Riad Jarjour
Encyclopedia
Rev. Dr. Riad Jarjour is a Syria
n Christian clergyman who has served as General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches
between 1994 and 2003. Born in Aleppo
and grew up in the city of Homs
.
, Wisconsin
, as an exchange student. He completed his B.A. degree at Hagazian College and M.Div. at the Near East School of Theology
, both in Beirut
, Lebanon
, and in 1978 was ordained a Minister in the Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon.
Further studies include the STM degree in Islamic studies from the Near East School of Theology, and the D.Min. degree at McCormick Theological Seminary
, Chicago
, Ill. A chaplain
in South Lebanon for several years, he joined the Middle East Council of Churches in 1978 as Director of the Youth Program, and in 1983 became co-director, with his wife, Roseangela, of the Ayia Napa Conference Center in Ayia Napa
, Cyprus
.
In 1985 he was named Associate General Secretary of the MECC and Director of its Unit on Education and Renewal. The MECC has become increasingly involved in Christian-Muslim dialogue under the Rev. Jarjour's leadership.
Rev. Dr. Riad Jarjour presently is the general secretay of the Arab Group For Muslim-Christian Dialogue.
. He supported the cause of the Palestinian people
, and advocated for the preservation of the Arab identity of Jerusalem.
He has organized and led several events like the Muslim-Christian conference on Jerusalem (Beirut, June 14–17, 1996) and several other substantial events over the following years. Over the years, the Council’s role as the venue for communication between middle eastern Christians and Muslims was greatly enhanced. Rev. Jarjour was among the key contributors to and editors of the landmark document of the Arab Working Group for Christian Muslim Dialogue, “Dialogue and Coexistence: An Arab Muslim-Christian Covenant” (finalized in Cairo in December 2001).
Rev. Jarjour was instrumental in planning and administering an important meeting between the heads of the Middle East’s churches (The Council of Nicosia). Under his administration the Council’s relief work in Iraq continued to be effective and timely. The Council was also on the ground to respond to the tragic earthquakes in Iran and Turkey. He administered the program on Justice, Peace and Human Rights which evolved into an effective instrument for analysis, training and promoting vital concerns not only of Christians but of all groups in middle eastern society.
Rev. Jarjour’s led the Arab Group for Christian Muslim Dialogue on of activities in the region and internationally, which culminated in an important document on Christian Muslim dialogue (The Christian Muslim covenant). He also developed the activities of the world association for Christian communication in the Middle East.
He is also a frequent speaker in international circles, on the ecclesiastical, religious, social and historical situation of the Middle East region.
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n Christian clergyman who has served as General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches
Middle East Council of Churches
After many years of preliminary moves, the Middle East Council of Churches was inaugurated in May 1974 at its First General Assembly in Nicosia, Cyprus. Initially it contained three "families" of Christian Churches in the Middle East, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Oriental Orthodox Churches...
between 1994 and 2003. Born in Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
and grew up in the city of Homs
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
.
Biography
While in high school, he spent one year in Green BayGreen Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, as an exchange student. He completed his B.A. degree at Hagazian College and M.Div. at the Near East School of Theology
Near East School of Theology
The Near East School of Theology is an interdenominational Protestant theological seminary serving the Evangelical churches of the Middle East and African churches, and is once again able to accommodate international students who have a special interest in Biblical and Islamic studies in a Middle...
, both in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, and in 1978 was ordained a Minister in the Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon.
Further studies include the STM degree in Islamic studies from the Near East School of Theology, and the D.Min. degree at McCormick Theological Seminary
McCormick Theological Seminary
McCormick Theological Seminary is one of eleven schools of theology of the Presbyterian Church . It shares a campus with the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, bordering the campus of the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Ill. A chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
in South Lebanon for several years, he joined the Middle East Council of Churches in 1978 as Director of the Youth Program, and in 1983 became co-director, with his wife, Roseangela, of the Ayia Napa Conference Center in Ayia Napa
Ayia Napa
Ayia Napa is a resort at the far eastern end of the southern coast of Cyprus, famous for its sandy beaches. In recent years, apart from being a family holiday destination, it has become a 'party capital' together with Ibiza, Rimini and Mykonos...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
.
In 1985 he was named Associate General Secretary of the MECC and Director of its Unit on Education and Renewal. The MECC has become increasingly involved in Christian-Muslim dialogue under the Rev. Jarjour's leadership.
Rev. Dr. Riad Jarjour presently is the general secretay of the Arab Group For Muslim-Christian Dialogue.
Legacy
During his nine-year tenure with the MECC, Rev. Jarjour has brought the Council’s program closer to the grass roots of the churches, rationalized its structure. He managed to maintain the Council’s effective ministries despite the shrinking financial resources. He also worked to strengthen the ministry of the council among its member churches and especially in the Holy landHoly Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
. He supported the cause of the Palestinian people
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
, and advocated for the preservation of the Arab identity of Jerusalem.
He has organized and led several events like the Muslim-Christian conference on Jerusalem (Beirut, June 14–17, 1996) and several other substantial events over the following years. Over the years, the Council’s role as the venue for communication between middle eastern Christians and Muslims was greatly enhanced. Rev. Jarjour was among the key contributors to and editors of the landmark document of the Arab Working Group for Christian Muslim Dialogue, “Dialogue and Coexistence: An Arab Muslim-Christian Covenant” (finalized in Cairo in December 2001).
Rev. Jarjour was instrumental in planning and administering an important meeting between the heads of the Middle East’s churches (The Council of Nicosia). Under his administration the Council’s relief work in Iraq continued to be effective and timely. The Council was also on the ground to respond to the tragic earthquakes in Iran and Turkey. He administered the program on Justice, Peace and Human Rights which evolved into an effective instrument for analysis, training and promoting vital concerns not only of Christians but of all groups in middle eastern society.
Rev. Jarjour’s led the Arab Group for Christian Muslim Dialogue on of activities in the region and internationally, which culminated in an important document on Christian Muslim dialogue (The Christian Muslim covenant). He also developed the activities of the world association for Christian communication in the Middle East.
He is also a frequent speaker in international circles, on the ecclesiastical, religious, social and historical situation of the Middle East region.