April 21, 2022

A Movemental Turn in Missions: Thoughts on New Eras and New Wineskins

by Wes Watkins “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” — Alan Watts Change is a constant in our world. Especially in the last few years, however, it feels that the pace of change is increasing dramatically. […]
April 14, 2022

Easter Reflections From the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary

The Arab Baptist Theological Seminary wishes you a blessed Easter. May the following reflections by members of our community enrich you this season.   Kees van der Knijff, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the […]
April 7, 2022

Practicing Theology in Ramadan: How Actions Shape Our Talk About God  

By Caleb Hutcherson Another Sunday afternoon and we’re walking home from church, my kids and I, through densely packed streets of Hamra, Beirut. My eldest and I are discussing how Ramadan is approaching and how for our family it means we’ll refrain from eating in public in this neighborhood during […]
March 31, 2022

Even Super Moms Need Serious Support

By Smyrna Khalaf As we were celebrating Mother’s Day last week, I was thinking about moms in Lebanon during these uncertain times. Yes, we feel that people have gotten used to COVID-19 but there is still a lot of uncertainty effecting daily life. The uncertainty of the economic situation, the […]
March 24, 2022

Political Theology in an Antireligious World

By Martin Accad Many today are angry at religion, or at least disappointed with it. Rightly so perhaps, since so much violence is carried out in God’s name. In the MENA part of the world, anger and disappointment were manifest in the so-called “Arab Spring” protests that began near the […]
March 17, 2022

Drawing Lines in Our Wartime Prayers

By Kees van der Knijff We were sitting around the table with our small kids. As we are used to, at the end of dinner we were about to pray together. The kids had been exposed to rumors of war on this first day of the conflict in Ukraine. It […]
March 10, 2022

Let’s Be Honest, Christianity Has a Sobering History of Violence Against Muslims

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 […]
March 3, 2022

“Where Are Your Parents?”: Child Exploitation in Lebanon Today

By Teresa Sfeir The boy seemed to be no more than twelve the first time he tapped on my car window and asked for money as I waited at an intersection. The children standing next to him were even younger. The memory is almost amusing—and you might be wondering what […]