LEBANESE MINISTER ELECTED WCRC PRESIDENT

The Rev Najla Kassab, a minister in the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL), has been elected president of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), which groups more than 225 churches in over 110 countries.

“With her experience and many gifts, Najla’s vision, insight, spiritual strength and grace make her the right person to lead us forward as president,” said the Rev Alison McDonald of the Church of Scotland, moderator of a Nominating Committee that brought a slate of nominees for the WCRC Executive Committee to its General Council.

Kassab, 52, has been a member of the WCRC executive committee since 2010. The director of the Christian Education Department of NESSL, she was the first woman to receive a preaching licence in her church and, in March 2017, the second woman to be ordained.

“Since 1993 I have been struggling for women to be ordained in the Middle East, and I thank God that just two months ago two women were ordained as pastors in the Middle East,” Kassab told a press conference after her election. “I stand, as I said, for equal rights for women to fully use their talents in the life of the church and for the church to grow through the talents of women.”

(WCRC)

WORLD REFORMATION EXHIBITION

When WCRC General Council members departed from the ecumenical service at Wittenberg’s Town Church on July 6, they discovered a city peppered with 90 Reformation-themed attractions, the World Reformation Exhibition.

During this 500th anniversary year of Martin Luther’s Reformation, the city of Wittenberg celebrates its famous son with sites religious and playful, historical and artistic. A single day pass allowed free entrance to many of the attractions which were grouped into categories such as spirituality, youth, culture and globalisation.

Naturally, most of the World Exhibition sites had direct links to Martin Luther. One of the most popular attractions was the Castle Church, where Luther famously nailed his 95 theses on the church doors. “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott,” (“A Mighty Fortress is Our God”), inscribed on the church tower, refer to one of Protestantism’s most famous hymns, penned by Luther himself. The Reformer’s grave also sits within the walls of the church.

(WCRC)

FEARS REMAIN FOR MOSUL CHRISTIANS

As Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in Mosul, Open Doors local partners have spoken to Christians who wish to return to the town, but many are fearful that the ideology of IS may remain, even after the militants are gone.

Thabet, a church leader from Karamles, a Christian village near Mosul, said, “Mosul is freed from ISIS now. We soon hope to also be free from the mentality that produced ISIS.”

One local Christian said: “They (Iraqi Christians) are afraid that IS’ ideas remain alive, just under a different name. They still doubt if they can live together in peace again with the people who share in these ideas.”

He said that some Iraqis who lived under IS rule for the last three years and have been collaborating with them are now trying to resume their lives as normal citizens. “But now we see that people start to report about them, which leads to revenge. This brings new instability.

“We don’t know how long it will take before this region will be stable again. Apart from that, the destruction is huge. Even if there would be no other tensions, it would take years to rebuild all the houses.”

Jounan, a father of three, would like to return with his family, but they will need practical help to return. “We will need help to restore our house, we have no money to do this.”

As well as practical difficulties, Jounan’s children are afraid to go back to Mosul: “They saw the men of IS on the day we fled Mosul. They saw how they took all our money and jewellery and how one of the men threatened to shoot me in the head. For them it was a nightmare and still is.”

Jounan has also experienced the division that has developed between different groups in Mosul. He said: “Not all Muslims in Mosul supported IS. We live in a mainly Arab neighbourhood. People living around us are good neighbours or even friends. I recently went back to see my house, these people are shy to speak to us now. They feel that it was in the name of Islam that this happened to the Christians.”

(Open Doors)

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