Holy Land Bishop to spend a week at Luther College

Posted: Wed, Sep 18, 2019 9:29 AM

Bishop Munib Younan, bishop emeritus of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, will spend one week in residency at Luther College, starting Thursday.

"Bishop Younan is a globally recognized servant leader committed to ecumenical and interfaith dialogue and collaboration, especially for the cause of building a just peace in the Middle East," said Luther campus pastor Mike Blair.

Younan will speak at several events over the next week that are free and open to the public:

•    at 7:00 p.m. Thursday in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall Younan will give a lecture titled "The Role of Religion in Peace-building in the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict."
•    at 10:30 a.m. Friday in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall, Younan will preach during Weekday Chapel.
•    at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Decorah UCC fellowship hall at 209 West Broadway Street, the community may join in breakfast conversation with Younan.
•   at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 701 Iowa Avenue in Decorah, Younan will preach at Sunday worship.

Younan will also be meeting with student groups and visiting classes during his stay.

Younan obtained a master's degree in theology from the University of Helsinki and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity by Wartburg College in 2001. After being ordained at the Church of the Redeemer, Jerusalem, in 1976, Younan served in many capacities until being appointed president of the ELCJHL Synod in 1990. He held this position until his election as bishop in 1998. He was elected president of The Lutheran World Federation in 2010, and retired from the office of Bishop in 2018.