Frances Fuller, award-winning author of 'In Borrowed Houses', welcomes enthusiastically the declaration of the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut, Elias Audi, that there is no holy war and commends the other Lebanese leaders who supported his stand.
The Archbishop’s statement, on October 19, was intended to distance the Lebanese Orthodox Church from the Russian Orthodox Church, and was supported by 46 Lebanese church leaders who a few days earlier signed a petition decrying the Russian church’s description of Moscow’s intervention in Syria as a “holy war.”
Audi’s words, “Our church does not bless wars and neither are wars holy,” was part of a Sunday sermon and quoted by the Beirut Daily Star.
Fuller hopes for other churches around the world to follow the Lebanon church’s example and take such a position openly, “because it is consistent with the teachings and example of Jesus.”
“War not only is never holy,” she said, "but is the ultimate evil. The Lebanese should know. Their own civil that began with suspicion and fear and angry words and went on to encompass every wickedness man can think of: murder, kidnapping, greed, robbery, destruction of property, deceit, rape, terror, torture, and violation of environment.”
Fuller spent many years in the Middle East. As the result of her time spent as a missionary, Fuller wrote an award-winning book entitled 'In Borrowed Houses'. Told in short episodes, Fuller’s book reveals the alienation, confusion and courage of civilians in the Lebanese civil war, introducing to the reader a variety of real people with whom the author interacts: editors, salesmen, neighbors, refugees, soldiers, missionaries, lawyers, shepherds, artists, students. With these people she works, studies, plays games, prays, laughs and cries, all to the accompaniment of gunfire. Together these small stories tell what war is like for civilians caught on a battlefield, and they create the impression of the Lebanese as a fun-loving, witty, patient and resilient people. They also compose, not a political history, but a historical document of a time and a place.
Critics have praised ‘In Borrowed Houses.’ A judge in the 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards called 'In Borrowed Houses' “…a well written book full of compassion…a captivating story…”. Another reviewer described the book as “Wise, honest, sensitive, funny, heart-wrenching…”. Colin Chapman, lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut said, “….western Christians and Middle Eastern Christians need to read this story…full of remarkable perceptiveness and genuine hope.”
Frances Fuller is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at frances0516@att.net. Fuller's book is available at Amazon and other book retailers. A free ebook sample from 'In Borrowed Houses' is available at http://www.payhip.com/francesfuller. Frances Fuller also blogs on issues relating to the Middle East on her website at http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com.
About Frances Fuller:
Frances Fuller spent thirty years in the violent Middle East and for twenty-four of those years was the director of a Christian publishing program with offices in Lebanon. While leading the development of spiritual books in the Arabic language, she survived long years of civil war and invasions.
Contact:
Frances Fuller
frances0516@att.net
http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com
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