March 29, 2018
By Raffi Chilingirian “What you played inside was so beautiful,” an elder in my church told me, making sure that I heard his assuring words before my departure. I’ve been playing the Armenian Duduk, an ancient instrument found by various names in the Caucasus, during prayer sessions within my church’s Sunday services. […]
March 22, 2018
By Rupen Das I often find Holy Week a turmoil of emotions. It starts with the euphoria of Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. As the week progresses, there is a growing sense of dread. There is a sadness and confusion that permeates the Last Supper, followed by […]
February 8, 2018
By Chaden Hani It was an abiding sense of desperation, frustration and repression which led Lebanese journalist and professor of history Samir Kassir to speak in 2004 of the “Arab malaise.” For as long as I can remember we have barely had a moment of our history lacking in conflict […]
November 16, 2017
In the 21st century, religious diversity is a fact of life. Be it the result of historical precedent or technological advancement, immigration or proselytization, religious diversity can be as disorienting for some as it is enriching for others. For the committed follower of Christ, how are we to make sense of […]
July 20, 2017
By Arthur Brown “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the […]
July 13, 2017
By Suzie Lahoud “By the exercise of hospitality we come to the knowledge of Christ.” – Augustine[1] The week that the controversial US travel and immigration ban was first issued, I sat in my living room in Lebanon with a Syrian woman whose water had broken in her seventh month […]
April 16, 2015
The Middle East Consultation 2015 – Discipleship Today: Identity and Belonging in the Middle East & North Africa, 15 – 19 June 2015, will focus on specific opportunities and challenges related to “identity” and “belonging” that face followers of Jesus within the MENA context. These challenges are particularly important given […]