Rola Adel Sleiman, B.Th.C.E.[1] (born 1975)[2] is a Lebanese-Syrian female pastor, the first woman to be appointed to the Christian ministry in the Arab world.[3] She was ordained on 26 February 2017.[4]

Sleiman was born in Tripoli, Lebanon, to a Syrian father and Lebanese mother. She was brought up in the Evangelist Presbyterian Church of Tripoli, located in Rahibat Street,[2] and studied theology under the sponsorship of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, a church that has only 3000 members altogether.[5] She began to officiate at services in Tripoli when the regular pastor was away during 2006, and replaced him permanently in 2009.[4] The Synod eventually voted by a majority of 23 to 1 to ordain her as his replacement so that the church could host baptisms and other services that could only be presided over by an ordained minister.[6] She stated that she had needed "a lot of silence, patience and effort" to succeed in her vocation.[7]

In May 2017 a controversy arose when the UK government refused Reverend Sleiman's request for a visa in order to allow her to visit the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, at which she had been invited to speak.[8] The Home Office's decision was overturned a few days later, following representations from the Church of Scotland, but Sleiman was still not allowed to board a flight from Beirut to the UK.[9]

References

  1. ↑ George Sabra (2009). Truth and Service: A History of the Near East School of Theology. Librairie Antoine. p. 240. ISBN 978-9953-73-352-4.
  2. 1 2 "Tripoli". en.synod-sl.org. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "Syrian pastor visa decision reversed, says Church of Scotland". BBC News. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  4. 1 2 Nada Homsi (16 April 2017). "How Rola Sleiman became the first Arab female pastor". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Pastor Rola Sleiman: Breaking Boundaries and Bread". Al-Akhbar. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  6. ↑ Halim Shebaya (3 March 2017). "Arab World's First Ordained Female Pastor is Historic". HuffPost. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "Not a Road of Roses" (PDF). World Mission Council. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  8. ↑ "Trailblazing Syrian minister denied entry to UK". Church of Scotland. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  9. ↑ "Rola Sleiman misses Assembly after visa problem". BBC News. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
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