New Book: “Truth and Service”–A History of the Near East School of Theology
This new book, written by Dr. George Sabra, Academic Dean at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut, Lebanon, was published in December. It is a good history, not only of NEST, but of Protestant theological education in the Levant, dating back into the nineteenth century and NEST’s predecessors in Turkey and Greece. Naturally, there is much mission history here, as NEST was established by the merger of two mission seminaries. The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, later to be renamed the United Church Board for World Ministries (now Wider Church Ministries of the UCC) and the Presbyterian mission board play a prominent role in the pre-history of NEST. The 75+ years of the life of NEST is also analyzed and presented with great care and clear writing, so that the reader can understand the issues the school has faced. Dr. Sabra has done a fine job with this book, and it is well worth the read.