Mission Crossroads is a three-time-a-year magazine focused on worldwide work of the PC(USA). It offers news and feature stories about mission personnel, international partners and grassroots Presbyterians involved in God's mission in the world.
Issue link: https://missioncrossroads.epubxp.com/i/491857
2 Spring 2015 Troughout history, the Middle East has seen a great deal of instability caused by power struggles between empires, as well as conficts among its peoples. In the last four years, Christians in Syria, and to a lesser extent Christians in Lebanon, have sufered greatly because of the great crisis that began in March 2011. Although all the inhabitants of Syria are sufering because of this great crisis, Christians face more difculties and challenges simply because they are a minority. Tat threat is even more intense for the Protestant community because it is a minority within a minority. Tus, Protestants in Syria have been facing diferent challenges, including threat of death, loss of beloved, loss of homes, displacement, emigration, exile, loss of jobs, loss of educational facilities, fnancial difculties, loss of basic needs, the damage of many church building and activities, the feeling that they are caught between warring giants and ultimately, a loss of vision and of hope. In fact, the challenges facing the Protestant community in Syria and Lebanon today may be the greatest since its founding in the 19th century. Te National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL) has responded to those challenges through a variety of programs and actions, including providing fnancial support and baskets of food and hygiene products, ofering rent and school support, medical care, fuel, electricity, and drinking water. NESSL has provided spiritual and pastoral care, as well as rebuilding church facilities, establishing new worship centers. Among the most signifcant challenges facing NESSL today is maintaining its identity and its presence. How can we maintain an infuential presence in such chaos and after such a great loss of members? How do we face all this hatred, violence, and death? How to be faithful to its identity and call as a church in the midst of all that? And what will our churches look like when the crisis is over? It is precisely in these circumstances that NESSL and all churches in the Middle East must: • Realize at all times that carrying the cross is an inseparable part of its life and identity, and be mindful that the cross is the way to the resurrection. • Remember that passing through difcult times has always been part of the life of the church in the Middle East, yet the church has survived and is still active. • Realize that it is called not just to survive, but to be present and efective. Mere survival will mean a slow death, but giving its life for the sake of others is the very purpose of the Church ( John 12:24-25). • Remember its calling to look beyond its own needs and to freely carry God's love to the poor and marginalized. • Be prophetic in the midst of the crisis, Faithful response of the church to the confict in Syria By Hadi Ghantous 1866 Presbyterians found the school that eventually bears the name American University in Beirut (AUB). Today AUB is considered the premiere university of Lebanon. At a ceremony marking the laying of the cornerstone of the frst building on campus, founding president Daniel Bliss declared that, after studying at the college, a student might "go out believing in one God, in many gods, or in no God. But it will be impossible for anyone to continue with us long without knowing what we believe to be the truth and our reasons for that belief." 1869 A theological seminary is founded in Abeih with Dr. Calhoun, Dr. Eddy, and Dr. Jessup as faculty. The seminary moves to Beirut in 1873, and becomes the Near East School of Theology in 1932. 1893 Dr. Mary Pierson Eddy begins to work with tuberculosis patients and lays the groundwork for Hamlin hospital. 1917 Britain declares its support of "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people" (Balfour Declaration). Tension between the Christian and Muslim communities erupts. In 1948, most Western governments recognize Israel as a sovereign state. Presbyterian missionaries question the decision as unjust for the native inhabitants of Palestine. 1918 WWI ends. Ottoman Empire is dismantled. French and British colonial occupation begins. Presbyterian Church in Damascus the challenges facing the Protestant community in Syria and Lebanon today may be the greatest since its founding in the 19th century.