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Not all Lebanese Christians are so despairing. Despite the impression some reporters gave during last year's war—that Lebanon's Christians were as hostile to Israel as most Shi'a and Sunni Lebanese—some of Lebanon's Christians still express warm sentiments toward their neighbor to the south.

Habib Malik, a Lebanese Christian and university professor, recently made a surprising comment: "I am convinced," he said, "that a very special eschatological role awaits the Christians in Lebanon with respect to the Jewish people."

Keeping the Christian community in Lebanon strong should be a higher priority than it currently is for the Western church. With stronger support from the global church, Lebanon's Christians may more effectively become a regionally reconciling influence. Daniel Buttry, an American Baptist leader, recently spoke at Arab Baptist Seminary in Beirut. He said Lebanese Christians have a mission to be peacekeepers as well as peacemakers. The difference, he said, is that peacekeepers avoid trouble, but peacemakers (when called by God) look for trouble and seek to embody within it a peace that passes all understanding.

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The Sunday Telegraph's article on the flight of Maronite Christians is based on a poll by Beirut-based Information International.

Christianity Today has a special section on last summer's Israel-Lebanon conflict, in addition to our other articles on Lebanon. Recent op-eds include "The Colors of Lebanon" and "The 'Jesus Manifesto' for Lebanon."

The BBC's profile of Lebanon includes links to recent articles on the aftermath of late January fighting and the situation of Christians.

David Aikman's previous Global Prognosis columns are available online.

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June 2007, Vol. 51, No. 6