Meeting of Theology Students from Lebanon, Syria and Iraq

The Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME)

Reviving the Ecumenical Spirit after 11 years of interruption

The ATIME Student Committee, composed of students from different theological institutes in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq held its first regular meeting on the 1st of February 2020. The meeting was hosted by the Pontifical Faculty of Theology at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) – Kaslik, Lebanon. His Eminence Archbishop Yacoub Babawi, dean of the Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary at Ma'arat Saydnaya, attended the meeting and gave his blessing.

The meeting was presided over by Father Edgard El Haiby, ATIME Executive Secretary and Director of the Higher Institute of Religious Studies at the Saint Joseph University (USJ) – Beirut. The Rev. Dr Bassam Nassif from St John of Damascus Institute of Theology at Balamand, who is ATIME’s Associate Executive Secretary, was also present.

Students representing their faculties were among the participants. They included: Rabih Dib Wehbe and Katia Toufic Wehbe from the Faculty of Religious Sciences at USJ – Beirut, Giscard Boulos and Sister Stephanie Saliba from the Pontifical Faculty of Theology – Kaslik, Karla Karam and Kheir Abou Kheir from the Faculty of Religious and Theological Sciences – Sagesse University, Khalil Haddad from the Near East School of Theology, Ayad Zainieh and Raymond El Amir from Saint-Paul Institute for Philosophy and Theology – St. Paul Institute, Ibrahim Kalimeh and Elias Chahine from St John of Damascus Institute of Theology – Balamand and finally, Eddy Joseph Maher and Wassim El Nessr from Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary - Ma'arat Saydnaya.

The meeting started with ATIME Executive Secretary’s welcome speech in which he stressed the importance of ecumenical dialogue and the passion driving Christians in the Middle East to get to know the other. Based on the quote “How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?” from the Bible story of Philip and the Ethiopian, Father El Haiby considered that the Middle East is in urgent need of a witness of love and solidarity. He elaborated by saying: “How can the other understand our faith if he does not encounter someone bearing witness to our love and unity?”.  Therefore, ecumenical witness is considered to be one of the core responsibilities of the Churches, one that should also be fulfilled by theological institutes and their students.

His Eminence Archbishop Babawi also gave a speech in which he encouraged students to consolidate ecumenical work in their institutes and faculties. He focused on the importance of effective work that goes beyond wishes, speeches and words.

After the roundtable of introductions, the attendees examined the main articles of the bylaws, especially those related to the objectives of the student committee and its work methods. They also discussed several suggestions of activities suitable to achieve the goals of the committee based on a specific annual calendar. Finally, after setting a date for the next meeting that should take place within a month, the student committee meeting was concluded.