The Republic of Lebanon is a state in the Eastern Mediterranean. It is a fertile and mountainous enclave between Israel and Syria. Once a French-mandated territory, Lebanon became an independent republic in 1943, with a constitution based on a delicate balance between the 17 recognized religious communities.

The mass influx of Palestinian refugees between 1948 and 1976 upset the status quo, bringing a civil war. A measure of peace wrought by the Syrian army in 1992 opened the
way for a new government, though still under Syrian oversight.

Lebanon has religious freedom, making it the only Arab state that is not officially Muslim. However, personal conversion to Christ has immense social consequences.