Munib Younan Biography

Munib Younan is the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). He is known for his strong faith and leadership within the Arab Christian community. He was born in Jerusalem only 2 years after the creation of the state of Israel. This was a time of great turmoil among the Palestinian people. Both of his parents were refugees, but Younan did not let this displacement make him bitter. While so many of his peers would tragically join militant rebel groups, he dedicated himself to peace and compassion through spirituality. Although he was an Arab Christian, he had a great relationship with Muslims during his growing years. This is a testament to his charisma and ability to embrace one's ideological differences. This upbringing had a huge influence on his decisions throughout his career. One of his big focuses was to mentor young Arab Christians to embrace a life of non-violence and compassion. He no doubt saved countless young people from losing their lives serving a rebel army. He has spent the latter years of his career holding various important positions, including presidency, of the Lutheran World Federation, which governs over 70 million Christians