The Near East School of Theology in Beirut is a residential Ministerial Training College in which the Anglican Church is a partner. Some Anglican ordinands train there and Summer Schools for the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf’s Learning Community have been held there. The College is situated in the centre of Beirut in the Al Hamra district. In recent days the city has been under constant attack. The Rev’d Dr Rima Nasrallah is an Associate Professor, living at the College with her husband and their teenage son. She has sent this note to give a flavour of what life is like for them this week.
This is the third time in less than three years that the country has experienced a war - a random, unjustifiable war resulting in destruction, loss and displacement. At NEST and in the church we had managed to recover from the last two blows and establish a good momentum. This new attack stops us in our tracks again and creates confusion.
Previously, we knew which targets were interesting for Israel. This time, Iran also has targets, so we are stuck between the two. But we are not allowing this to paralyze us. We continue to teach and encourage the student body. Church life is slowing down but we are still planning and organising for Palm Sunday and Holy Week, with the Easter hope carrying us forward.
War creates a context for deeper theological discussions and better sermons. This we have learned from the past, and we are reminded again of the task before us, to work together with this community to reflect on the meaning of life and to stand together in faith against all the forces of evil and destruction.
On a practical level, the students at the nearby Haigazian (Armenian) University are displaced or afraid to move around and so teaching is online there. Sadly, the house of our son’s best friend at school was demolished yesterday in an air raid, and he is very angry about it. As for me, since most of our students live at NEST, we can keep carrying in-person (or hybrid) teaching. Tomorrow, we go to church, and we knock on the door of the gospel for a fresh word for our broken world.
Lebanon is part of the Diocese of Jerusalem. You can donate here if you would like to contribute to the Diocese's work.