OC Regional Director releases Old Testament book in Arabic

Rev. Riad Kassis, PhD, OC Middle East/Central Europe Regional Director, recently published his newly revised book in Arabic entitled Why we do not read the Book that Christ read? Towards a better understanding of the Old Testament.

The book deals with several main difficulties that an Arab reader faces while reading the Old Testament; provides an appropriate methodology on reading the Old Testament; and shows that the Old Testament is beneficial for the life and ministry of the Christian Church by addressing ethical, social and political issues relevant to the Arab world’s present context.

Riad says due to several factors, mainly political and moral, the Old Testament has been rejected or not given its appropriate place in the Arab world, leading to a tragic consequence in the life of church and society. The Old Testament is seldom being preached or properly taught in many Arab churches, and many Arabs, Muslims and Christians view it as “political propaganda” or a “mythological book.”

OC will be making the book available to several Middle East seminaries. Riad asks for prayer that many needed books written by Arab Christians will be published.

In addition, a book launch event was held June 16 at the National Evangelical Church of Beirut (pictured above). Guests included many organization presidents, school principals, priests, monks, pastors, heads of Lebanon theological institutions, teachers, doctors and Father Dr. Boulos Feghali, whom Riad describes as “the most influential writer and biblical scholar in the Maronite/Catholic Church of Lebanon and perhaps in the whole Middle East.” The event was broadcast on both Noursat Catholic satellite TV and SAT-7 evangelical satellite TV and appeared in several major newspapers in Lebanon and the Middle East.