Arab Evangelicals in Israel

The essays contained in this book provide an introduction to the history, challenges, and hopes of contemporary evangelical Arab Christians in Israel (and to a lesser degree in the West Bank). After opening with a general overview of Arab Christianity in the Holy Land, the following chapters treat different aspects of the evangelical Arab experience: the founding of the Convention of Evangelical Churches in Israel (CECI) as well as a theological seminary for the training of church workers (Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary [NETS]), the self-understanding of Arab Baptists in terms of their identity and relation to other groups in Israel, an Arab perspective on the relationship between Arab evangelicals and Messianic Jews, as well as the struggles, hopes, and fears of another ""evangelical"" community that is usually hidden from view, namely, that of Muslim converts to Christianity in Israel, the West Bank, and the Middle East in general. The final chapter offers a detailed bibliography on ""Arabophone Christianity"" in Israel and Palestine. ""For anyone with an interest in Arab evangelicals in Israel, this book is a must. In a nutshell it introduces us to the present situation of Arab evangelicals. It gives us the historical background and shows how they find their way between the other churches, Christian-Zionism, and between Jews and Muslims in Israel. Very interesting reading."" --Jos M. Strengholt, Anglican priest in Egypt ""Arab Evangelicals in Israel presents a fascinating account of the recent history and struggles that Arab Christians have faced in defining and asserting their identity within an immensely complex social, religious, and political context. It presents the story of their valiant efforts to remain faithful to the gospel of Christ without abandoning their unique ethnic and national affiliations. This book is required reading for those concerned with the status of Middle Eastern Christianity in the Holy Land, particularly in its evangelical form."" --J. Scott Bridger, Author of Christian Exegesis of the Qur'ān (Pickwick, 2015); Associate Professor of Global Studies & World Religions, Criswell College, Dallas, Texas ""Arab Evangelicals in Israel is an informative, true, and clear window into the background, history, and life situation of evangelical Arab Christians, including their relationship with Messianic believers, in Israel. The writers are excellent scholars who are themselves great characters and true of heart. Through field research and interaction with other sources, the amazing story of the Arab Christians who are 'a minority of a minority of a minority in Israel' is told. A story of a forgotten, though wonderful, Christian community in a land torn by conflict yet pregnant with the memories of the One who lived and died and was raised there two thousand years ago."" --J. Bryson Arthur, Academic Dean and Professor of Systematic Theology, Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary ""When talking about the Holy Land, most people focus on the land and its history, geography, archaeology, culture, or at best politics. . . . The authors have focused on the move of God in planting his church amidst the Arab Palestinian peoples in the land, and they have succeeded in revealing that."" --Jack Y. Sara, President, Bethlehem Bible College Azar Ajaj is Director of Public Relations and Lecturer at Nazareth Evangelical College in Israel. Duane Alexander Miller is Adjunct Professor of theology at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas. Philip Sumpter is Adjunct Professor of Old Testament at the European School of Culture and Theology in Stuttgart, Germany.