► Dr. J Andrew Kirk on Migration and Globalization
A valuable and an interesting discussion took place at our church on October 5, 2012. Dr. J Andrew Kirk presented a subject on the impact of migration and globalization on our churches nowadays. Dr. Kirk traced the discussions on the human rights to Aquinas and to the early discussions in the 21st century in the Church. He emphasized the Christians’ role in rising above violence and injustice. Making peace is an indispensible aspect of the Church’s calling and mission. Thus, it has been always a fundamental characteristic of the spread of the Good News to reconcile hostile communities and be hospitable to migrants by indigenous people.
J. Andrew Kirk has spent his life in theological education in South America and the United Kingdom. Recently retired from a teaching position at the University of Birmingham, England, he is the former Dean and Head of the School of Mission and World Christianity at Selly Oak Colleges. With degrees from the University of London and Cambridge, he is the author of thirteen books, including The Mission of Theology and Theology as Mission (1997), What is Mission? Theological Explorations (1999), and Mission under Scrutiny: Confronting Current Challenges (2006).
Refreshment followed and discussions continued.
► The Installation of Dr. George Sabra at N.E.S.T.
Dr George Sabra, in a beautiful service at the Near East School of Theology, was installed as the 9th president of the Near East School of Theology last Sunday, the 7th of October, 2012. The Board of Managers and many distinguished guests attended the ceremony, during which Rev. Dr. Salim Sahiouny (President of the Supreme Council of Protestant Churches in Syria and Lebanon) presented the Symbol of the Office to Dr Sabra, Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian (President of Haigazian University) presented Dr. Sabra's academic biography, and Rev. Megerdich Karagoezian (President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East) presented the charge to the president.
On the occasion of his installation as president, Dr. Sabra delivered an insightful address: "Serving, Coping, Transforming: The Three Tasks of a Theological Seminary". The address was presented and developed in a profound way providing a historical overview of the mission and the future prospect of the N.E.S.T.
After the service the audience congratulated Dr. Sabra wishing him a fruitful and a blessed leadership and contribution to the mission of the N.E.S.T.
Dr. George Sabra was born in Beirut, Lebanon. He received his Bachelor of Philosophy from the American University in Beirut (1977). Then he obtained his Master of Divinity (1980) from Princeton Theological Seminary, USA, and a Master of Arts in Medieval Studies from the Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies (1981) at the University of Toronto, Canada. In 1986, he was awarded the Doctorate of Theology from the Faculty of Theology in the University of Tübingen, Germany.
Dr. Sabra is the professor of Systematic Theology at the Near East School of Theology and has been its Academic Dean since 1995. He represented the Reformed Churches in the Middle East at the World Alliance of Reformed Churches from 1993 to 2001 and is currently a permanent member of the International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. He has represented his church, the National Evangelical Church of Beirut, in different committees.
He is also a lecturer in the Civilization Sequence Program at American University of Beirut, and has lectured at the Lebanese American University, the Faculty of Theology in University of the Holy Spirit, Kaslik, and the Antonine University, Lebanon.
He is married to Lydia Nseir, and they have two daughters, Maria (23) and Julia (18).
► Forum on "The Pope Benedict XVI's Visit to Lebanon"
Rev. Habib Badr participated in a forum on the Pope’s visit to Lebanon. The forum was held at St. Joseph University, Social Science Department, on Wednesday 31st of Oct., 2012. The speakers presented non-Catholic views concerning the Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Lebanon, last September.
The participants, beside Rev. Badr, were notable guests: Dr. Ibrahim Shams El-din (president of the Imam Shams El-din Foundation for Dialogue), Metropolitan George Saliba (Syrian Orthodox Archbishop of Mount Lebanon), sheikh Khaldoun Araimet (secretary general of the Supreme Judicial Islamic Council), sheikh Aamer Zen El-din (media consultant and social activist), Mr. Fouad Daaboul (managing editor of Al-Anwar Lebanese newspaper) and the moderator was Prof. George Khadige (director of the Center for Human Rights Studies in the Arab World, CEDROMA).
All speakers considered the Pope’s visit a significant contribution for the relations between all Lebanese religious and social components.
Rev. Badr concentrated in his word on the purpose of the visit, i.e., to hand the Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in Medio Oriente" to the Catholic Church in the Orient. The Apostolic Exhortation was documented and elaborated by Benedict XVI, based on the forty-four final propositions of the special Synod for the Middle East, which was held in Vatican City from 10 to 26 October 2010 with the theme: "The Catholic Church in the Middle East: Communion and Witness”.
However, Rev. Badr maintained that Protestant churches were, unintentionally, not represented in some stages of the event.
At the end of the presentations some questions were asked by the audience and a celebration concluded the forum.
► Confirmation Service
On Sunday the 4th of November 2012, parents and large congregation of our church participated in the confirmation service of six confirmands, who joined the church membership on the occasion of All Saints Sunday.
The confirmands are: Maya Asfour, Nadia Asfour, Mounir Moadieh, Ramzi Katoul, Lara Sabra, and Nour bou Malham.
The confirmation-candidates had attended earlier (past spring-summer period) a series of special classes, where they had the chance to reflect on the meaning of Christian faith and studied different topics, such as baptism, church creeds, communion and other important themes of the Christian faith.
Confirmation refers to the decision a person makes in response to God’s grace, with intentional commitment and public affirmation of one’s baptismal vows before the congregation. Confirmation is finally endorsed through the participation of the confirmands in the communion service, through which they claim full membership of their church.
May God lead the new members of our church in their paths of life to be good, loving and caring Christians in their church and society.
