| National Evangelical Church of Beirut | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Protestant |
| Year consecrated | 1870 |
| Status | active |
| Location | |
| Location | Beirut, Lebanon |
  The church shown within Beirut | |
| Geographic coordinates | 33°53′41″N35°30′05″E / 33.894710°N 35.501477°E |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | North |
| Materials | Sandstone, limestone |
The National Evangelical Church of Beirut (NEC) is a reformed church in Beirut, member of the National Evangelical Church Union of Lebanon.
Established in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, in 1848 by Congregational and Presbyterian American missionaries, the NEC is the oldest and the largest of nine congregations situated outside Beirut in the towns of Abeih, Aramoun, Khaldeh, Kafarshima, Hadath, Dbayyeh, Jdeideh and Dhour el-Shweir.
The National Evangelical Church of Beirut is the headquarters and administrative centre of these nine churches which operate under the name of the National Evangelical Union of Lebanon (NEUL).
In 1870, the first Evangelical Church was built to house the Arabic and English speaking congregations. During the next hundred years, the church was the centre for all the activities and celebrations of both communities. Then during the Lebanese civil war (1975–1990) it was totally destroyed except for the bell tower and its congregation consequently scattered.
Since its reconstruction in 1998, the National Evangelical Church of Beirut has been standing again in the heart of Beirut's Central District, re-gathering its people with its worship services presided by Rev. Dr. Habib Badr as well as with its many socio-cultural and educational activities.
On 4 August 2020, the church was badly damaged in the Beirut explosion, when all of its stained glass windows were blown out. [1]
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. As of 2014, Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region and the thirteenth-largest in the Arab world. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coast. Beirut has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years, making it one of the oldest cities in the world.
Haigazian University is a higher education institution founded in 1955 in Beirut, Lebanon as Haigazian College. For a brief period starting 1992, the name was changed to Haigazian University College before the institution adopted the present name in 1996. It offers programs leading to Bachelor's degrees in the Arts and Sciences as well as Business Administration and Economics, in addition to Master's degrees in the Arts, Sciences and Business Administration. English is the main language of instruction, although some courses are offered in Armenian and Arabic. All degrees from Haigazian are recognized by the Lebanese government and the Association of International Colleges and Universities. It is supported by the Armenian Evangelical community, and was established primarily to meet the needs of the large Lebanese-Armenian population. However, the university is open to all students, regardless of race, nationality, or creed, and has professors and student body from all sections of Lebanese society.
The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) was inaugurated in May 1974 at its First General Assembly in Nicosia, Cyprus, and now has its headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon. Initially it consisted of three "families" of Christian Churches in the Middle East, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Oriental Orthodox Churches and the Evangelical Churches, which were joined in 1990 by the Catholic Churches of the region. It is a regional council affiliated with the mainstream ecumenical movement which also gave birth to the World Council of Churches, of which the MECC is also a member.
The Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, abbreviated as UAECNE, is an autonomous body of Armenian Evangelical churches comprising 25 congregations throughout Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Australia.
The Near East School of Theology (NEST), located in Beirut, Lebanon, is an interdenominational Reformed Protestant theological seminary serving Christian churches of the Middle East and North Africa, and also educates international students who have a special interest in Biblical and Islamic studies in a Middle Eastern context or those especially interested in the Ancient churches.
The Armenian Evangelical School of Trad was built in 1936, in a poor area in East Beirut named Trad District. It had kindergarten, and six primary classes.
The Armenian Evangelical Central High School is one of the oldest and most-well established Armenian schools in Lebanon. It was founded in 1922 in a refugee camp, on the initiative of the Reverend Yenovk Hadidian. Ten years later, it moved to its present location in Ashrafieh, eastern Beirut.
The Armenian Evangelical Secondary School of Anjar was founded by Swiss Missionaries in 1947. It has a dormitory for boys and girls.
Armenians have lived in Lebanon for centuries. According to Minority Rights Group International, there are 156,000 Armenians in Lebanon, around 4% of the population. Prior to the Lebanese Civil War, the number was higher, but the community lost a portion of its population to emigration. After surviving the Armenian genocide, and initially settling in shanty towns in Lebanon, the Armenian population gradually grew and expanded until Beirut became a center of Armenian culture. The Armenians became one of Lebanon’s most prominent and productive communities.
The Catholic Church in Lebanon is part of the worldwide Catholic Church under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.
Christianity in Lebanon has a long and continuous history. Biblical Scriptures purport that Peter and Paul evangelized the Phoenicians, whom they affiliated to the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch. Christianity spread slowly in Lebanon due to pagans who resisted conversion, but it ultimately spread throughout the country. Even after centuries of Muslim rule, it remains the dominant faith of the Mount Lebanon region and has substantial communities elsewhere.
The National Protestant College is a Lebanese school that was established by the National Evangelical Union of Lebanon, the oldest indigenous Arabic-speaking Protestant congregation in the Middle East. Originally located in Dbayeh, the building moved to West Beirut, near Rue Hamra during the Lebanese Civil war. In 1997, NPC moved permanently to Kfarshima.
Dora also spelled Doura or Daura, is a suburb north-east of Beirut in the Matn District of Mount Lebanon Governorate. The suburb has commercial and residential zones. Dora is administered by Bourj Hammoud municipality.
The Lebanese Constitution provides for freedom of religion and creeds and the exercise of all religious rites provided that the public order is not disturbed. The Constitution declares equality of rights and duties for all citizens without discrimination or preference but establishes a balance of power among the major religious groups. The government has generally respected these rights; however, the National Pact agreement in 1943 restricted the constitutional provision for apportioning political offices according to religious affiliation. There have been periodic reports of tension between religious groups, attributable to competition for political power, and citizens continue to struggle with the legacy of the civil war that was fought along sectarian lines. Despite sectarian tensions caused by the competition for political power, the Lebanese continue to coexist.
Riad Jarjour is a Syrian Christian clergyman who has served as General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches between 1994 and 2003. Born in Aleppo and grew up in the city of Homs.
Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam (GELC) is a major Christian Protestant denomination in India. It has hundreds of thousands of members. It was established on 2 November 1845. It belongs to National Council of Churches in India, United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India, Lutheran World Federation and World Council of Churches. It is led by Moderator Bishop Johann Dang. It is one of the three Lutheran denominations in northeast India along with the Bodo Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church.
The National Evangelical Church Union of Lebanon was founded by Presbyterian and Congregational missionaries from the United States. It is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.
The National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL), also known as Synod SL, is a Reformed denomination in the Middle East. It is a federation of Arabic-speaking congregations, that trace back their origin to the evangelical revival in the 19th century. These churches adopted Reformed theology and Presbyterian church government. This Reformed revival was supported by many Reformed churches in the United States. The Ottoman authorities recognised the Protestant faith in 1848, the first congregations were founded in Beirut, Hasbaya. Later congregations were established in the major cities. The Synod was organised in 1920 with several Presbyteries. There has been a steady growth in new members in recent years.
Lebanese Protestant Christians refers to Lebanese people who are adherents of Protestantism in Lebanon.
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1 The Lebanese people has the most religious diversity of all peoples in the Middle East, comprising 18 recognized religious sects recognized by the Constitution of Lebanon. 2 Under the terms of the Constitution of Lebanon, the Druze community is designated as a part of the Lebanese Muslim community. | |||||||
