Church Life

Clash of Churches in Lebanon

Catholic villagers attack Baptists, vandalize church.

Maronite Catholics attacked a newly built, independent Baptist church near Beirut in August, mauling churchgoers preparing to host war refugees from southern Lebanon.

The violence flared up after of several weeks of tense public debate between Maronite and Baptist clergy. The Maronite Church is an Eastern Rite church in communion with Rome.

More than 20 men from Ajaltoun village attacked Christ Bible Baptist Church, slashing car tires, breaking the church door and windows, stealing computer and sound equipment, beating men, and groping several women.

“Police were at the church watching everything,” said Baptist pastor Raymond Abou-Mekhael, 35, who was assaulted. “They even advised the attackers on what to steal and vandalize.”

Abou-Mekhael said that the men were led by Ajaltoun mayor Khalil Tabet, who had the church officially sealed off with red wax immediately after the attack.

In light of Lebanon’s deeply entrenched ethnic and religious divides, it is not uncommon for government officials to carry deeper loyalties for their particular community leaders than for the central government and civil law.

Maronite bishop Guy-Paul Noujaim complained that the Baptists aimed to steal Maronite members of his flock.

“Why don’t the Baptists want to be part of the Middle East Council of Churches?” the bishop wrote, referring to a council of Orthodox, Catholic, and certain Protestant churches. “Don’t they support ecumenism and dialogue? If we are mistrustful of the Baptist people, it is because of their bad behavior.”

“All it would take is one word from the bishop for the place to be opened,” said one source close to the Maronite church. “But they’ve never had a Protestant Reformation in the Middle East, so they don’t know quite what to do with these new evangelical groups.”

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

The church’s website has more information on the attacks.

A longer version of this Compass Direct report is available elsewhere online.

Christianity Today‘s full coverage of Lebanon offers several articles on the recent conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

News

Looking for God in Russia: Finding Jesus in Orthodox Robes and Evangelical Jeans

God's Word in an Old Light

The New Context of World Missions

News

Long-Distance AIDS Ministry

Plethora of Talent

Rx for Recidivism

Middle East Morass

Behold, the Global Church

Stopping Cultural Drift

Dreaming of Dystopia

Imagining a Different Way to Live

A Good Death

Editorial

Look at All the Lonely People

Into the Silent Land

A Practical Understanding of Jesus' Life

Shoot-First Apologetics

How God Works Through Ordinary Churches

Worth Protecting

Editorial

Theocracy, Anyone?

No Theocracy Here

Meet the Patriot Pastors

Autumn

News

Races to Watch: Tammy Duckworth vs. State Sen. Peter Roskam

Children of a Lesser Hope

Races to Watch: South Dakota's Abortion Ban

Q&A: Newt Gingrich

Races to Watch: Governor of Michigan

Margin of Victory

News

Passages

High-Impact Leader and Shaker

News

Quotation Marks

The Other <em>Plan B</em>

News

Morning-After Headache

News

Go Figure

Does Islam Need a Luther or a Pope?

Gallery of Accusations

News

<em>Christianity Today</em> News Briefs

News

Cutting Out <em>VeggieTales</em>' Core

News

Malay Melee

News

Public Grievance

Expelling InterVarsity

View issue

Our Latest

News

Trump’s Path to Victory Still Runs Through the Church

The former president held on to the white evangelical vote while making gains among Catholics and Hispanic Christians.

What to Do After the Election

Prudence from Ecclesiastes and exhortation from Hebrews for the jubilant and disappointed alike.

The Russell Moore Show

Civility, Calvinism, and the Coming Judgment Day

Richard Mouw still believes in Christian “uncommon decency.” 

Paul’s Prescription for a Polarized Church

The apostle’s ethic of welcome challenges our personal, social, and political instincts.

Spain’s Oldest Protestant Publishing House Began Underground 100 Years Ago

Now Clie celebrates a century of equipping the church through dictatorship and secularization. 

News

Donald Trump Takes the White House Again

In his late-night victory speech, the former president says God gave him a mission to “save our country.”

News

Florida’s Abortion Amendment Becomes the First to Fail Since Roe’s Reversal

On election night, pro-lifers cheered the news that a 6-week ban enacted under Gov. Ron DeSantis will get to stay, with further wins coming in South Dakota and Nebraska.

News

Conservative Anglicans Call for Archbishop to Repent Over Same-Sex Relationships Stance

As the issue continues to divide the Church of England, Justin Welby spoke on a popular podcast about how his views have “evolved.”

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube