BR1070.B25

- Includes bibliographical references and index - Includes 1 map of the Middle East, in black-and-white

The Middle East has dominated international news and global politics for years. From the perspective of religion, however, many Americans think of the Middle East only in terms of Muslims and Jews and are unaware of the many Christian communities living there. Written by Betty Jane and J. Martin Bailey, two Christian pastors who have lived and worked in the Middle East for several years, this fascinating volume limns the varieties and experiences of Christians in the Middle East from Pentecost to the present. Based on personal experience, official church documents, and extensive interviews, the book includes several introductory articles on the Middle East and Christianity, an informative timeline, a section on each Christian denomination presently active in the region, and a series of country-by-country reports on the present situation of the church and the challenges it faces. In addition to these larger discussions, the book also features several short vignettes on various people and places of special historical significance to the church in the Middle East. For Christians wanting to be au courant on the religious dimension of the Middle East, this volume provides a superb, up-to-date survey. Having traveled extensively throughout the Middle East of late, the Baileys have continued to revise their writing to take into account current events and developments. And, by looking at the strife and struggles in the Middle East through the eyes of Christians in the region, they offer a perspective that has received scant attention in the mainstream media. Unique amid all the Middle East literature available, "The Christians and Their Churches in the Middle Eastwill engage anyone interested in better understanding the role of Christianity, past and present, in this crucial, volatile area of the world.