Bible Lands - jmeca.org.uk · Alliance Regional Facilitator for the Middle East, and numerous news...

Bible Lands Winter 2020

Magazine of the Jerusalem and the Middle East Church Associationwww.jmeca.org.uk

Embrace the Middle East ....................................................................... p.4

Explosion in Beirut .................................................................................. p.6

New bishop in Jerusalem ....................................................................... p.7

Safe migration ......................................................................................... p.9

Book Reviews ....................................................................................... p.19

THE EP

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JERUSA

LEM & THE MIDDLE EAST DIOCESE OF JERUSALEM

Jerusalem Cyprus & the Gulf Iran Alexandria

PatronThe Most Reverend and Right HonourableThe Archbishop of Canterbury

ChairmanThe Reverend Canon Anthony Ball

Administrator Mrs. Shirley EasonAssistant: Mrs. Shirley Atkins1 Hart House, The HartFarnham GU9 7HJ, [email protected] days: Monday to Friday, 9.30am – 2.00pm.Tel/Fax 01252 726994The Council of JMECA delegates the administrationof its assets to a Standing Committee which is

THE JERUSALEM AND THE EAST MISSION TRUST LIMITED (JEMT)Administrator as above

DirectorsMr. John Clark (Chairman)Dr. Clare Amos Mr. Andrew Hill Mr. John G Pringle (Hon Treasurer) The Reverend Dr. William Taylor Mr. David Wright OBEThe Reverend Canon Hugh Wybrew The Reverend Canon Dr Matthew Rhodes

ConsultantsThe Reverend Dr. Stephen W. Need Mr. Richard Owens OBESir Harold Walker KCMG

THE JERUSALEM AND THE MIDDLE EAST CHURCH ASSOCIATION

(JMECA)

Founded in 1887‘To encourage support in prayer, money and personal service for the religious and other charitable work of the Episcopal church in Jerusalem and the Middle East’.Reg. Charity no. 1158476www.jmeca.org.uk

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Bible Lands EditorLetters, articles, comments are welcomed by the Editor:The Reverend Dr. Stephen W. Need Email: [email protected]

The next issue will be published in June for Summer 2021.

Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Association; therefore only signed articles will be published.

Front cover photo: Beirut: Diocese of Jerusalem, Hassan Ammar.

JMECA Website www.jmeca.org.uk

The site has information for each of the dioceses with links to the websites and regular updates of Middle East news.

Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East

President: The Most Rev Michael Lewis Diocesan Office, PO Box 22075, 1517 Nicosia Tel: +357 22671220 Website: www.cypgulf.org

Secretary: Mrs Georgia Katsantonis Email: [email protected] Treasurer: Mr Ehab Edward Khalil

Diocese of Jerusalem The Most Rev Suheil Dawani Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, PO Box 19122 65, Nablus Road, Jerusalem 91191 Tel: +972 2 6272932 Website: www.j-diocese.org

Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf The Most Rev Michael Lewis (details as above)

Diocese of Iran Vacant

Province of AlexandriaPresident: The Most Rev Mouneer Anis All Saints’ Cathedral, PO Box 87, Distribution Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt Tel: +20 2 2738 0821 [email protected] Website: www.diocese ofegypt.org

Secretary: tbc

Treasurer: tbc

Diocese of North Africa The Rt Rev Samy Fawzy

Diocese of the Horn of Africa The Rt Rev Kuan Kim Seng

Diocese of Gambella Vacant

THE CENTRAL SYNODS OF THE TWO PROVINCES

Mr John Clark, chair of the JMECA standing committee, writes:

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Summer Bible Lands opened by referring to the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As the year has continued the impact of the virus on the Middle East and North Africa has grown increasingly serious with almost 2.5million cases including Iran by the end of October and total deaths well in excess of 50,000. The impact on national economies and the wealth of individuals has been devastating.

The region is already afflicted by the consequences of conflict in Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Syria and unrest in Lebanon and Israel and the Palestinian territories. Millions of people are refugees or internally displaced, levels of adult literacy are low despite a good education being the greatest single priority for families. Two-thirds of the population are under 30. In this context it is good that in this issue we learn of the social ministry of Embrace the Middle East which has a wider brief than JMECA.

The pandemic has had its impact on Christians and churches. With churches closed in most countries Christians are not able to meet and so are isolated. In this issue Richard Sewell writes about the impact on the close in Jerusalem. Closure has also had an effect on church collections. Archbishop Mouneer, for example, wrote the other day that ‘many of the churches are now suffering from very low income (few collections). They are not able to support the salaries of all the staff.’ It has also had an impact on chaplaincies in the Gulf dependent on regular collections

As our Treasurer John Pringle reports in this issue the Directors of JMECA have been able to make available a Special Fund specifically to support dioceses with the impact of the virus. Grants are being made to dioceses to assist with salaries and essential needs. In Egypt, for example, some have been used to help provide technology to record videos and services for use in homes in place of church meetings and to support students with their fees. In Cyprus and the Gulf a grant has been used to support the clinic in Aden within war torn Yemen.

The Beirut explosion in August, so loud it could be heard in Cyprus, has had a devastating effect in Lebanon. JMECA has made a grant of £5000 used by the Diocese of Jerusalem to help families. Our online Beirut appeal is still open.

Despite the pandemic, significant events in the life of the churches have taken place. We report on some of them. Bishop Hosam Naoum was consecrated Co-Adjutor

Bishop in Jerusalem, with a view to succeeding Archbishop Suheil in 2021. With the development of dioceses in the Province of Alexandria and consequently new bishops to be appointed, a new generation of episcopal leaders will be taking the two provinces forward into the new decade.

A report from the Provincial Administrator and Anglican Alliance Regional Facilitator for the Middle East, and numerous news items from the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf reflect vibrant church life in the region in spite of difficulties.

News from Iran is limited but we do have news of the change of use of the former Bishop’s House.

The new Province of Alexandria was inaugurated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of June and this issue provides extensive news and background about this major development and the formation of some new dioceses. So now JMECA is providing support for two provinces. The map on our back cover is marked by different colours so they can be clearly distinguished.

JMECA itself is simplifying its structures. At its end of November Annual General Meeting it will formally approve a new constitution so that its trustee directors are the same as those of The Jerusalem and the Middle East Trust – and in place of a Council it will hold an annual gathering for representatives of the provinces in Britain and interested friends.

Although Bible Lands focuses on the Anglican Church within the wider Christian community, all of whom are set within the tapestry of larger communities in the Middle East, there should be no less prayer for all peoples and communities of the region at this particularly stressful and threatening time. We hope that the feature on Praying Around the Provinces will provide a focus for that wider prayer.

John Clark

STOP PRESS! We have just taken delivery of Angela Murray’s The Anglican Diocese of Cyprus & the Gulf – The Unfolding Story, as featured in the Summer 2020 edition of Bible Lands.Special offer for JMECA supporters: £20 (+ £5 p&p).

Order now for Christmas – www.jmeca.org.uk

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The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, a diocese of the worldwide Anglican Communion, extends over five countries, including Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel, within the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. There are 27 parishes that minister to the needs of their communities, centered on the

Cathedral Church of St. George the Martyr, in Jerusalem. The diocese supports 35 institutions, which include hospitals, clinics, kindergartens and schools, vocational training programmes, as well as institutions for the deaf, the disabled and the elderly, reaching out to interfaith neighbours in mutual respect and cooperation.

Syria

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Embrace – committed to partnering with the church of the Middle East to bring lasting change to the most marginalisedIn 1854 the Turk ish Missions Aid Society (TMAS) was founded in London by a group which included the great social justice reformer Lord Shaftesbury. The Society was one of many tangible responses to the suffering caused by armed conflict in Crimea. Unlike many other responses, this Society prioritised working through existing local Christian-led organisations.

In 1893, TMAS became the ‘Bible Lands Missions Aid Society’. The year 1962 saw a name change to ‘Bible Lands Society’ commonly referred to as BibleLands. The charity moved out of London and in 2012 BibleLands became ‘Embrace the Middle East’ usually now known simply as ‘Embrace’. (NB There is no official connection with our JMECA magazine Bible Lands – editor.)

Embrace currently works with partners in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel & Palestine and Egypt. Our way of working still mirrors the approach adopted in 1854. We put great value on building lasting relationships

with our partners. We are in it for the long term and prioritise bringing about lasting change to those our partners work with. These priorities allow us together to build well-managed and resourced initiatives, which empower our partners to bring the lasting change they seek in the lives of the most marginalised and vulnerable in their communities.

The Rev. Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis, Anglican Archbishop in Alexandria and former Bishop in Egypt, emphasised this when he described the ministry of BibleLands in terms of being centred around people’s lives. Throughout the Bible, the body of Christ is called to look out for the most marginalised and vulnerable amongst us. Our work and the work of our partners is inspired by that invitation and seeks to bring care for those most in need. Together we also pursue a commitment to support the continued social witness and presence of Middle East Christians.

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Together with our partners we seek to respond to this calling by enabling our partners to provide a long-term response to the needs around them whether it is:

• providingshelterandafutureforthosedisplacedfrom their homes as a result of conflict,

• bringing education and social interaction tochildren who would otherwise be isolated and cut off because of ongoing cultural stigmas around disability,

• enablingaccessto life-savingmedical treatmentwhich would otherwise be out of reach,

• empowering young mums to bring up healthychildren,

• trainingthenextgenerationofleaders,carersandteachers.

Lebanon: a country in crisis but a church responding with hope in action

Embrace has longstanding relationships with twelve Lebanese Christian organisations working with all the communities currently living in Lebanon. Partners include LSESD (Lebanese Society for Education and Social Development), JCC (Joint Christian Committee), Tahaddi and the Learning Centre for the Deaf. Projects span primary healthcare, humanitarian assistance, education, livelihoods support and specialist disability services.

Bringing hope is at the heart of what Embrace and its partners seek to achieve in the communities in the Middle East where we work. St Augustine describes hope in the following terms:

Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.

We witness this hope in the response of the church in Lebanon to the massive need created by crisis upon crisis upon crisis in Lebanon and most recently

compounded by the massive explosion that ripped through the Port of Beirut on Tuesday 4th August. Some commentators are describing the explosion as one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions of all time. Entire neighbourhoods lie in ruins and the fabric of Beirut society yet again lies in tatters. In spite of needing to come to terms with their own loss, trauma and their organisational repair needs, our partners have sought to respond quickly to the needs of the communities they serve in the wake of the explosion.

This response includes the youth and staff of the Tahaddi Education Centre in Beirut joining the teams of volunteers who poured out onto the streets of Beirut to clear away rubble and glass or distributing much needed food to the volunteers as they went about the massive clear up operation. It also included the LSESD family of organisations providing homes to some of those who had lost their homes and emergency food and water supplies to other families.

The Embrace team although working remotely, quickly responded to unfolding events in Beirut. We reached out to all our partners in Lebanon to learn how they had been impacted and letting them know that we were standing with them. We then went to work to galvanise people and churches across the UK to support our efforts in raising funds to enable our partners in Lebanon to respond not just to the immediate need but over the long term. In the words of one our partners, cleaning up the rubble and broken glass is a metaphor for what also needs to happen across the political and economic systems of the country.

The Lebanese have a long history of responding to crises with a resolute spirit of hope for a better future. Embrace and our supporters are also able from a distance to partner in the building of that future.

A hope that combines anger with the way things are but the courage to see and effect change underpins all of the work of Embrace as it seeks to faithfully meet its mission to partner with the church in the Middle East to see lives and communities transformed by the compassion of Christ.

Please hold our work and our partners across the region in your prayers. We are only able to partner with the church in the Middle East as a result of the generous support of people here in the UK. If you are able to consider supporting Embrace and our partners please visit www.embraceme.org for more information.

Matt Adcock Photos: Shutterstock / Embrace

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Explosion in BeirutJameel Khader – training for ordination at the Near East School of Theology (NEST) – was there. He is interviewed here by our editor Stephen Need.

SN: Jameel, thank you for agreeing to be interviewed by Bible Lands.

JK: You’re welcome.

SN: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

JK: I am Jameel Khader from Zababdeh in the northern West Bank near Jenin in Palestine where my parents live. I have two sisters and two brothers. I graduated from the Arab American University in Jenin in 2015 and then went to work in a bank in Ramallah for a year. Then I offered myself for ordination in the Anglican Church and went to train at the Near Eastern School of Theology (NEST) in Beirut, Lebanon.

SN: Where were you on Tuesday 4th August? Can you tell us what happened?

JK: Yes. I was in the NEST building in Beirut at about 5pm in the afternoon. We were preparing for a zoom conference. We were locked down because of Covid-19 but I had just started a Bible Study on my lap top, focusing on the leadership of Moses. Suddenly there was an explosion which shook the building. The explosion came from the port area in Beirut. First, we heard a smaller explosion and then a few minutes later a huge explosion. The port is two miles away but it felt like the explosion was next door. At first, I thought it was an assassination or a terrorist attack. In Lebanon there is frequent violence and we are used to such things. I closed my lap top and went out into the stairwell and down to the ground floor. There were only about ten people in the building but I saw someone on the way down who had received some BBC news and told us it was a chemical explosion in the port.

SN: Was there much damage to the NEST building?

JK: The building shook and there was glass and aluminium everywhere. The explosion had shattered windows and blown doors off their hinges. I saw the coffee shop, the dining room and the Library. They were all covered in dust and glass. When I got down to the ground level, I tried to remain calm and make sure people were ok. I went out and fetched some manouche (Lebanese flatbread) and tried to calm people down. We still didn’t know what had happened.

SN: Were you frightened?

JK: It was frightening but I tried to remain calm.

SN: How many people were hurt?

JK: 200 people died in the port. Over 3,000 were injured. Hundreds of thousands became homeless.

SN: Was anyone at NEST hurt?

JK: No. They were all OK.

SN: What happened at All Saints’, the Anglican Church in Beirut?

JK: The Church Hall was damaged and the houses of some of the congregation were damaged. The church itself was not damaged. Several hospitals in the area were damaged so it was chaos in the following days when there weren’t enough beds for people. Archbishop Suheil Dawani and Bishop Hosam Naoum were in touch with the priest at All Saints’, Rev Imad Zoorob. They sent messages immediately and started up a relief appeal.

SN: What happened the next day?

JK: We started cleaning up in the NEST building and some of us went to some of the other local churches to help them. It took two or three days to clean up. While we were working, people came into the building to offer their help. You could see the face of Jesus in their faces and the hands of Jesus in their hands as they reached out to help us.

SN: What has it been like for people living in Beirut?

JK: The situation is very bad. We already had many problems before the explosion. Now it’s even worse. We have many political problems including violence, inflation, food shortage and electricity cuts. People were suffering a great deal. Now the government has resigned. The explosion has made everything even worse.

SN: You are now in Salt, Jordan. Do you plan to return to Beirut to finish your course?

JK: I’m not sure now. We don’t know what will happen and my bishop will make the decision. Lebanon is unsafe and I may not be able to return.

SN: What are your feelings now about what happened?

JK: It’s something that made me thankful to God for being alive and I am determined to help people. In a situation like that it’s no good just staying in your room and praying or writing reports. It’s an opportunity to

do something for people and help them. You have to show your Christianity in actions.

SN: Jameel, thank you from Bible Lands for telling us your story. We pray for you and for NEST and for the people of Beirut and Lebanon.

Can you help Beirut? If so, see the JMECA webpage: https://www.jmeca.org.uk


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Dean Hosam Naoum consecrated bishop in JerusalemOn Sunday afternoon 14th June this year, a live service of consecration was streamed from St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem. Nowhere near as full as it would have been without lockdown, the cathedral, nevertheless, had about seventy people gathered for the consecration of the dean of the cathedral, the Very Rev Hosam Naoum as bishop. As we reported in the last issue Dean Hosam was duly elected as bishop by the Majma or synod of the Anglican-Episcopal Church and will now be assistant bishop in the diocese for the next year, shadowing Archbishop Suheil until Hosam himself becomes bishop, and indeed archbishop which is now the title of the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem.

It was a very moving ceremony, with the province, the diocese, the wider church, and the Anglican-Lutheran origins of the Protestant presence in Jerusalem all symbolised. Also present at the service were representatives of some of the other local Churches in the Holy Land including the Roman Catholics, the Armenians, and the Greek Orthodox. Many of the Anglican clergy also attended.

Dean Hosam is originally from Nazareth and trained for ordination at the college of the Transfiguration in Grahamstown, South Africa. He served curacies at St. Philip’s Nablus, the Church of the Good Shepherd, Rafidia and St. Matthew’s, Zababdeh. He became Pastor of the Arabic-speaking congregation at St. George’s Cathedral in 2005 and then dean in 2012. He was the first indigenous dean of the cathedral. Hosam has completed a Master’s degree and a D. Min at the Theological Seminary in Virginia, USA. He has been widely involved in the church in Jerusalem, at St. George’s School and College and as Chair of the Jerusalem Heads of Churches. He is married to Raffa and they have three children: Wadia, Christa and Larice. Hosam will become Archbishop following Archbishop Suheil’s retirement next year.

Sadly, the coronavirus has changed the lives of people everywhere and the Christians of the Middle East are in a very difficult situation indeed with lives lost, churches closed, funds withdrawn and the continuing conflict. Since the consecration there has also been the tragedy of the Beirut explosion which has created more sadness and challenge for the people of that country including the Anglican and other Christians. All this, in addition to the challenges of the Palestine-Israel conflict presents Bishop Hosam and everyone in the diocese and province with an enormous challenge in the years to come.

From Bible Lands we send our heartiest congratulations to Bishop Hosam and wish him and his family all the very best for the future, and the assurance of our prayers and support.

In spite of limitations on attendance, it was an uplifting occasion with a spirit of joy and celebration very apparent even on screen. Local Palestinian Anglicans were in attendance and there were four bishops taking part in the consecration: Archbishop Suheil Dawani who also preached; Archbishop Michael Lewis of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, and Primate of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, Bishop Peter Eaton of the Diocese of South Florida, USA and the local Lutheran Bishop in Jordan and the Holy Land, Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar. Several hundred people joined by Zoom.

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News from St George’s CollegeDean Richard Sewell writes…

The COVID-19 pandemic hit Israel and Palestine hard immediately. The Israeli government and Palestinian Authority both acted quickly to impose restrictions on movements and social interactions. As a result, infections and deaths were few. But a few months later restrictions were lifted quickly with everyone yearning for a return to normality and a heavy price has been paid because this led to a second surge being far worse than the first.

The early actions of the government had an immediate and devastating impact on the College as it did on everyone in the pilgrim and tourist business. International travel dried up almost overnight. At the College we quickly arranged the safe departure of the pilgrims who were with us when COVID-19 restrictions began, and we have not received anyone since then. Sadly, we have had to cancel all our pilgrimages at least until the end of 2020.

Everything is quiet here: all the international staff (except the Dean and his wife, JulieAnn) have left either for a break or permanently. We still have a skeleton local staff keeping the College in good order and the rest are on the government scheme which is in place to support people in businesses affected by COVID-19. We are fortunate to have some reserves to see us through the financial crisis in the short run. We are also indebted to people who have made donations to support the College during this very challenging time.

and have closed again during the second surge. Perhaps all of this makes us look to our faith even more than in normal times. For me, Jerusalem, its holy places and its natural beauty has been a continuing source of inspiration. Thousands of years back the Psalmists were inspired by the holy city too:

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem so the Lord surrounds his people from this time and forevermore.” (Psalm 125:1-2)

This remains true of the Holy City today, but without the hustle and bustle of pilgrims from all over the world, something vital is missing. The city is not deserted because many people actually live here. However, it is diminished by the absence of those who travel to Jerusalem because of its spiritual significance whether they are Christians, Jews or Muslims. Whilst locals may be relieved to get about the city more easily, the city misses the pilgrims and not just for their dollars!

When we face challenges, we need to draw more deeply on our faith just as we find in the Psalms. By re-iterating our faith in the teeth of the struggle we can find the reassurance of which we might have lost sight:

“The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their refuge in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and rescues them.” (Psalm 37:39-40a)

Faith does not necessarily make our problems or pain simply disappear, but it can give us strength to endure or perhaps to find a route out of it. This is where the College finds itself right now. With the support of our international friends and in the grace of God, we are holding on.

Richard Sewell

As in so many other countries, in Israel and the West Bank, the health crisis has also become an economic and a political crisis. Everyone is battling on multiple fronts to find a way to prevent a disaster. Spiritually it has been particularly challenging that the holy sites – the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of the Nativity and many others, were closed for Holy Week and Easter


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Safe migration in the GulfA report from Joel Kelling – Provincial Administrator and Anglican Alliance Regional Facilitator for the Middle East.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect and shape the way we all live. There have been some positives – such as the enforced jubilee for the earth, lockdowns and curfews provided around the world; planes have been grounded and cars prevented from taking to the road. At the same time, this time of enforced isolation has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities and exposure to exploitation. In the Middle East, we have seen jobs lost, mental health suffer and domestic violence increase.

Some of the most vulnerable people at this time are those who have moved within and into the region, either displaced by conflict or persecution, or those economic migrants searching for opportunities to better provide for themselves and their families. In Lebanon for example, the economic crisis has led to many domestic workers losing their jobs. Following the explosion at Beirut’s port on the 4th August, the plight of these migrants has become more severe, many sleeping on the streets outside their embassies looking for help to return home, and even more vulnerable to exposure to Covid-19, cases of which have dramatically increased in the aftermath of the explosion.

The Anglican Church, and particularly the Archdeaconry of the Gulf, has been engaged in work to support migrant workers for some time now. It should be noted that the majority of the congregations in the Gulf are made up of migrants, from a wide range of nationalities and work backgrounds, from Canada to Australia, Nigeria to Bangladesh and from executives to domestic cleaners. St. Martin’s, Sharjah, for example, has a Migrant Outreach Ministry, including Telegu and Urdu language services meeting in Labour Camps, or collecting people from their overcrowded privately rented accommodation in their mini-van. St. Thomas’ Al-Ain has been working with other Christian groups to provide essential items, including menstrual products for female workers in the camps of Al-Ain, adjacent to where the diocese hopes to eventually build a new church building.

It has been my great privilege to visit these people in their homes, to share in their lives and worship, and to experience the great compassion the church has for those in spiritual and physical need. In February of this year in Dubai, UAE, just prior to the lockdowns enacted to combat the spread of Covid-19, I helped to facilitate an Anglican Alliance Safe Migration consultation in collaboration with the Mission to Seafarers. We gathered Anglicans from across the Gulf, Christians from some of the diverse

Bishop Michael Lewis explains that the Diocese of Cyprus & the Gulf covers Oman, the Yemen, the seven United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and the whole of Cyprus. “In every part of the diocese, except in Cyprus and Iraq, the congregations are largely expatriate, made up of Christians from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and the African continent. Many do not come from

an Anglican background but find a welcome church home in our Anglican congregations. Through some intricate and special relationships, the Diocese is often responsible for churches and congregations which are not Anglican, some of which are still working out their relationships to the Bishop and Synod. Worship is largely in English but in some locations we have liturgy in Arabic, Syriac-Aramaic, Tamil and Urdu. The leadership in Iran has a particular ministry to the Urdu-speaking congregations within our diocese.”

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denominations present in the United Arab Emirates, as well as Anglican partners from East Africa, South Asia and South-East Asia.

During our time together we participated in Bible Studies on the themes of accompanying, slavery, and freedom. We visited a Labour Camp and a Fishermen’s Village, listening to the stories of those who had come in search of better opportunities for themselves and their families, hearing about their struggles, and praying with the many Christians in their number. We heard theological reflections to modern slavery, led by Bishop Alastair Redfern, Chair of the Clewer Initiative (the Church of England’s response to Trafficking and Modern Slavery), as well as being joined by Archbishop Michael Lewis and Bishop Julius Wanyoike of the Kenyan Diocese of Thika.

We worked together to look at how the church is and can respond, globally, locally and inter-regionally to the challenges of exploitation and coercion of people on the move, mapping the partnerships and assets that we share as a part of the global Anglican Communion, and the ecumenical presence of churches in the Gulf.

developed the ‘Just Good Work’ app, which has been launched in Uganda and Kenya (in partnership with the Anglican Church of Kenya). Currently available in English and Kiswahili it gives valuable information about the process of recruitment, what to expect and what your rights are before you apply for a job in the UAE, Saudi Arabia or Qatar. The app has contact numbers for support on arrival, along with other in-country support, and can be a great advocacy and training tool for migrants and their families. Hopefully, in partnership with churches of the Anglican Communion, the app will add Bahrain and Kuwait as destination countries soon, with additional departure countries being worked on. Our role as the church is to alert people to the existence of the app, so that potential migrants are well placed to make informed choices.

People are on the move across the world, and given the spread of the Anglican Communion, are often moving from one Anglican Province to another. This means that Anglican churches have the opportunity to work together to ensure those who are looking for work abroad are informed about the realities of the situation and their rights, as well as to support those who are struggling following migration, and assisting the victims of trafficking and modern slavery pastorally and restoratively. It is our failure to acknowledge the humanity of these migrants that helps perpetuate their vulnerability to abuse. Our opportunity as a community of faith is to work together to support our brothers and sisters in Christ as they travel around the globe.

This consultation was the second phase in what will hopefully be the continued development of Anglican responses to Safe Migration, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery in the region. In February 2019, the Diocese of Jerusalem’s Women’s Ministry met for a two-day workshop on the issue (https://anglicanalliance.org/safe-migration-workshop-held-by-the-womens-ministry-of-the-diocese-of-jerusalem-with-the-anglican-alliance/) and there are plans for workshop in Cyprus in 2021.

This month, a report on the Safe Migration consultation has been published. As well as a report on the activities of the consultation itself, it is a resource for understanding what human trafficking and modern slavery are, with some theological reflections on the issue and frameworks of how we can respond. Please feel free to read or download a free copy of the report here: https://anglicanalliance.org/safe-migration-into-the-gulf/

Photos: Joel Kelling

One of the key messages of the consultation was that we don’t seek to prevent migration or demonise it, either the desire to go in search of better opportunities for oneself and one’s family, or the countries of departure and arrival. It was therefore particularly interesting to learn about the work of Fifty-Eight, a technology-focused, faith-based NGO that has


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• Appointments to two new roles in support ofthe Diocesan learning community have been announced. The Reverend Kent Middleton, parish priest of St Luke Ras Al Khaimah, has accepted the role of Chaplain to the learning community. “This is a valuable pastoral role,” said Archbishop Michael, “accompanying those in the process of deepening Christian education and formation, particularly in and around key moments of discernment.”

Dr Angel Afolabi, based in Bahrain, is to be Warden of Readers. Archbishop Michael said, “It will be a delight to have a serving R e a d e r a s W a r d e n , e s p e c i a l l y o n e w h o

possesses such inspiring energy and drive.”

The Diocesan learning community consists of those recommended for training for a licensed ministry and those currently in training, extending to include those two to three years post-Licensing/Ordination.

Fr Kent and Dr Afolabi join the Ministry Team, alongside Director of Ministry Canon Dr John Holdsworth, Archdeacon Christopher Futcher, the Reverend Canon Harrison Chinnakumar, the Reverend Canon Dr Paul Burt and Dr Helen Perry.

• Archbishop Michael ispleased to announce the appointment of the Reverend Mart in Phi l l ips-Last as priest-in-charge of Christ Church Ayia Napa and St Mark Famagusta, from 1 September 2020. Churchwardens welcomed the appointment of Fr Martin, who has been serving in Cyprus since 2017. Fr Martin is to be licensed at a date to be confirmed.

• ArchbishopMichaelhasappointedtheReverendCanon Dr Paul Burt to be interim resident chaplain and parish priest of Abu Dhabi, based at St Andrew’s in the capital. Paul is a recent senior chaplain of the Mission to Seafarers in Dubai as well as the Mission’s regional director for the Gulf and South Asia. He is an honorary canon of St Paul’s Cathedral in Nicosia. His interim ministry is expected to last for up to twelve months, guiding the church while a permanent successor to Canon Andy Thompson MBE is sought.

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News from Cyprus and the Gulf…• The Rev Paul-Gordon

Chandler elected Bishop of Wyoming. The Rev. Paul-Gordon Chandler was elected on September 19th to be the 10th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming in the USA. Rev Chandler is currently the rector of the Anglican Church in Qatar in the Persian Gulf. He is also the founding president of Caravan, an international peace building non-profit organisation that uses the arts to build sustainable peace around the world and which has held several strategic interreligious art exhibitions throughout Wyoming.

Earlier this year Rev Paul-Gordon was awarded the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation for his distinct and exceptional contribution in using the arts for interreligious peacebuilding around the world. We pray for Rev Paul-Gordon, his wife Lynne and their family as they move to their new position.

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Andy and his wife the Reverend Navina Thompson are moving on this summer to the next stage in their ministries. Please pray for Paul and Miriam Burt, for Andy and Navina Thompson, and for the people of

St Andrew Abu Dhabi and St Thomas Al ‘Ain.

• HerMajestyQueenElizabethII has conferred the honour of an MBE – making him a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire – on Canon Faiz Jerjes, parish priest of St George Baghdad and well-known public figure in Iraq. The citation makes reference to his “services to the Anglican, Christian, and local community in Baghdad”. Warmest congratulations from the rest of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf to Canon Faiz, his family, and all who worship at St George’s.

• TheReverendCharlotteLloyd-Evans,ofStThomasAl ‘Ain within the parish of St. Andrew, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, has moved to the UK to be Priest in Charge of All Saints’ Swanscombe and St Mary Greenhithe in the Diocese of Rochester. Please pray for Charlotte, Gareth, and their family, for the people of her new parishes as well as Bishop James of Rochester, and for all at St Thomas Al ‘Ain and St Andrew Abu Dhabi.

• TheRasMorbatclinicinAdenisbackinoperation,after a mandatory closure due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The challenge of securing supplies of PPE for patients and staff had been a major concern, with prices rocketing more than 1,000% since the health crisis began. But thanks to a grant from Episcopal Relief and Development, clinic supervisor Mansour Yousuf Khan has been able to purchase PPE stock sufficient to cover the clinic’s needs for some time. With strict safety protocols

for the protection of staff and patients now in place, staff have also been educating patients about procedures essential to limiting the spread of the virus.

• Archbishop Michael and the Churchwardens are delighted to announce the appointment of the Rev Ian Nicholson as Parish Priest at St. Barnabas’, Limassol and St. Lazarus’, Pissouri and Diocesan Discipleship Advisor. Fr. Ian, originally ordained in New Zealand, is currently a non-stipendiary priest in the Anglican Church of the Epiphany in Doha, Qatar. He and his wife, Carol, will be moving to Cyprus towards the end of October.

• TheFeastoftheExaltationoftheHolyCross,14thSeptember, was kept at St George’s Baghdad. Despite tight travel restrictions some of the faithful were able to gather and remember the Cross of Christ. The feast traditionally recalls not only the crucifixion but also the finding of the remains of Calvary by the Empress St Helena in about the year 328.


• TheannualmeetingoftheFriendsoftheDioceseof Cyprus and the Gulf took place this year by Zoom on Monday August 3rd and was hosted by All Hallows by the Tower, London.

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Congratulations to the Rev Canon Tim Biles, the previous editor of Bible Lands, who has received an MBE in the most recent Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Well done, Tim!


From Limassol to LeominsterAndrew Mayes reflects on his time in Cyprus

It is challenging to be a parish priest at a time of great transition and upheaval, but rewarding too. I have recently completed two years as

priest at Limassol, and even before COVID, we were experiencing subtle but significant changes. Due to Brexit, expats who had come to retire to Cyprus were returning to the UK – we witnessed quite an exodus in 2019 – and they are not being replaced.

But at the same time, more and more people from different nationalities wanting to worship in English came to St Barnabas’ Church – Chinese, Nigerian, Sri Lankan and even Iranian Muslim refugees, two of whom received baptism after a long period of exploration into the Christian faith. St Barnabas Limassol has had a tradition of being open-hearted and inclusive, and as we shifted gear in the demography of the congregation, becoming less British and much more international, there were great opportunities to listen and learn from each other, as well as needing the grace to make room for the ‘Other’, now our brother – and sister.

During this period, I have served as Spirituality Adviser to the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf. How can one support such a vast area in the development of spirituality? In addition to leading quiet days and retreats in different parts of the Diocese, my approach was to resource parishes where possible: I wrote the Lent 2019 course Go in Peace: Eucharist and Mission and other materials for spiritual development which are still available on the website https://cypgulf.org/resources/. Forging spiritual friendships is a tried-and-tested strategy for developing informal patterns of spiritual direction/ prayer support within local congregations, while Exploring Christian Spirituality

comprises 3 modules (30 units), for individual study or group use, looking at classic sources, contemporary issues and the interplay between spirituality and mission.

I was also able during this period to complete Gateways to the Divine: transformative pathways of prayer from Jerusalem which takes the reader through Jerusalem’s gateways to encounter people practising, for example, Sufi, Kabbalah, and other expressions of spirituality hidden away in the holy city. Archbishop Michael writes: “This is a useful and educative resource for anyone seeking a greater appreciation of the diversity of religious experience today. This excellent and unusual book brings together historic resources and contemporary unheard voices in the search for authentic spirituality. In today’s polarized and divided world, this resource breaks barriers and literally opens up gateways of fresh encounter and understanding. It calls us to attentive listening to the Other.”

Regular teaching visits to St George’s College enabled me to complete the 30 interviews with Old City Jerusalemites, including those who live on the Via Dolorosa, and Dean Richard Sewell kindly writes: “This profound book takes the reader deep into the centre and the soul of the holy city of Jerusalem. It goes far beneath the surface of things and will enrich all those who delve into the riches. We are drawn into fresh encounters with diverse spiritual traditions which will help building interfaith relationships, whatever our context.” It will be published by Wipf and Stock this autumn… and may be reviewed in Bible Lands. So, watch this space! Now newly retired to Leominster, Herefordshire, I look forward to supporting JMECA and to seeing how my spirituality work – shaped so powerfully by the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East – evolves and develops.

Canon Dr Andrew Mayes

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From both provinces and all of us at JMECA… Congratulations to John Clark who has been awarded the Cross of St. Augustine John Clark, Chair of the Jerusalem and East Mission Trust standing committee for the Jerusalem and Middle East Church Association (JMECA), has been awarded the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Cross of St Augustine for services to the Anglican Communion. Mr Clark was among thirty-two Lambeth Awards presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury on Tuesday 30th June.

The cross is given: ‘for an outstanding and selfless contribution to the life and witness of churches of the Anglican Communion, especially in the Middle East and specifically Iran, over 50 years’.

Congratulations John and many thanks for your dedicated service!

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Diocese of Iran

Iran Vacant

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FINANCE MATTERS – A MESSAGE FROM JMECAMindful of the great difficulties the pandemic is causing to our Dioceses, the Directors of JEMT have made available a special Fund of £400,000. This can be used for a variety of purposes and may be requested over the 2020 – 2022 period. It is in addition to the regular grants made annually.

The situation for Christians of all denominations in Iran has not changed since the summer issue of Bible Lands. Church buildings are closed and congregations unable to meet because of the pandemic. Communications with the three deacons is limited. Visits to Iran are not possible. Archbishop Michael Lewis, in the absence of a diocesan bishop, maintains a watching brief on the church and hopes to visit as soon as it is possible and safe.

Iran has been deeply affected by the virus with latest reports saying that it is undergoing a third wave with many deaths. The official figure of about 30,000 is widely considered an underestimate (in the last Bible Lands we reported 4,869).

Forty years ago this Christmas, Terry Waite visited seven members of the diocese who were in Evin prison following their arrest in August 1979. They included, Iraj Muttahedeh, who was to succeed Bishop Dehqani-Tafti and who now lives in Britain, three British missionaries and three other Iranians. They were eventually freed in February 1980.

There has been one other development reported by the human rights organisation Article 18 www.articleeighteen.com – from which the excerpts below have been taken.

The Bishop’s House in Isfahan has become a Centre for the Foundation for the Oppressed.The Bishop’s House in Isfahan – a city once the seat of the Anglican Church in Iran – was confiscated by an Islamic Revolutionary Court judge on 6 November, 1979, nine months after the revolution that brought Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to power at the head of a new Islamic Republic. In all the years since, the house has stood empty and unused. Until now.

Over the past two years, the Mostazafan Foundation, an organisation directly ruled by the Supreme Leader and which works to support the poor – “mostazafan” literally translates as “oppressed” – has restored and now reopened the bishop’s house as an office to manage its many other properties. (It should be noted that the Mostazafan Foundation is one of the richest organisations in the country, with an estimated value of over $3 billion dollars.)

The plaque which once bore the title of the Bishop of Iran has been replaced with that of the foundation. Its logo is there for all to see.

Bishop Dehqani-Tafti left his homeland on 2nd November, 1979, just four days before the confiscation of his home, and a week after surviving an assassination attempt. Now, 41 years after the first attack on the Bishop’s House, its gradual expropriation is finally complete.

The only parts of the compound that still belong to the Anglican Church are a few apartments and a church (St Luke’s) with a very small congregation, which has not been able to meet since March because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Reacting to the news, the bishop’s daughter Guli, who is now Bishop of Loughborough, said:

I had a very happy childhood in the Bishop’s House which was my home and where I spent my formative years. I have countless memories of so many people who passed through the doors – colleagues of my father, friends and many, many guests. My parents were very hospitable.

When we left and the house was confiscated, it still included all our belongings – other than those we had taken in one suitcase each. In the last few months, it was the scene of unhappy events such as a raid and the attack on my father’s life. The house, which belonged to the church, was confiscated and the injustice of that still stings.

However, after 41 years of being vacant, I hope it will now at least be put to good use and that it will truly be used as a place from which those who are dispossessed and poor may be helped.

John Clark

On the left, the logo of the Mostazafan Foundation which has replaced the ‘Bishop’s House’ sign

on the right.

The new Episcopal Anglican Province of Alexandria consists of the four dioceses: Egypt, Gambella (in Ethiopia) North Africa and the Horn of Africa. We have included their shields below. The province continues the work of the previous Diocese of Egypt through its four new dioceses. There is a great deal of work going on as is evidenced through the support of numerous projects. During the Covid-19 pandemic there has been support for local people in terms of food, grants, masks, PPE supplies, educational programmes, weekly services, and regular prayers.

In the last year, there have been conferences focusing on clergy and lay training, retreats,

(

From its beginning in 1839, the Diocese of Egypt was committed to serve others as Jesus did. The new Episcopal Anglican province of which the diocese of Egypt is now a part, continues this commitment to serving all people holistically regardless of their religion or social status. Numerically, we continue to grow and in this strategic part of the world we have a great opportunity and responsibility to be ambassadors of our Lord Jesus, demonstrating in ‘Word and Deed’ what our faith means to

us. The province supports numerous institutions including hospitals, clinics, nurseries, schools, a theological seminary, micro-enterprise ventures, vocational training programmes, as well as institutions for the deaf and the disabled.

The five goals of the province are: to reach the unreached with the Gospel of Christ; to grow Christ’s church by making disciples and equipping leaders; to serve our neighbours; to work for unity among all Christians; and to dialogue with other faith communities.

Support form the Jerusalem and the Middle East Church Association (JMECA) to the province will be directed to helping with mission work, ordination training and medical outreach.

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and clergy and wives’ conferences. There has been youth work and help for the elderly, as well as arts, musical, cultural and educational activities of all sorts.

Help for the marginalized and the needy in all walks of life have been the focus. Some of this work has been able to continue on line during the pandemic.

Recent projects include: further work on an outpatients facility at the Menouf Hospital; a building extension at the Menouf Episcopal School; the Minya Farm project; a new Community Development Centre at Minya; and a building extension at the Harpur Memorial Hospital in Sadat City.

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Libya

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Archbishop Mouneer writes…

My dear friends,

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

I would like to thank you so much for your prayers and support of the different dioceses of the province. Your prayers for us mean a lot and we feel it. I would like to share with you some of our news:

1. Back to churchFrom the beginning of August, all our churches resumed services after a period of 4 months’ lockdown. It was wonderful to the members of the

congregations to meet again in the parishes. We give attent ion to the physical distances, wearing masks and using hand sanitizers before communion.

2. Clergy, lay ministers and wives dayOn Friday the 11th, we all met at All Saints’ Cathedral Hall for a time of prayer, praise, and fellowship. This was the first time we met face to face since the lockdown in March. It was very encouraging to hear news from the different congregations as they shared how the hand of the Lord is moving within the diocese. We heard encouraging words from Bishop Samy and Archdeacon Emad. Lay minister Maged Shafeek led an uplifting time of worship. Some of the lyrics from a song we sang were: “we are coming close to your heart; we lift up our hearts to you.” This song touched our hearts as we prayed for the upcoming court case on the 26th of September. Bishop Mouneer shared about what is required from us as the new Province of Alexandria, encouraging us to ‘pour out ourselves in His service, develop new leaders, focus on discipleship, and plant new churches’. This time was followed by a Eucharist at the cathedral. After the Eucharist, we had a two-hour cruise on the Nile. We thank God for this very encouraging time.

3. Celebration for the successful students from our churches and schoolsOn Saturday 12th, our par tnersh ip office and the Media Centre arranged a celebration for our students who succeed in the different grades in their schools. It was wonderful for our students from the school for the deaf to join. We were also joined by the students from the Episcopal school in Menouf, Christians and Muslims. It was a great joy to see students from St. Raphael for the Sudanese refugees participating as well. To our surprise, part of the celebration was broadcasted by Egyptian Television.

4. Alexandria School of Theology (AST) and a new digital eraBishop Samy Fawzy and the faculty of the Alexandria School of Theology were excited and thankful to add a new interactive digital board at AST. This will help in giving online lectures in the different campuses of AST, help in recording lectures, and help in many other ways. It is very encouraging that this year about 36 students applied to study at AST.

5. AST lecturers training retreatBishop Samy organized a training retreat for all the lecturers at AST. He encouraged the lecturers to make their contributions while planning for the future of AST. There is a wonderful family spirit among all the staff.

6. Graduation ceremony of the Nuba Mountain Institute

On the 15th of August, the church celebrated the graduation of ten Sudanese students of the Nuba Mountain Institute. The graduation ceremony was organized by the Director of the institute, Mrs. Bonita Dirk. Archdeacon Emad Basilios who teaches there also attended the ceremony.

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7. Starting “Together We Develop Egypt” initiative in Alexandria

When the lockdown ended, we started again the initiative of “Together We Develop Egypt.” This initiative is supported by the Episcopal Anglican Diocese of Egypt in collaboration with Misr El Kheir foundation. It encourages Christian and Muslim youth to work together in small community development projects. In his address, Bishop Samy said to the youth present, “love should be our motive, love in spite of our differences.” He also explained the meaning of loving the neighbour.

8. Training workshop on media and pressOur media center organized two training workshops for new individuals (from our institutions and churches) who are working with media. This was very fruitful and now we are getting news from around the diocese.

9. Completing the third floor at the new outpatient clinic of Harpur Memorial Hospital, MenoufWe thank God for completing this phase of the outpatient clinic in Menouf. We are grateful to Dr. Samir for his hard work in supervising this project. We are also grateful for all our friends who financially supported this project.

10. The Good Shepherd Cathedral, Gambella, EthiopiaWe are happy to share with you that the building of this new Cathedral is coming up. We are grateful for a generous grant of £24,000 (Pounds Sterling) from Jerusalem and Middle East Church Association (St Mary’s Waqf) and a generous donation of US$ 100,000 from Bishop Kuan Kim Seng. We pray that the

pandemic will come to an end in order to consecrate this new cathedral. We are also happy to share with you that there is a new spirit of cooperation among the clergy in Gambella. We very much appreciate the support of the friends of the church in Ethiopia (FACE) to the different ministries in Gambella. It is sad to say that one of the guards of Good Shepherd Peter Teny was killed by a crocodile during the current floods.

11. New locum in St. George, TunisRev Blair Carlson from the United States will be coming to serve in Tunisia from the beginning of October. Rev David Aziz will move to St Mark’s Pro-Cathedral in Alexandria after handing over the responsibilities to Rev Blair.

12. Renovation of the parsonage of Holy Trinity, AlgiersWe were delighted to hear from Canon Huw Thomas that the renovation of the parsonage of Holy Trinity is now complete and the building is ready to accommodate the Italian school as well as church activities. We are very grateful to Canon Huw for his hard work during this difficult time of the pandemic.

Thank you again for your prayers and support.

May the Lord bless you!

+Mouneer The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis

Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Alexandria

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Further news items from the province: • BibleLandsissorrytoreportthatBishopRajan

Vincent Jacob, whose consecration as Bishop in Gambella we reported last year, has had to resign through ill health. Bishop Kuan (of the Horn of Africa) will cover Bishop Rajan’s duties. We keep Bishop Rajan and his family, and Bishop Kuan, especially in our prayers at this time.

• AftermanyyearsofserviceatSt.George’sTunis,Rev Peter and Christine Knight left in 2019 and are now being replaced by Rev Peter and Helen Benge from New Zealand.

• InLibya,CrimsonJeba,alayelderanduniversityprofessor, has been ordained.

• TheDioceseofNorthAfrica isworkinghard inministry and mission and is now extending its work into Mauritania and Chad.


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Why Alexandria?The inauguration of the new Province of Alexandria has been confirmed by the international secretariat of the Anglican Communion. The province is the forty-first of the Anglican Communion and consists of four dioceses as follows: Egypt, North Africa, the Horn of Africa and Gambella. Bishop Mouneer Anis is archbishop of the new province as well as continuing as Bishop in Egypt until his retirement next year.

But why Alexandria? The place is significant and loaded with history, not least Christian history. First of all, what is Alexandria’s historical importance? This great city sits north-west of Cairo on the coast of Egypt and has been a major port in the Mediterranean since its founding by Alexander the Great in 331 BC. It became famous early on for a number of things, not least the well-known lighthouse or ‘Pharos’, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

Also, Alexandria soon became a centre of Hellenistic or Greek Judaism and the philosophy emanating from this city spread around the Mediterranean. There was a famous library in Alexandria with more than a million books - a symbol of learning across the known world and often compared with the libraries at Pergamon and Ephesus. Alexandria’s library burnt down in several stages in the early Christian period.

Then there’s the tradition that the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek was done in Alexandria. Stemming from an account in the Letter of Aristeas the tradition holds that seventy-two translators were invited from Jerusalem to Alexandria to translate the texts. They each went into separate chambers to carry out the task and when they came out the translations were all the same! There were seventy-two translators but the figure was rounded down to seventy and the translation became known as the LXX (seventy in Roman numerals) or Septuagint (seventy). The New Testament writers knew and used this translation as well as the Hebrew text.

At the time of Jesus of Nazareth there was a Jewish philosopher called Philo living in Alexandria. His philosophy and theology influenced a great many in his day. He even used the Greek word Logos (Word) like the Fourth Gospel and his understanding may have influenced early Christian writers. Philo’s influence spread far and wide.

But all this is background! Because Alexandria was an important city in Egypt in the pre-Christian period, it also became important in Christianity. Tradition has it that St. Mark took the gospel to Alexandria where he died. His remains were eventually transferred to Venice. The first Christians were Jews

and their own traditions and intellectual culture influenced their thinking about Christ. In the first few centuries of Christianity Alexandria rose to significant importance alongside Jerusalem, Rome, Antioch and Constantinople and eventually became one of the five Patriarchates.

Earlier than that we know of several Christian theologians operating in Alexandria. From sometime in the second century there was a catechetical ‘school’ or tradition of theological study and training operating in the city. A theologian called Pantaenus was attached to this. Clement of Alexandria also wrote his work there. And Origen the controversial theologian of the third century operated in Alexandria. Origen’s theology and translations of the biblical texts became tremendously influential in the following centuries.

Perhaps the best known of the theological debates in Alexandria was between Arius and Athanasius in the fourth century. Arius spread the idea that the Logos or the Son was not one with the Father but was a creature created by God before he created the world. Athanasius disagreed saying that if the Logos were not really God, he could not save humanity from its sin. He wrote On the Incarnation of the Word setting out his views. The controversy grew to enormous proportions so that when Constantine became first Christian emperor, he called a council at Nicaea in 325 to try to settle the matter. The Nicene Creed came out of this gathering. Much of the theological debate and controversy had been in Alexandria.

In the next century another dispute blew up around Nestorius in Constantinople. He claimed that the Virgin Mary should not to be called the ‘Mother of God’ as it gave the impression that God could be born. The response came from Cyril of Alexandria who claimed that not to use this title of Mary denied Jesus’ divinity suggesting he was only a man. The controversy gave rise to the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD at which Cyril and his supporters were triumphant. Finally, after the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD when there had been an attempt to balance the humanity and the divinity in Christ’s natures, an Alexandrian called Dioscorus led the response.

So why Alexandria? Many of the characters involved in thrashing out classical Christian theology operated there or came from there and it was a leading Christian city in the early centuries. Although none of the seven ecumenical councils was held there, Alexandria played a key role in the theology which emerged from them.

It is, therefore, wholly appropriate that a modern province in Egypt and the surrounding countries should be named after Alexandria.

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Book Review

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The Man Who Created the Middle East. A Story of Empire, Conflict and the Sykes-Picot Agreement. Christopher Simon Sykes

London: Collins, 2016

The Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 has been viewed with almost universal opprobrium since its inception. It was a secret treaty between the United Kingdom and France, with assent from the Russian Empire and Italy, which carved up the Turkish Ottoman Empire into their mutually agreed spheres of influence. In effect it meant that France became responsible for what is known as Syria and Lebanon, Britain for Palestine and Iraq. The hope was that by offering a single independent unified Arab state their support against the Ottoman Caliphate would be secured. The advent of the Balfour Declaration, in which Sykes was a key negotiator in 1917 promising a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, led to the Arabs feeling betrayed so that problems resulted that are with us to this day.

But how could issues of such significance have been entrusted to diplomats and politicians of whom so little is known? Who was Sykes? This is the question on which this book sheds much new light. Based on 463 letters to his wife we gain a vivid and positive insight into the short life (he died in Paris of Spanish ‘flu in 1919 at the age of 40) of the subject of this interesting and entertaining biography written by his grandson.

Sir Tatton Benvenuto Mark Sykes or Mark as he was usually known, was born in 1879 to a wealthy and eccentric landowner also called Tatton who had married Jessie Cavendish-Bentinck, a girl somewhat younger than himself (by 30 years) because he realised the need for an heir to his vast estate at Sledmere in North Yorkshire. It was not a happy marriage so it is unsurprising that young Mark did not enjoy a happy childhood. His father did, however, take Mark travelling extensively in the Middle East, especially through the Ottoman Empire which aroused his interest and inspired him to write The Caliph’s Last Heritage. A Short History of the Turkish Empire.

Pursuing a political career, he made himself an expert

in Turkish affairs. He was elected MP for Hull in 1911. He held various posts under Balfour and Lord Kitchener. Whilst never being as pro-Arab as Gertrude Bell and T. E. Lawrence, he held pro-Zionist sympathies until changing his views in 1918 shortly before his death. He was in fact responsible for designing the flag of the Arab revolt, whose colours of green, red, black and white can still be seen in Middle Eastern flags today.

At home he pursued the lifestyle of a Yorkshire Grandee, breeding horses, sitting on the bench and fighting in the second Boer War, ultimately attaining the rank of Lt. Colonel in the Green Howards. He had become a Roman Catholic at the age of 3 and later on married a member of the same denomination, Edith Gorst, with whom he had six children and enjoyed marital bliss so different from his own parents. His letters are full of warmth, affection and humour, and reveal his talents as a cartoonist and cartographer. He was also a brilliant mimic.

His friends included F.E. Smith and Hilaire Belloc, and Gladstone wrote of him concerning his work for all the people of the Middle East, ‘The whole of his time was devoted to promoting the welfare of the people.’ Gertrude Bell and he, however, did not enjoy so harmonious a relationship (pp. 145 and 150).

The final third of the book is devoted to the Sykes-Picot Agreement and shows how Sykes’ views changed as he witnessed the growing tension between Arab and Jew. Field Marshall Sir Henry Wilson, the Chief of the Imperial Staff, wrote of Sykes, ‘He is a good fellow but cracked and his blessed Sykes-Picot Agreement must be torn up somehow’.

Paul Condor

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Book Notice: Bethlehem. Biography of a Town Nicholas Blincoe (London: Constable, 2017)

The New York Times describes this book as ‘mouth-watering’ and it’s a fair comment. It begins with a Christmas pudding the author took to his wife’s parents’ house in Bethlehem one Christmas. Following the lead of many of the fruits in the pudding the author takes the reader through the natural terrain of the Bethlehem region into its history and people. Noting the parting of the Rift Valley about twenty-three million years ago, he opens up the history of the region with his eye on Bethlehem and its people, working his way through its many rich layers of history. A lovely book!

Stephen Need

– all with the backing of a politically orientated Christian Zionism.

For Palestinians the Holy Land is their homeland, the ‘land of our ancestors’ (p.72), says Isaac. He states with confidence that the land does not belong to any people, nation, ethnicity or religion. It belongs to God. The land he says, ‘is not a free gift with no strings attached’ (p.79). Promises to Abraham, Old Testament prophecies and the negative connotations of trying to confine academic thinking into different theological boxes (eg incorporation theology, replacement theology, covenant theology etc) are all carefully analysed. He concludes with a strong appeal to all Christians to accept the centrality of Christ.

The book practically and theologically then focuses on the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the Beatitudes. Discussion, Isaac says, ‘needs to take place within the framework of ethics and morality, rather than that of eschatology or prophecy interpretation’ (p.100). Isaac says that, ‘the goal in itself is not ending the occupation but rather reconciliation’ (p.142). This is the primary expression of Jesus’ teaching to ‘love my neighbour’. He admits it is a difficult commandment to accept and understand within the context of life in the West Bank but resisting the occupation must be within the framework of love, not revenge. Similarly love for Muslims, as well as Jews, must be the lifestyle that breaks down division and suspicion. Following and obeying the revolutionary teaching of Jesus so eloquently expressed in the Sermon on the Mount is paramount. Isaac seeks to encourage us to look constantly through the lens of Christ’s mandate to be peacemakers and agents of God’s kingdom of justice and love.

This book laments, it grieves; these feelings come through strongly but these are, says Isaac, ‘the first steps toward change’ (p.193), towards the realisation of hope. He quotes a colleague and friend, Yohanna Katanacho who at a recent conference at Bethlehem Bible College shared a powerful and imaginative dream (pp.200-201). I remember listening to this lecture when this dream was shared and being moved to tears of hopeful anticipation for my Palestinian friends. This book gives further impetus to make Palestinian dreams become a reality. It is a ‘must read’ for anyone who desires to see peace, reconciliation and justice in the Holy Land, a place where Israelis and Palestinians can live together in harmony and security and where walls that divide can become history.

John Angle

Book Review

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This book is primarily the record of a personal journey seeking answers to the struggles, pain and questioning of one Palestinian, Rev Dr Munther Isaac, on behalf of the Palestinian people and particularly of his sisters and brothers in Christ who live in the land they call their home. The book is a deeply moving invitation to step into the shoes of countless Palestinians, both those living in Palestine and in the diaspora. It seeks to bring a better understanding of their experiences throughout history, particularly the last seventy years, and their 2000-year-old Christian faith. The book is primarily directed at American evangelicals but is a powerful message to Christians of all theological persuasions worldwide.

But this is no autobiographical emotional lament or complaint from a victim of injustice and oppression, although his feelings, his pain and his ‘heart response’ shout eloquently through the pages of the book. Isaac writes with clarity and academic theological integrity with a well-researched approach to some of the vital issues impinging on the Palestinian situation, focussing his attention primarily on the evangelical church in the USA and its politicised Christian Zionism.

The first part of the book gives the reader an invitation to look, to hear and to feel what it is like for a Palestinian to live on ‘the other side of the wall’. ‘Daddy, why did they stop us yet allow the other car to pass?’ (p.19) - asked Isaac’s seven-year-old son when the family were sent back at the checkpoint on the way to Jerusalem. But there are deeper questions of identity, of nationality and injustice which are a challenge to Palestinians. A whole chapter deals with the questions of why Palestinians are ignored, silenced, discredited and dehumanized. This section concludes with the biblical story of the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15) and how it reminds us that God is a God of justice, ‘who does not discriminate based on gender, religion, race, class, or nationality’ but, ‘is in solidarity with the ones “on the other side of the wall”’ (p.46).

Isaac makes it clear that Christian Zionism, which feels very much at home within the American theological context, does not seem to be concerned about justice. He also argues that it would appear that international law is rendered irrelevant and, ‘is trumped by another higher authority: Christian Zionism!’ (p.54). He brings the situation in the land up to date discussing proposals for annexation, the US Embassy being established in Jerusalem, the spread of settlements, the continuing Nakba and particularly the tragedy of Gaza. He gives an itemised history of the way Israel has ignored international law and UN resolutions

The Other Side of the Wall. A Palestinian Christian Narrative of Lament and Hope. Munther Isaac

Illinois: Inter-varsity Press, 2020

Book Review

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This informative and engaging travel guide to the Holy Land will be a very useful companion for anyone visiting Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories. In fact, it will be as useful beforehand and afterwards as it will be on the journey itself. Not a guidebook in the usual sense of the word (it doesn’t give you national holidays, restaurants or opening times of sites), nor a pilgrim manual (it doesn’t give you anything liturgical), it’s more a college student’s textbook for a Holy Land module. However, to have it with you en route will mean that you have much information about the Bible and the land and their connections, as well as some useful material about the modern political situation in the Holy Land.

Max Miller was Professor of Old Testament at Emory University and archaeologist for the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He has been taking students to Jordan and Israel annually for over forty years. Reading this book in Essex during lockdown and knowing the Holy Land fairly well, I felt I was being transported through the places with a well-informed scholar and guide. Miller knows what he’s doing and I wished I’d had the privilege of being in one of his groups!

The author points out early on that we should think of the biblical ‘Holy Land’ as Israel, the Palestinian territories – and Jordan. The modern boundaries are different from those in the biblical period. His first two chapters are extremely useful for orientation, introducing some of the terminology used by archaeologists for periods of history, for example ‘Bronze Age’, the biblical ‘Iron Age’ and others such as ‘Hellenistic’ and ‘Byzantine’. Miller also gives a basic overview of the ‘lay of the land’ pointing out five geographical areas, crossing from west to east as follows: (i) the Mediterranean Coastal Plain; (ii) Galilee and the central Hill Country; (iii) the Jordan River Basin; (iv) the Transjordanian Highlands; and (v) the Syria-Arabian Desert. This simple information will help first-time visitors (and many who have been before) to get oriented quickly to the overall terrain.

The travel element begins in Amman, Jordan and goes to key places in that country including Jerash, Nebo and Madaba. It heads south through Machaerus (where John the Baptist was beheaded), Kerak and Shaubek to the ‘rose red city’ of Petra with all its mystique and romantic associations. After Wadi Rum and the memories of Lawrence of Arabia, Miller takes readers to Aqaba. The second main part of the book then moves over to Israel and the Palestinian

territories. Beginning in Galilee, you will visit Sepphoris, Nazareth, Tabor, and other places on the way to Mount Carmel and Megiddo. Then, the major places associated with Jesus’ ministry around the Sea of Galilee. Up into the Golan Heights and you’re at Caesarea Philippi. And there are Old Testament and Crusader sites too: Hazor, Dan and Nimrod. Travelling south through Beth-shean, Samaria, Shechem, and Jericho, you reach Jerusalem encountering key locations such as the City of David, the Temple Mount, Mount Zion and the places associated with Jesus on the Mount of Olives.

The climax for Christians is surely the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (along with the Garden Tomb and Bethlehem). But there is still more: Emmaus (there are four), then Lodd or Lydda, Joppa or Jaffa and Caesarea Maritima with all the glory of Herod the Great’s port. The visit to Masada and Qumran brings the book to its geographical conclusion. A final chapter lays out briefly some of the modern political developments and terminology relating to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Skilfully weaving together biblical narratives and historical data from many different periods, Miller is a good story teller. The biblical sagas come alive and this is particularly true of the OT stories which might be less familiar to readers. A good sense of the geography of the land comes over and the author provides occasional directions including road numbers. There are succinct histories of modern excavations for archaeological sites.

There are also numerous colour photographs scattered throughout this book as well as black and white maps, and boxes of information, for example on the Nabateans and their capital at Petra, on Hezekiah’s Tunnel in Jerusalem, and on the history of the Druze people in the Golan Heights. The Stations of the Cross are also located on a map and an explanation given for each one.

In all, I found this to be a delightful read, bringing to life the places mentioned and providing just enough information for a first visit for those who want to know biblical, historical and contemporary information. The waterproof cover is a good idea although I found the overall size of the book a bit cumbersome. In any case, I strongly recommend Miller’s Guide to anyone going to the Holy Land – first-timers and old hands!

Stephen Need

Discover the Holy Land. A Travel Guide to Israel and Jordan.Max Miller

Eugene, Oregon: Cascade, 2020

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Praying round the ProvincesThe Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and the Province of Alexandra, home to the three Abrahamic faiths and the centre of the world’s political conflicts, ask your prayers for...

PROVINCE OF JERUSALEM AND THE MIDDLE EAST1st The Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. The President Bishop of the Province, the Most Rev

Michael Lewis.

THE DIOCESE OF JERUSALEM 2nd The Archbishop, the Most Rev Suheil Dawani and his wife Shafeeqa. For wisdom as he leads the church in Israel,

Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The Rt Rev Hosam Naoum, Dean of St. George’s Cathedral and co-adjutor bishop and his wife Raffa and family. The administrative staff.

3rd The clergy serving the parishes and institutions in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon and the congregations who keep the faith and sustain the churches in troubled times.

4th The hospitals and centres that tend the sick: the Diabetic Clinic Ramallah, St Luke’s Hospital Nablus, the Alhi Arab hospital Gaza, and the Penman Clinic, Zebabdeh.

5th The schools that prepare the next generation: St George’s Jerusalem, the International School Jerusalem, the Arab Episcopal School Ramallah, the Vocational Training Centre Ramallah, Christ’s School Nazareth, St John’s School Haifa, the Ahliyyah School for Girls, the Bishop’s Kindergarten and the Bishop’s School for Boys Amman, the Schneller Vocational Training Institute Amman, St Saviour’s School Zerqa, St John Baptist School for Integration of the Blind Irbid, and St George’s School Lod.

6th The centres of healing: the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre, the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf Salt, the Jofeh Community Rehabilitation Centre Jordan Valley, the Father Andeweg Institute for the Deaf Beirut, St Luke’s Centre for the Mentally Disabled Beirut, the Home for the Elderly Amman, the Episcopal Home for Children Ramallah.

7th The guest houses that provide hospitality and refreshment for pilgrims and all visitors: St George’s Jerusalem, St Margaret’s Nazareth, St Andrew’s Ramallah, the Schneller Institute Amman and Christ Church Jerusalem.

8th Those who work for peace: the Peace and Reconciliation Movement, Kids4Peace, Sabeel and people from all sides who seek peace and pursue it.

9th St George’s College Jerusalem and its courses: the Dean, the Very Rev Richard Sewell and his wife Julieann, the Course Director, the Rev Mary June Nestler, the Chaplain, and their families.

Almighty God, from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed, kindle, we pray, in the hearts of all your people the true love of peace.

THE DIOCESE OF IRAN 10th All in leadership roles in the Church in Iran.

11th The political leadership of the nation. The wellbeing of all people in Iran.

12th The congregations of the Episcopal Church in Isfahan (its suburb Julfa), Tehran & Shiraz. The cities where congregations have worshipped in past years – Kerman, Yazd, Ahwaz.

13th All involved in ministry among Iranians through media, literature, witness and leadership training.

14th The Diaspora of Iranian Christians scattered in many nations.

Guide with your pure and peaceable wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that in tranquillity your kingdom may go forward, till the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love.

23

Praying round the Provinces

Blessed Lord, who faced the time of trial have mercy on our failings and out of our weakness

bring your strength.

THE DIOCESE OF CYPRUS AND THE GULF 15th The Bishop, Most Rev Michael Lewis and his wife Julia. Georgia Katzantonis and the diocesan administrative staff.

16th The Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral Nicosia, the Very Rev Jeremy Crocker and his wife Beth. The Dean of St, Christopher’s Cathedral Bahrain, the Very Rev Bill Schwartz and his wife Edith.

17th The Archdeacon in the Gulf, the Ven Bill Schwartz and his wife Edith, the Archdeacon in Cyprus the, the Ven Christopher Futcher and his wife Anne.

18th The clergy and people of Cyprus in Nicosia, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos and Ammochostos. The work of the Katafiyio Retreat House.

19th The clergy and people of the Gulf in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, Oman, Doha, Aden and the clinic at Ras Morbat, and the scattered congregations of the Arabian Peninsula who keep the faith privately.

20th The Church in Qatar and for Canon Paul-Gordon Chandler who leads the mission of the Epiphany Centre. The congregation of Baghdad led by Canon Faiz Jerjes. The people of Iraq, of all faiths, and all the Iraqi Christians who are sheltering in other lands.

21st The political leaders in Cyprus, Iraq and the Gulf States, that all may seek and create just and stable governments.

22nd The Friends of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf.

Almighty and everlasting God, creator and giver of all good gifts, mercifully hear our prayers and grant to this diocese all things needful for its welfare.

PROVINCE OF ALEXANDRIA 23rd The Province of Alexandria. The President Bishop of the Province, the Most Rev Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis.

24th The Diocese of Egypt. The bishop, the Most Rev Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis and his wife Nancy and their family. The coadjutor bishop, the Rt Rev Samy Fawzy and his wife Madelaine and their family. All who work in and for the Diocese of Egypt.

25th The Diocese of North Africa. The bishop, the Rt Rev Samy Fawzy, his wife Madeline and their family. All who work in and for the Diocese of North Africa.

26th The Diocese of the Horn of Africa. The bishop the Rt Rev Kuan Kim Seng and his wife and family. All who work in and for the Diocese of the Horn of Africa.

27th The Diocese of Gambella in Ethiopia. The acting bishop, the Rt Rev Kuan Kim Seng and his wife and family. All who work in and for the Diocese of Gambella.

28th The Alexandrian School of Theology in Alexandria and Cairo. Its Principal the Rt Rev Samy Fawzy. All staff and students and their families.

29th The Friends of the Anglican Province of Alexandria and all friends of the dioceses.

Strengthen the faithful, protect the children, comfort the sick, uplift the fallen and bring us all to be of one heart and one mind within the fellowship of your holy church..

***30th The Jerusalem and the Middle East Church Association. Its Chairman, the Rev Canon Anthony Ball, and the Chair

of the Standing Committee, Mr John Clark. The staff in the office in Farnham, Mrs Shirley Eason and Mrs Shirley Atkins. All whose gifts, past and present, sustain it.

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Bible Lands - jmeca.org.uk · Alliance Regional Facilitator for the Middle East, and numerous news...

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