Franklin Graham calls persecution of Christians ‘genocide’

From RNS-

Also speaking at the opening of the summit: Metropolitan Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America, and the Rev. Mouneer Hanna Anis, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Egypt, who stressed that Christians have shown love to the killers of their relatives.

“The forgiveness that has been expressed by families of martyrs is the most powerful witness in the face of terrorism,” he said.

Forgiveness and Christ’s call to love one’s enemies were invoked during the evening far more than Islamic militants were blamed for the sufferings of Christians. But Graham, at one point in his 25-minute speech, presented Islamists as threats to Christians globally.

He said the Islamic State fighters who beheaded Coptic Christians on a Libyan beach in 2015 had then promised to conquer Rome.

More here-

http://religionnews.com/2017/05/10/franklin-graham-calls-persecution-of-christians-genocide/

Are Anglicans Really Protestants? Complex Row Between Christians In Egypt Reignites Old Argument

From Christian Today-

An organisation of evangelical Protestant churches in Egypt has defended its behaviour towards Anglicans and has denied it is trying to appropriate their churches.

The Anglicans fear a recent court decision could see them subsumed into the Central Office of Protestant Churches (COPC) in Egypt and lose their identity as a separate legal entity.

Archbishop of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, Mouneer Anis, told ACNS: "They further claimed that they can take possession of all of the Episcopal/Anglican Church properties as their own. They are now forcing us to take their approval before we notarise any document in the government." He also complained that he needed to  get approval from COPC to obtain or renew visas for Anglican church workers. "This is causing us a great deal of trouble."

COPC spoke out after a judge ruled that the Anglican Church in Egypt is in effect part of their organisation, and Archbishop Mouneer issued a letter criticising the decision.

More here-

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/are.anglicans.really.protestants.complex.row.between.christians.in.egypt.reignites.old.argument/99523.htm

Archbishop Mouneer Anis Opens Ethiopia's First Anglican Theological College

From All Africa (Ethiopia)-

The first Anglican theological college in Ethiopia, named after Saint Frumentius, has been officially opened by the Archbishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East, Mouneer Anis. Ethiopia is part of Archbishop Mouneer's diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa.

For many years, St Matthew's Church in Addis Ababa was the only Anglican congregation in Ethiopia. But that changed with the arrival of large numbers of refugees arriving in the country seeking sanctuary from the protracted civil war in Sudan from the mid-1970s.

"Many of these new refugees were Anglican and they began churches in the refugee camps," the college said. "Later, Anglican churches were established in the villages of the Gambella region, in the west of Ethiopia.

More here-

http://allafrica.com/stories/201511270822.html

New Appointments for the Diocese of Egypt

From Egypt-

The Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa is celebrating two new appointments.

Yesterday the Board of the Alexandria School of Theology (AST) announced that the Very Revd Canon Dr Samy Fawzy Shehata, Dean of St Mark's Pro-Cathedral in Alexandria, is the new Principal of AST.

Dean Samy holds a Diploma in Theology from the University of Wales, and both a Masters of Arts in Mission Studies and a Doctorate in Theology from the University of Birmingham, UK. In June 2013, AST held its sixth graduation service at All Saints Cathedral in Cairo, Egypt. The Most Revd & Rt Hon. Justin Welby, the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, was the commencement speaker.

Today the Most Revd Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis, Bishop of the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa, and Primate of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, is pleased to announce that he will install The Revd Dr Toby Howarth as an Honorary Canon of All Saints Cathedral during the 75th Anniversary the cathedral in Cairo, Egypt, between 1 and 3 November 2013.

This honorary appointment is in recognition of great work and tireless efforts of Dr Howarth--who is the Archbishop of Canterbury's Secretary for Inter-Religious Affairs--in regard to the important and longstanding inter faith dialogue between the Anglican Communion and Al Azhar Al Sherif, the hub of Sunni Islam throughout the world, located in Cairo, Egypt.

More here-

http://allafrica.com/stories/201308141469.html

Bishop Mouneer congratulates Egypt on leadership change

From ENS-

The following is a statement from Bishop Mouneer Hanna
Anis Bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa and President Bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

At last, Egypt is now free from the oppressive rule of the Muslim Brotherhood! The Armed Forces took the side of the millions of Egyptians who demonstrated in the streets since the 30th of June against President Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood. The Armed Forces responded to the invitation of the people to intervene and force the President to step down at the request of the people of Egypt. Field Marshall Abdel Fattah el-SiSi invited His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and The Grand Imam of Egypt Dr. Ahmed el-Tayyib, and other political leaders, to discuss the roadmap for the future of Egypt. After this meeting, it was announced that the head of the constitutional court will be an interim leader of the nation. The current controversial constitu-tion is now suspended. The new government will involve capable people from different backgrounds.

As soon as Field Marshall Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced this, millions of Egyptians on the streets went around rejoicing, singing, dancing, and making a lot of fireworks. I have never seen Egyptians rejoicing in such a way! They deserve this joy as they insisted to write their own history!

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2013/07/05/bishop-mouneer-congratulates-egypt-on-leadership-change/