lent 2015
study
Photo: Chris De Bruyn
Walking and praying with Christians of the Middle East
- 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.
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.
Availability
All weeks are available below.
- Factual information about Christians in the Middle East and the issues they face today
- Stories of Christians in the Middle East
- Biblical Reflections
- Points for discussion and further action
- A ‘call' from a Christian from the region in each week
- 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.
Lent study 2015 - Week 1 (PDF, 560k)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
Lent study 2015 - Week 1 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 1.4MB)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
Lent study 2015 - Week 2 (PDF, 1MB)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
Lent study 2015 - Week 2 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 1.4MB)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
Lent study 2015 - Week 3 (PDF, 560k)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
Lent study 2015 - Week 3 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 1.2MB)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
Lent study 2015 - Week 4 (PDF, 530k)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
Lent study 2015 - Week 4 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 1.35MB)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
Lent study 2015 - Week 5 (PDF, 1MB)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
Lent study 2015 - Week 5 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 2MB)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
Lent study 2015 - Week 6 (PDF, 1.7MB)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
Lent study 2015 - Week 6 (Welsh-English) (PDF, 3.7MB)
(Please note this is a large file - see download guide)
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) (.doc, 39k)
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)
Links to additional material that you can access if you would like to explore issues in further depth.
