Testimony From One of our MA Students: Noha Shaheen

My name is Noha Shaheen. I’m a student in the Master’s Program in Theology in the Public Square at Bethlehem Bible College. I joined the program because of my passion for studying theology, which I could not achieve previously, and because of my strong desire to enrich my life in terms of theology, knowledge, and spirituality to enhance the Christian faith in which I was raised. From this standpoint, I was drawn to the program’s title, the courses offered, their interdependence with society and its various issues, and how to harness theological knowledge in a contextual basis in order to deal positively with all aspects of life in society.

The program is comprehensive and effective. It simulates considering complex and interrelated societal issues from the perspective of Christian theology – issues in the world in general and in the Arab region and Palestine in particular. We have become accustomed to a form of stereotyping in our Christian life and the church, which led to the emergence of the concept of duality in the way of life of many of us. However, the nature of the courses in this program leads us to think and live differently, so that we are active Christians within ourselves and with others, rejecting injustice and oppression. We seek societal justice to preserve the humanity and dignity of the individual. This is what draws us most as students during our educational journey.

This gap between the church and the real life of individuals in society, and the gap between the Christian education curriculum in schools and the lost fruits of Christian upbringing, which we hardly feel, reflects the existing weakness in our churches, families, and society. This is my greatest obsession, which leads me to arm myself through this program with systematic and effective tools to influence culture, reform and change. This will lead me, after the end of this program, to strive to promote in the church and schools the concept of Christian upbringing affiliated with all aspects of life.