Tag: Israel

Daniel Hummel reviews *Arab Evangelicals in Israel*

It’s always interesting to read reviews of books one helped write. In his 2018 review of Arab Evangelicals in Israel, co-authored with Azar Ajaj and Phil Sumpter, Daniel Hummel concludes with these words:

Undoubtedly, one accomplishment of Arab Evangelicals in Israel is bringing to the fore a community that most Americans and Europeans—including many scholars—are unacquainted with. Their small numbers and marginal social posi- tion notwithstanding, Arab evangelicals sit at the intersection of numerous fault lines in Middle Eastern and Israeli-Palestinian history. Arab Evangelicals in Isra- el offers a sympathetic introduction to this community that awaits more sustained and thorough treatment.

This review was published in the journal Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations (13:1). Read the PDF right here.

New Mary’s Well Occasional Paper on the Convention of Evanglical Churches in Israel

As director of publications of Nazareth Seminary, I am pleased to share with everyone our seminary’s newest Mary’s Well Occasional Paper: ‘An Introduction to the Convention of Evangelical Churches in Israel’ (Volume 3:3, October 2014).

This latest paper is by the Rev. Azar Ajaj, president of Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary, and Dr. Philip Sumpter, adjunct professor of Old Testament at the European School of Culture and Theology.

The CECI is an attempt, so far unsuccessful, of indigenous (Arab) Israelis who are evangelicals to obtain official recognition from the State of Israel as a recognized religious community. The article provides an account of the CECI’s genesis and its current projects and challenges.

Download the latest Mary’s Well Occasional Paper HERE.

New article: May Muslims in Israel-Palestine become Christians?

An article of mine was recently published in St Francis Magazine, Vol 10:1, April 2014. The title of the article is “Religious Freedom in Israel-Palestine: may Muslims become Christians, and do Christians have the freedom to welcome such converts?”

Here is the abstract:

This research represents a continuation and elaboration on Miller’s research for the Christianity and Freedom project, presented in Rome in December of 2013. This article seeks to understand the challenges and context of Christians who are also ex-Muslims in the Holy Land. Attention is paid to the difference between the contexts in the West Bank and Israel, and how the established Christian Churches sometimes safeguard their own precarious sense of security by turning away Muslims who seek to know more about the Christian faith and converts from Islam.

Download it at my Academia.edu page or from St Francis Magazine.

Christianity and Freedom: Christian Palestinians in Israel Palestine

This video is from the Christianity & Freedom conference in Rome, held on December 13th and 14th. This section on Palestinian Christians begins at 27:00 with the contribution of my colleague Phil Sumpter, and then moves on to my own contribution at 40:30 and ending around 50:00.

Christians from a Muslim background in Israel-Palestine

In relation to the Christianity & Freedom material I just mentioned, I have also composed an article titled “Freedom of Religion in Israel-Palestine: may Muslims become Christians, and do Christians have the freedom to welcome such converts?” as an addendum or complement to the article I co-authored with Phil Sumpter.

This article addresses the issue of religious apostasy from Islam to Christianity as it takes place in the West Bank and Israel, each with its own context and challenges. Also of special interest is the topic of how Christians deal with the reality of Muslims seeking conversion and incorporation into the various churches in the Holy Land. Extensive field research in the Middle East, and in Israel-Palesitne specifically, went into this essay.

Down load the PDF here: Christians from a Muslim background in Israel-Palestine

“Bibliography for Arabophone Christianity in Israel and Palestine”

As the director of publications for Nazareth Seminary I’m glad to share with you all our most recent Mary’s Well Occasional Paper (2:1) by my colleague Phil Sumpter. The focus is on the post-1948 period.

The link for the “Bibliography for Arabophone Christianity in Israel and Palestine” is here at our seminary blog.

Evangelical Alliance of Israel meeting in Yad Ha Shmona, 2013

Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary (where I teach) is a member of the Evangelical Alliance of Israel, itself a member of the European Evangelical Alliance and the World Evangelical Alliance.

I have the privilege of serving on the Executive Committee of the EAI, where I represent (technically) our seminary. Most of the members of the Ex-Comm live  in or around Jerusalem, so I am also able to provide in a very limited manner some input from largely-Arab evangelical communities in Ha Zafon (the North).

Earlier this week EAI had its Annual General Meeting in Yad Ha Shmona, where we heard some very interesting lectures from a well-respected contextual theologian who spoke on the development of some aspects of Gospel-influenced Jewish theology. Under the leadership of our General Secretary we had a fine meeting. I was happy to catch up with a number of friends and colleagues there, like Roger Elbel and David Pileggi. And lunch was delicious too.

Afterwards, the Ex-Comm along with the Control Committee gathered for a brief meeting.

IMG_1291 IMG_1290Here is picture of the Ex-Comm and the Control Committee (below, I’m 2nd from the L) and a picture of me with a new member of the Control Committee.