The Holy Land Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) Advisory Board member Rev. M. Craig Barnes, Ph.D. has been unanimously elected as president and professor of pastoral ministry of Princeton Theological Seminary. Reverend Barnes has served on the HCEF advisory board since its inception.
Sir Rateb Rabie, KCHS President/CEO of the HCEF expressed his pleasure at the well-deserved appointment of Barnes. “Reverend Barnes has long been committed to the strengthening and unity of the Church, by sharing with American Christians the existence of their Holy Land brethren and allowing them to share in each other’s lives. He has seen, firsthand, what difficult circumstances Middle Eastern Christians face and has committed much of his time to improving their ability to flourish in their communities.
His work has been a wonderful example of what it means to be committed to the service of the Church and I know he will continue to be an inspiration to those who prepare themselves for service to Christ.”
Reverend Barnes has long pressed the important linkage among a vital Mother Church, the well-being of Christians in the Holy Land, and prospects for peace in the region. A dynamic and eloquent speaker, Rev. Barnes coined the term ‘Ambassadors of the Mother Church.’ Not only does this term reflect his belief in the importance of the continued fellowship and cooperation of Christians in the United States and the Holy Land, but it appropriately denotes Palestine, where Jesus was born, as the beginning of all Christianity.
Reverend Barnes has been the Meneilly Professor of Leadership and Ministry at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary since 2002. He previously served as the senior pastor of the National Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C., after serving as senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church, Madison, Wisconsin. His Ph.D. was earned at the University of Chicago, where his doctoral advisor was Dr. Martin Marty. Barnes is a respected author, having published several popular books, including his most recent work, ‘Sacred Thirst: Finding God in the Desert of our Longings’ (Zondervan, 2001) and ‘Hustling God: Why We Work So Hard for What God Wants to Give’ (Zondervan, 1999.) He has also shared his deep commitment to the theological formation of pastors in leading the Church by producing several educational articles and giving talks across the country.
The entire HCEF family congratulates Reverend Barnes as he and his family prepare for this new chapter of their life.
To hear more from Rev. Dr. M. Craig Barnes, join us for our 14th International Conference: 3rd Business, Investments & ICT Conference on Friday and Saturday, November 9-10, 2012 at the National 4H Conference Center, 7100 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815.
