Pope Francis insisted Thursday that Lebanon must remain a “land of tolerance and pluralism” as he welcomed the country’s Christian patriarchs to the Vatican to pray for an end to the economic and political crisis that has thrown the country into chaos and threatened its
The attitudes of Christian religious leaders in the Middle East and North Africa towards the Arab Spring have differed. While these religious leaders in Egypt and Syria opposed the 2011 uprisings, their counterparts in Iraq and Lebanon have been supportive of the wave of protests
The news of this year brought many tragedies. But it also brought hope as Baptists put their love of God and neighbor into action. Here are some groups we were inspired by as we told their stories in this tumultuous year. Perhaps you’ll find them
It is crunchtime for Nicole Sfeir and her team. Sfeir’s 30-member team has promised to repair the blasted-out Maronite Christian church by Christmas Eve. Read full piece
An old rivalry between Christian factions who fought each other in Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war has flared again on the street and in political debate, renewing fears of fresh unrest as the nation grapples with its worst crisis since the conflict. Read full piece
One month since the blast, emotional support comes from evangelicals, refugees, children, and other unexpected sources. Read full piece
On Sept. 1, 1920, a French general, Henri Gouraud, stood on the porch of a Beirut palace surrounded by local politicians and religious leaders and declared the State of Greater Lebanon — the precursor of the modern state of Lebanon. A century later, the mood could
Like people around the world, Frances Fuller was deeply grieved by the Aug. 4 explosion that killed nearly 200 people and displaced another 300,000 in Beirut, Lebanon. But for Fuller, 91, watching the indescribable carnage was personal. Read full piece
After the massive explosion on Aug. 4 in Beirut, Lebanon, some mental health professionals have offered to help those grappling with the shock and trauma of a blast that devastated a people wearied by severe economic turmoil and the coronavirus pandemic and related hardship.
The oldest Arabic-speaking Protestant church in the Middle East has survived worse crises than the recent Lebanon explosion. Read full piece