Lent study 2015

Walking and praying with Christians of the Middle East         

Our Lenten study focuses on Christians in the lands in which Christianity has its roots – Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Israel, Palestine and Jerusalem. The resource is intended for ecumenical groups, church groups and individuals.

• About the theme
• Who is the resource for?
• Who produced the resource?
• What does each study contain?
• Download the study
• Large print (text only) / accessibility version
• Additional resources

What is the theme about and why is it important?

The Christian churches of the Middle East are facing a crisis unparalleled in recent history. As a result of a set of complex religious and political factors, the number of Christians in the region has fallen dramatically as many have sought refuge in other parts of the world, especially the West. However these are ancient communities that trace their origins back to the very beginnings of Christianity. The present conflicts and political instabilities in countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian Territories have had a profound impact upon these Christian communities. Many Church leaders in the region believe that without a Christian presence, the future of the Middle East looks bleak indeed. Yet at the same time knowledge in the Western churches of these Christian communities remains minimal and often we are unaware of who Middle Eastern Christians are and what issues they face in today’s world. In popular perceptions of the Middle East, Arab equals Muslim and rarely Christian. Our knowledge of our Christian sisters and brothers in the region is an important factor in their survival. During this season of Lent we are inviting you to join with us in walking with them and to pray for and with them. Lent is a crucial time to remember the lands in which Christianity has its roots – Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Israel, Palestine and above all Jerusalem are names that remind us of crucial events in the Bible, but also names that dominate our news today.

Who is this Lenten Resource for?

This Lenten Resource is intended for ecumenical groups, church groups and individuals. It attempts to offer a traditional course that picks up on Lenten themes whilst at the same time praying with Christians of the Middle East.

Who produced the resource?

The Lent resource has been written by CTBI in partnership with Embrace the Middle East  , a non-governmental, inter-denominational charity working to improve the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the Middle East. Embrace the Middle East partners with local Christians who provide health, education and community development programmes to those in need – regardless of their faith or nationality.

What does each study contain?

1. Factual information about Christians in the Middle East and the issues they face today
2. Stories of Christians in the Middle East
3. Biblical Reflections
4. Points for discussion and further action
5. A ‘call’ from a Christian from the region in each week
6. Prayers from Christians living in the region

The resources for each week follow the readings of the 3 year Revised Common Lectionary so they can also be a resource for Sunday worship and preaching.

Downloads

Lent study 2015 – Week 1 (PDF, 560k)
Lent study 2015 – Week 1 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 1.4MB)

 

 

Lent study 2015 – Week 2 (PDF, 1MB)
Lent study 2015 – Week 2 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 1.4MB)

 

 

Lent study 2015 – Week 3 (PDF, 560k)
Lent study 2015 – Week 3 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 1.2MB)

 

 

Lent study 2015 – Week 4 (PDF, 530k)
Lent study 2015 – Week 4 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 1.35MB)

 

 

 

Lent study 2015 – Week 5 (PDF, 1MB)
Lent study 2015 – Week 5 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 2MB)

 

 

 

Lent study 2015 – Week 6 (PDF, 1.7MB)
Lent study 2015 – Week 6 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 3.7MB)

 

 

 

Large print (text only) / accessibility version

Lent study 2015 – Week 1 (.docx, 30k)
Lent study 2015 – Week 1 (Welsh) (.doc, 47k)

Lent study 2015 – Week 2 (.docx, 40k)
Lent study 2015 – Week 2 (Welsh) (.doc, 55k)

Lent study 2015 – Week 3 (.docx, 30k)
Lent study 2015 – Week 3 (Welsh) (.docx, 31k)

Lent study 2015 – Week 4 (.docx, 31k)
Lent study 2015 – Week 4 (Welsh)

Lent study 2015 – Week 5 (.docx, 25k)
Lent study 2015 – Week 5 (Welsh) (.doc, 37k)

Lent study 2015 – Week 6 (.docx, 26k)
Lent study 2015 – Week 6 (Welsh) (.doc, 46k)

 

Additional resources

Here we offer links to additional material that you can access if you would like to explore issues in further depth. Please note that CTBI does not necessarily endorse the content of external websites.

General

• Statement from the World Council of Churches on Christian Presence and Witness in the Middle East.
• The Website of the Middle East Council of Churches.
• For more in depth work from an academic perspective, the Centre for Eastern Christianity at Heythrop College, University of London is an important resource offering a range of seminars and publications

Week 1: Syria

• Information about the Churches in Syria which are members of the World Council of Churches.
• Training Young Leaders in Syria from the Awareness Foundation.
• Statement on Syria from the WCC.

Week 2: Israel

• Notes for the CTBI Lent pieces from the Council of Christians and Jews
• Information about Churches in Israel (and the Palestinian Territories) which are members of the World Council of Churches.
• The Inter-Religious Coordinating Council in Israel.
• Tantur Ecumenical Institute.
• The Abraham Fund – promoting peaceful co-existence between Israel’s Jews and Arab/Palestinian citizens.
• Christian Aid’s work in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

Week 3: Egypt

• The website of His Grace Bishop Angaelos of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK and Moderator of CTBI
• Information about the Churches in Egypt who are members of the World Council of Churches.
• Christian Aid’s work in Egypt
• Embrace the Middle East – information about their partner organisations working in Egypt:

Week 4: Iraq

• Christians in Iraq by Penny Young, published in History Today
• Christian Aid: Prayers and Resources for Iraq
• The Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East
• Videos from WCC staff visit to Iraq (Kurdistan Region), August 2014

Week 5: Lebanon

• Information about Churches in Lebanon which are members of the World Council of Churches
• Embrace the Middle East information about their partners working in Lebanon

Week 6: Palestine

• Notes for the CTBI Lent pieces from the Council of Christians and Jews
• Information about Churches in the Palestinian Territories (and Israel) which are members of the World Council of Churches.
• Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme for Palestine-Israel
• Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre
• Kairos-Palestine Document
• Christian Aid’s work in Israel and the Palestinian Territories

Inter Faith Issues

The plight of Christians in the Middle East raise important issues for our relations with Jewish and Muslim communities in our contexts here in Britain and Ireland. To explore these issues, the following organisations can be of assistance:

• The Council of Christians and Jews
• The International Council of Christians and Jews
• The Christian-Muslim Forum
• The Forum for Discussion of Israel and Palestine
• The Awareness Foundation