Benjamin Weir
Born(1923-12-20)December 20, 1923
U.S.
DiedOctober 14, 2016(2016-10-14) (aged 92)
U.S.
OccupationChristian missionary
Known forBeing kidnapped in Lebanon in 1984

Benjamin Weir (December 20, 1923[1] – October 14, 2016[2]) was an American hostage in Lebanon in 1985.

Background

Weir, who with his wife Carol served as missionaries in Lebanon with the Presbyterian Church (USA) for nearly 30 years, was kidnapped off the streets of Beirut in May 1984.[3] The kidnapping was done by an Islamic fundamentalist group, Islamic Jihad, that later evolved into Hezbollah. He was freed 16 months later in exchange for US anti-tank weapons, as part of the Iran-Contra Affair. Shortly thereafter he was elected moderator of the 1986 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, the highest elected office in that denomination.

He remained one of the world's most respected voices for peace and reconciliation in the Middle East for the past 30 years.

The book Hostage Bound Hostage Free tells the story of his captivity from his perspective as well as his wife's.

While a student at the University of California, Berkeley, Weir was initiated into the Beta chapter of Alpha Gamma Omega, a Christ-centered fraternity. Later he attended San Francisco Theological Seminary.

Weir died on October 14, 2016.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Weir crowell.com Archived 2007-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  2. 1 2 "Former PCUSA Moderator Benjamin Weir dies". 14 October 2016.
  3. ↑ "Benjamin Weir's Secret Passage". Time. 1985-09-30. Archived from the original on April 20, 2008. Retrieved 2010-01-27.


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