Arabic translation of the Bible, while the second is an invitation to […]
February 2, 2023

A House Divided Against Itself Will Fall

by Elie Haddad Jesus taught His disciples an important principle in Luke 11:17: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.” In the following verse, Jesus applied this principle to Satan: “If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand?” […]
January 19, 2023

Things We Carry as We Go: Reflections on Lebanese Youth Who Left

Teresa Sfeir “All the Lebanese immigrants I know keep talking about Lebanon, but no one wants to come back,” Samar shared. Samar, 27, has been in the UAE since 2020. Returning is not an option for her because she has gotten used to the sense of stability that the UAE […]
January 5, 2023

The Sphere of Christ’s Presence: A Christmas Compass through the Holy Land

Grace Al-Zoughbi The context where the first Christmas occurred is deeply inviting, thoroughly inspiring, and ultimately transforming. This is also the context where I was born and raised. In the Middle East, Christmas is celebrated three times annually: 25 December according to the Gregorian calendar, 7 January according to the […]
December 22, 2022

ABTS Christmas Blog

The following is a shared Christmas post written by ABTS faculty. The contributors articulate ideas around the Lord’s incarnation, humility and meaningful love. A timely reminder, lest we get swept away with the festivities of the season.   Having the Mindset of Christ by Elie Haddad “In your relationships with […]