Syria has announced an immediate nationwide ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, ending nearly two weeks of clashes, even as Christians and other minorities remain concerned that the agreement does little to ease fears of continued persecution and instability.
A message of deep urgency as history unfolds in Iran. As nationwide protests for freedom continued—with death toll reports climbing from the hundreds into the thousands—the Iranian regime shut down the internet, cutting off an entire nation from the outside world. Violence escalated. Families are grieving. Here is a biblical view of the situation.
Will the unprecedented current protests in Iran be terminal for the Islamic theocracy which has been in place since 1979? Social scientific insight seems to suggest not, but they've been wrong before. In spite of some key indicators that suggest the Iranian rule will continue, the triggers to regime collapse are mysterious.
This Christmas, partners of THIMAR LSESD around the Middle East are celebrating Christmas amid varying circumstances and challenges. From Lebanon, to Syria, Iraq, Sudan, and Yemen we hear from voices on the ground.
As the ceasefire and exchange of people signals relief in Gaza and Israel, those who live and serve in the Holy Land know how fragile this peace can be and how difficult it will be to rebuild livelihoods. Hope of lasting peace will only be found when all people living in the land are able to live freely and are treated with dignity. In the meantime, followers of Jesus in the land remain faithful, trusting not in geopolitics but in the Prince of Peace.
A Christian convert who recently fractured her spine after falling from a bunkbed in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison has been sentenced to 17 years in prison on charges related to practicing her faith, according to human rights groups.
Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) has launched a new Arabic-language degree program aimed at strengthening Christian leadership formation among nearly 400 million Arabic speakers worldwide. The initiative, which began this fall, marks a significant expansion of the seminary’s global training efforts at a time when many ministry leaders in the Middle East and diaspora lack access to theological education in their heart language.
A leading Palestinian evangelical figure has expressed concern that a high-profile visit to Israel by more than 1,000 American pastors and Christian influencers did not include any meetings with Christian communities in the Palestinian Territories.
“Arise, shine, Bethlehem, for the light of peace has dawned anew.” With these words, Bethlehem celebrated the traditional lighting of its Christmas tree on a packed Manger Square on Dec. 6, 2025, following a two-year hiatus.
A rights group highlighted violence against Christians by Türkiye in a report timed with Pope Leo IV’s visit to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea.
As Christians worldwide look toward a series of major 2,000-year milestones culminating in 2033, marking the death and Resurrection of Jesus, Jordan is accelerating preparations for the first of them: the 2030 anniversary of Jesus’ baptism at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the UNESCO-recognized site where John baptized Him and Christ’s public ministry began.
Residents of a village in Kaduna state have confirmed to news outlet Truth Nigeria that 177 Christians were kidnapped from three churches on Sunday (Jan. 18) following government attempts to impede access and block information about the crime.
