Published | Parrésia - Ročenka pro východní křesťanství

Libanonské rozhovory

Author: Monika Langrock

Lebanon may be observed as a barometer of political developments in the Middle East, and is a   a country with an Arab Christian population sufficiently large to influence political affairs. Following the author’s introduction on the political history of the country and on the history of five Lebanese churches, fourteen Lebanese Christians are interviewed and allowed to present their thinking regarding the socio-political and church evolution of the country in the twenty years since the end of the Lebanese Civil War.

In the book “Lebanese Interviews” they speak about the denominational system of politics, political culture, the state of society, ecumenical and Muslim-Christian relations, on the future of Lebanese and Middle Eastern churches and, at the author’s request, also on the post-war Christian depression. Although the interviewees complain about the state of Lebanese politics, society and Church, they seek to make improvements. As members of the intellectual elite, they realize that local Christians must adapt to the country’s development, and that recourse to the past or playing the role of victim is not helpful in enhancing the political and social influence of Christians in Lebanon and in the Middle East. Political realism, an active involvement in socio-political affairs, and a focus on Muslim-Christian and intra-Church relations, are seen as a way towards change.