We are an ecumenical group of specialists in theology and human and geopolitical sciences. We are women and men, ordained ministers and lay people. We belong to different Churches and have different cultural horizons, national geographies, and complementary areas of expertise. We came together to offer renewed alternatives of theological, social and political choices to the best of our abilities, in the light of our knowledge, our experience and our love for our Churches, our people, authorities and institutions.
Therefore, we invite all those of good will, Christians and non-Christians alike, who share with us our vision and values expressed in the document, to be part of this transformational journey and endeavour by co-signing the document, so that our societies as well as our political and religious institutions in the Middle East, value diversity, and become more inclusive and just communities of women and men
We Choose Abundant Life
We Choose Abundant Life Members
Rev. Najla KASSAB
Ordained minister National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon - NSSL (1917) Director of Christian Education Department in the NSSL President of the World Communion of Reformed churches (WRCR) - since 2017
Pr. Souraya BECHEALANY
Belongs to the Maronite Church. Professor in Ecclesiology & Ecumenism. Director of the Research Center of the Faculty of Religious Sciences – University Saint-Joseph Beirut (USJ) Former Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) from 2018 to 2020.
Rev. Prof. Dr. Mitri RAHEB
PhD in Theology from the Philipps University at Marburg, Germany. Founder and President of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem. Member of the Palestinian National Council and the Palestinian Central Council. Founder of several NGO‟s including the Christian Academic Forum for Citizenship in the Arab World (CAFCAW). Founder member and author of Kairos Palestine.
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Rev. Prof. Gabriel HACHEM
Priest in the Greek Melkite Catholic Church. PhD in Theology from the Catholic University of Louvain (LLN – 1996) Professor at the Pontifical Faculty of Theology at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) in Ecclesiology, Ecumenism and Christian presence in the Middle East. Editor in Chief of the ecumenical magazine Proche-Orient Chrétien – USJ, since 2015. Member of the International Theological Commission (CTI – Rome) for a second mandate till 2026.
Pr. Assaad Elias KATTAN
Belongs to the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. He is Lebanese and living in Germany. Prof. has been holding the chair of Orthodox theology at the Centre for Religious Studies of the University of Münster (Germany) since 2005.
Ziad EL SAYEGH
Expert on Public Policies. Executive Director for Civic Influence Hub (June 2021 - …) A researcher on the Palestinian Refugees issue in Lebanon and Peace Negotiations in the Middle East, on Syria Refugees and on Labor Policies and Social Protection.
Father Rouphael ZGHEIB
PHD in systematic theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome Professor of theology at Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Sagesse University, and Holy Spirit University of Kaslik. National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Lebanon Coordinator of the Youth Ministry at the Maronite Patriarchate’s Curia
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Michel NSEIR
Master's degree in Orthodox theology from Balamand and a High Diploma in Biblical Studies from the Catholic Institute in Paris. Has been working with the World Council of Churches (WCC) since September 2007 on different programs focusing on the Middle East. Executive Secretary of the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME) from 1998 to 2004
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P. Khalil CHALFOUN
PhD in Theology from the Institut Catholique de Paris, France, and in Anthropology and Religious Sciences from the Sorbonne-Paris IV in 1987. Dean of the Faculty of Religious Sciences and Theology at La Sagesse University from 2001 to 2015. President of the La Sagesse University in Beirut, Lebanon.
Rev. George KOPTI
Ordained priest in the Diocese of Jerusalem of the Arab Episcopal/Anglican Church in the Middle East since 2001. BTh 1998 and M. Div. 2005 from Near East School of Theology in Beirut, and THM 2019 from Otago University in New Zealand. Thesis on The Christian- Muslim early relations with special focus on identity formation of both communities in the 7th to 9th CE.
Sister Emilie TANNOUS
Consecrated nun in the “Congrégation des Soeurs des Saints-Coeurs” in Lebanon. She is working on Pedagogy and Education and has interests in the Ecumenism and interfaith dialogs. Activist in women and children rights and Trainer on Human rights and Justice and Peace.