Special Lecture from Reverend Dr. Mitri Raheb

The Reverend Dr. Mitri Raheb, an internationally-acclaimed theologian and advocate for peace in the Arab-Israeli conflict, will speak on Sunday, March 30 at 3:00 pm at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. He will present new insights into scripture and the current Middle Eastern situation from his position as a Christian and a Palestinian. The event is free and childcare is available.

Dr. Raheb is the senior pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church, (ELCA) in Bethlehem, Palestine, president of the Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan, president of Dar al-Kalima University College and founder of Bright Stars of Bethlehem, a charity that brings hope to Palestinians through a variety of initiatives. When a group of 45 SOTV members visited the Holy Land in 2011, they had an opportunity to hear Dr. Raheb speak and see these initiatives in action. This inspired the formation of an SOTV Holy Land Shepherds group that has raised funds and awareness for programs that serve seniors, youth, young families and parish nurses living in the Holy Land.

In his new book, Faith in the Face of Empire: The Bible Through Palestinian Eyes, Dr. Raheb presents a new perspective on the Bible by showing how the “sacred” story and secular history are combined in the Holy Land. In light of the current geo-political turmoil, after the hopes of the Arab Spring and in the face of the latest round of US shuttle diplomacy, Dr. Raheb urges us to ask from a Christian perspective, “Can we imagine a different future for the Middle East?”

Join us to hear this powerful speaker offer new perspectives into combining the reality of the world with the reality of the Bible. Tell a friend! You can download our poster to share.

Dr. Raheb will sign copies of his new book following his talk. Pastor Duane will lead a discussion on this same book on Tuesday, May 6 at 7:00 pm.