A Sense of Belonging

Friday Prayers for Egypt: Sinai, Rebellion

God, Egypt is not quite rumbling again; bubbling is more like it, though the bubbles can grow bigger. Security apprehended alleged terrorists plotting to blow up the US and French embassies, while their colleagues in the Sinai abduct seven security officers. In Cairo a small protest in Tahrir threatens a creative escalation. The ‘rebellion’ campaign … Continue reading »

John Stott and the Power of a Tweet

From a recent blog post by the charity Coptic Orphans: John Stott was an Anglican writer and student of the Scriptures. Christianity Today reprinted a sermon he gave on “Four Ways Christians can influence the world.” Then, someone asked on Twitter, and @Copticorphans retweeted: “How does this apply to Copts in Egypt?” How can Copts … Continue reading »

Friday Prayers for Egypt: Activists, Shuffle

God, The news is not new, but it is current. This last week has seen another spate of activist arrests, coupled with yet another shuffle in the cabinet. The themes are on repeat with only names differing. But names can make all the difference. One of the activists’ names is Ahmed Maher, founder of the … Continue reading »

To get to the small chapel in a cave we had to cross by a traditional sailboat.

With the Holy Family in Upper Egypt: A Pictorial Travelogue

From April 25-28 I traveled with Arab West Report through a few Upper Egyptian Holy Family sites, places Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are recorded to have stayed according to Coptic tradition. This travelogue will share some of the insights and anecdotes learned along the way, by means of pictures taken at each location. Please click … Continue reading »

MB Leader’s Teenage Son Killed in Mob Violence

A horrible account of vigilantism mixed with politics, from Ahram Online: Security sources told Ahram Online that hundreds of El-Qataweya village residents ransacked the house of Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) leader, Rabie Lasheen, in the early hours of Friday, setting his furniture and three cars on fire apart from killing his son. Revenge was … Continue reading »

Emigration at Easter: Fight, Flight, and Resignation

From my latest article in Egypt Source, culling attitudes on emigration from a recent trip to Upper Egypt: “I have nightmares every couple of days,” said Sara Shuhdi, a 23 year old assistant professor of analytical chemistry at the German University of Cairo. “I don’t see a bright future for Egypt; maybe it would be … Continue reading »

On US Policy toward Egypt

From the Washington Post, in an op-ed from Nathan Brown, a respected Egypt expert: The U.S. message to Morsi should no longer be “We’re with you, watch out for some details around the edges.” Instead, Obama officials should be telling Egyptian leaders: We’re extremely concerned about your violations of core political and legal principles; we … Continue reading »

Friday Prayers for Egypt: Easter Greetings

God, There is much that Egyptian Muslims and Christians agree upon, much which unites the two and allows them to pray similarly. But at one point the religions are rather irreconcilable: Jesus was not crucified, and therefore was not resurrected. There is no Easter, celebrated by Copts this coming Sunday. Fair enough. There are plenty … Continue reading »

Coptic Palm Sunday Street Parade Axed to Keep the Peace

This article was first published on Lapido Media: Joyous Copts raised palm leaves and shouts of welcome as Bishop Thomas, dressed in his regal red clerical robe, entered the Church of the Virgin Mary in Saragna, 325 kilometers south of Cairo. But departing from tradition he arrived by car for the first time this year. … Continue reading »

An Unnecessary Constitution

From my recent article on Arab West Report: The new Egyptian constitution was unnecessary from the start, says Ragy Sulayman of the Free Egyptians Party (FEP). The 1971 constitution, with added amendments, would have served just fine. Sulayman is the founding lawyer who brought the liberal FEP into existence following the January 25 revolution. A … Continue reading »

Friday Prayers for Egypt: Upper Egypt

God, All too often Upper Egypt is neglected, unless there are problems. Then, they must be extraordinary and embarrassing; normal problems go unheeded and have for decades. Almost by nature, farmers do not agitate, and this nature has permeated much of the region’s character. But is Upper Egypt the frog that boils heedlessly or the … Continue reading »

Doublespeak beyond Boston: Revealing the Brotherhood’s Arabic Rhetoric

From my new article in Egypt Source: As the world community condemned the recent bombings in Boston, the Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm joined the chorus. “The Freedom and Justice Party categorically rejects as intolerable the bombings committed in the US city of Boston,” reported Ikhwanweb, the official English website of the Muslim Brotherhood. “The FJP … Continue reading »

Conversion Confusion

From my latest article in Christianity Today, from the April edition and published online on the 18th: Nadia Mohamed Ali was raised in a Christian home, but when she married Mustafa Mohamed Abdel-Wahab in 1990, she converted to Islam. After his death, she obtained new identity cards—required under Egyptian law—that declared her and her seven … Continue reading »

Friday Prayers for Egypt: A Call to Purge

God, Another protest was assaulted, this time one called for by Islamists. An otherwise peaceful demonstration calling to purge the judiciary was met by violence, when then lasted long into the night. Not all Islamists participated; some believed such a protest would not help matters. Perhaps others remembered their own earlier criticism that continued demonstrations … Continue reading »

Erian on Baradei, Now and Then

From Ahram Online, exposing how one Brotherhood leader has alternated in support and harsh opposition to Mohamed el-Baradei: Leading Muslim Brotherhood figure Essam El-Erian on Tuesday accused opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei, along with several world leaders, of facilitating the 2003 US invasion of Iraq and demanded their prosecution by an international court. El-Erian, vice chairman … Continue reading »

Friday Prayers for Egypt: Cathedral Violence

God, It was an unprecedented offense, as this Coptic Orthodox cathedral has never before been besieged. But for several hours tear gas rained in a hailstorm of stones. Molotov cocktails exploded among volleys of birdshot. Two died. What died with them, God? God, there is too much conspiracy – save Egypt from manipulation. Bring truth … Continue reading »

‘Fight Club’ and Egyptian Sectarianism

From the blog Tabula Sara, her conclusion: The first rule of sectarianism: you do not talk about sectarianism. In most of my writings I seek to counter inflammatory headlines about Coptic persecution. There is almost always an initial incident stemming from ordinary community disputes, of which a Christian can be at fault as easily as … Continue reading »

Women’s Rights through the Printed Word: Extending Liberal Values to Ordinary Women

From my recent article on Egypt Source: If liberal values are going to spread in Egyptian society, politics is not the answer. Women are. “The normal woman has a job, goes to market, and raises her family, but she is not part of a political party,” said Youssef Habib, editor-in-chief of the newly launched women’s … Continue reading »

From Khosus to the Cathedral: New Attacks on Copts

From my article on Arab West Report, on the recent attack on the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral: Sectarian violence struck Egypt again on Friday, April 6, as at least four Christians and one Muslim were killed in an incident in Khusūs, in the governorate of Qalyubia, to the north of Cairo. Clashes continued on Sunday, and … Continue reading »

On the Message of Bishop Raphael to Coptic Mourners

From Ahram Online, during the funeral sermon for Copts killed in sectarian violence in Khosus, but before the attack on the cathedral itself: “This deep wound, which is not the first of its kind, leaves me with three messages in my heart,” said Rafael. “One is to the heavens…We [Copts] believe in heavens’ justice…Christ taught … Continue reading »