Near East School of Theology
government administration
Beirut, beirut, lebanon
The Near East School of Theology, formed in 1932 by the merger of the School for Religious Workers in Beirut and the School of Religion in Athens , is built upon a history of evangelical theological education in the Near East which goes back to 1835. In that year, Rev. William Thompson, later the author of The Land and the Book, founded in Beirut the first Protestant Seminary in the area. In 1843 the Seminary moved to Abey, in the mountain not far south of Beirut , under the leadership of Dr. Cornelius Van Dyck, translator of the Bible into Arabic. It offered classes in both theology and general education. Out of the Abey Seminary grew, in 1866, the Syrian Protestant College , now the American University of Beirut . With the founding of the College, it was decided that the seminary pursue only theological studies, while the College be responsible for general studies. The Near East School of Theology (N.E.S.T.) is an interconfessional Protestant Seminary serving the evangelical churches of the Middle East. The primary purpose of the School is to train pastors and church workers for ministry in the churches and other evangelical organizations in the Middle East. It is also concerned with continuing education for pastors and church workers in active service and with theological education of the laity. The N.E.S.T. welcomes candidates from other Middle Eastern churches, as well as any person seeking to learn about Protestant theology and faith, irrespective of his or her religious affiliation. Students from beyond the Middle East, who have a special interest in Biblical Studies against the cultural background of the Middle East , in Islamics or Oriental and Orthodox churches, are also welcome. The N.E.S.T. is a member of the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (A.T.I.M.E.) and cooperates closely with the Fellowship of the Middle East Evangelical Churches (F.M.E.E.C.) and the Middle East Council of Churches (M.E.C.C.).
