The Church in Egypt Today
Abdel Masih Istafanous
Background Tradition holds that St. Mark, the writer of the second Gospel, founded the church in Egypt. 1 We know, however, from Acts 2 that on the day of Pentecost representatives from Egypt were present to hear the message of the gospel. It is also worth noting that the Jews of Alexandria were prominent among the Jews of the Diaspora. Moreover, the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, was begun in the third century B.C. in Alexandria. Therefore, we can safely presume that the church was established in Egypt soon after the day of Pentecost through the ministry of some of the 3,000 people who were baptized then.
Papyrus, Manuscripts, and Translations Egypt is well known for papyrus, the writing material produced from a plant that grew by the River Nile. The dry climate of Egypt preserved many invaluable, biblical papyri manuscripts for thousands of years. One of the best known is the Chester Beatty collection which contains texts from the Gospels, Acts, the Epistles of Paul, and Revelation, all dating between 200 and 250 A.D. Of special importance was the the discovery of the Nag Hammadi (a town in Upper Egypt) manuscripts in 194 7, which gave us a much closer acquaintance with the Gnostics and their deviations from Christianity, and of the Dishna (a town in Upper Egypt near Nag Hammadi) manuscripts discovered shortly before 1956. These so-called Bodmer Papyri take us back to the beginnings of the third century. They contain the full text of the Gospels of Luke and John, the two Epistles of Peter, and the Epistle of Jude. The fact that most of our ancient biblical manuscripts have been found in Egypt indicates clearly the prominent place of Scripture in the life of the e?.rly Egyptian church. Moreover, some very important translations of the Bible were undertaken in Egypt during the fourth century. The Coptic language was spoken by people in dialects which varied according to their geographical area. Many extant manuscripts are in the Bohairic (northwestern part of Egypt), Fayyumic (area of the oasis of Fayyum), Sahidic, and Akhmimic (southern part of Egypt), dialects. Not only are New Testament scholars very indebted to the early Egyptian Christians for these manuscripts, but also their existence underlines the fact that these Christians were very keen to have the Scriptures in both the language and
99 the dialects of the people. Thus, although bishops of the church of Egypt used the Greek language in their writings and deliberations at church councils (e.g. Nicea in 325, Ephesus in 431, and Chalcedon in 451 ), the Egyptian church translated the Scriptures into the spoken language and dialects of the masses.
Hieroglyph, Greek, and Coptic Languages Christianity came to Egypt at a time when its ancient hieroglyphic language was giving way to two derivatives: the hieratic, i.e., the language of the priests/hierarchy, and the demotic, i.e., the language of the people. A further development of the latter brought about the Coptic language. Coptic simply means Egyptian, and is a corruption of Aiguptos, the Greek name for the pre Islamic Egyptian people. The Coptic language took over the Greek alphabet and added to it six (or in some dialects, seven) hieroglyphic letters.
Ancient Egyptian Religions and Egyptian Church Life It is very interesting to note that as the Coptic alphabet acquired additional hieroglyphic letters, Coptic Christians brought over into Christianity some religious customs from the ancient Egyptian religious practices. For example, special prayers were introduced into Christianity for the "dismissal of the spirit of a deceased person" on the third day after death. This ritual, which is still practiced today, includes such elements as parsley, extensive prayers, and the sprinkling of water. Other prayers with a special liturgy were to be conducted on the fortieth day after a person's death. This incorporated into Christian life and worship something of the forty-day embalming rituals of the ancient Egyptians. These, and many other similar practices, have become a permanent part of the worship and life of Egyptian Christians.
Early Theological Role While Rome was the "political" center of the world in the early Christian centuries, Alexandria was, par excellence, the center for culture, philosophy, and education. Her famous library contained a treasure of invaluable manuscripts. Therefore, it was only natural that the major early thinkers of the church were Alexandrian. Happily, their learning was combined with a missionary zeal. Pantaenus, the head of the celebrated catechetical school of Alexandria, 2 is said to have taken the gospel to India. Clement of Alexandria, a Christian theologian, strove to present the Christian faith in terms that communicated well to the philosophical mind of the learned people of his day. 3 When Neoplatonisin spread, Origen of Alexandria presented the Christian faith in its terminology to make the Christian faith appeal to philosophical minds. 4
100 Defense of the Faith When heresies invaded Christianity, Alexandrian theologians played a leading role in dismantling them. Origen, for example, wrote against Gnosticism and the Gnostic gospels. Later on, in the fourth century, the presbyter Arius came to Alexandria from the region called Libya today. He taught that the Son of God was himself created to become God's agent in the creation of the world. The Son, therefore, is not eternal and his nature is not identical with God's. Immediately, Athanasius, a deacon of the church of Alexandria, rose to defend the Christian faith in accordance with the Scriptures and the second-century teachings of Ignatius and Ireneaus. Athanasius maintained that Christ must possess a divine nature and be able to unite it with his human nature, or the salvation of man is but a vain dream. Bishop Alexander of Alexandria adopted Athanasius' stand . This led to the Council of Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381), after which the Nicene Creed received the formulation which the church uses today. 5 A few years later, as the church was disturbed by the teaching of Constantinople's Bishop Nestorius, the Council of Ephesus (431) under the leadership of Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, settled matters and Nestorius was condemned.
Theology, Politics, Conflict, and Isolation Later in the fifth century, the nature of Christ was discussed. For us today, the doctrine of the Incarnation has become so well formulated that we may fail to appreciate these early difficulties. That formulation holds that when God became man, no new personality was created. Rather, there was a being with a complete human nature, so really and intimately united with the divine nature that one and the same person not only possessed them both, but also lived and acted in both. Thus, the Word became flesh without ceasing to be God. Such early doctrinal discussions were not free from politics nor from the personal ambitions of bishops and emperors. 6 In the fifth century, a church council met at Chalcedon, near Constantinople. Their discussions and disagreements about Christ's deity and humanity were greatly colored by semantics. The vocabulary used often had different meanings to different schools of thought, particularly those of Alexandria and Antioch. The council produced a statement to the effect that the one and same person, our Lord Jesus Christ, was complete in both his divinity and humanity, true God and at the same time true man. Consubstantial (homoousios) with the Father in his divinity and begotten of him before all ages, he was also consubstantial (homoousios) with us in his humanity, and was born of the Virgin Mary. 7 Chalcedon went on to say : One and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, made known in two natures [which exist] without confusion, without
JOI change, without division, without separation; the difference of the natures having been in no wise taken away by reason of the union, but rather the properties of each being preserved, and [both] concurring into one Person (prosopon) and one hypostasis-not parted or divided into two persons (prosopa), but one and the same Son and Only-begotten, the divine Logos, the Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from of old [have spoken] concerning him, and as the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and as the Symbol of the Fathers has delivered to us. 8 It is interesting to note that the phrase "made known in two natures" stands in the official Greek text as EK ovo
102 is said to have destroyed 3,000 churches and caused large numbers to apostatize. 13 Further persecutions under the Mamluk dynasty (1250c1570) reduced the number of Christians to about ten percent of the total population. 14 Gradually, Islam became the majority religion of Egypt, and Arabic became its official spoken language. The church, however, continued to use Coptic in its worship. Christianity and the Coptic language were probably considered to belong together, while Arabic was a "foreign" and possibly an Islamic language. Several centuries passed before the church considered translating the Scriptures into Arabic, the language of the people. Even then, because worship continued to be conducted in Coptic (which the people did not understand) , the spiritual life of the church deteriorated.
Asceticism, Monasticism, and the Life of the Church For various reasons (including the possible influence of Platonism) asceticism became a feature of Egyptian Christianity. Early in the fourth century, St. Anthony founded solitary Christian monasticism in Egypt. Soon after, collective monasticism was founded by St. Pachomious in Upper Egypt. Many monasteries were established throughout Egypt, and those of Nitria (Wadi El-Natroon) became very famous. As the emphasis on asceticism continued, the church of Egypt became known for its many fasts. There are more fasting days in the Orthodox Coptic (Egyptian) Church calendar today, than any other church in the world. This emphasis must have been responsible for the addition of "fasting" to some texts of the New Testament (e.g., Mark 9:29; Matt. 17:21; 1 Cor. 7:5). 15 Nevertheless, all Christians are indebted to the monasteries for both copying and preserving many biblical manuscripts.
Contemporary Problems of the Egyptian Church General Remarks In spite of the many trials that the church of Egypt has had to face through the centuries, Christians in Egypt constitute a significant minority of about 6 million people, or, approximately ten percent of the population. Although the whole of North Africa was Christian before the coming of Islam, it is remarkable that only Egypt continued to have a thriving church. Some scholars believe that this resulted from the fact that the Scriptures were available in the language and dialects of the people, while in North Africa the Latin Scriptures were never translated into local languages.
Numbers With regard to numbers, the church of Egypt today faces three major problems: conversions to Islam, emigration, and Muslim fanaticism.
103 Conversions to Islam are most evident among nominal Christians who consider themselves to belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church. Estimates of such conversions vary between 10,000 and 15,000 annually. The principal reasons for this phenomenon "are the difficulties encountered by non-Muslims in finding employment, the desire to obtain posts in the administration, problems associated with mixed marriages (a Muslim woman is not allowed to marry a non-Muslim man), and the possibility of obtaining a divorce in cases where the churches will not give permission." 16 For the last thirty years many Egyptians have been emigrating, especially to the United States, Canada, and Australia. The problem is that the number of emigrating Christians when compared to the total number of Christians exceeds by far the percentage of emigrating non-Christians. This is probably why the four consecutive Ministers of State of the Ministry of Emigration and Egyptians Abroad were Christians. Before its functions were absorbed into another ministry, many parishes of Coptic Orthodox and Egyptian Evangelicals (Presbyterian) have been formed in the United States, Canada, Australia, England, and central Europe. Notwithstanding, the Christian community of Egypt remains numerically by far the most important in the entire Arab world. The church shares the problem of Muslim fanaticism with the government and its security forces. Harassment, the destruction of church buildings, and even the assassination of Christians are among the sad experiences faced by the church. More recently, the government's ability to keep things under control has improved greatly.
Church and State The Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt promulgated in September, 1971, displays a more pronounced religious and Islamic character than its 1956 predecessor. This is understandable in the light of the rising tide of Islamic fundamentalism. Numerous references to religion are made in the "Act of Proclamation of the Constitution" (the preamble). Article 2 declares that "Islam is the religion of the State and Arabic its official language; the principles of Islamic Law constitute a major source for legislation." Article 46 stipulates that "the State guarantees freedom of belief and religious practice." Again, Article 9 states that religion is, along with ethics and patriotism, one of the foundations of the family. Furthermore, society ". . . should ensure the maintenance of a high level of religious education" (Article 12). Consequently, Article 19 states that religious education is a "principal element in programs of general education." Therefore, instruction in the Muslim religion (for Muslims) as well as instruction in the Christian religion (for Christians) is part of the school curriculum until students reach the secondary level. Although the Constitution states that "All citizens are equal before the Law ... without distinction of race, origin, language, religion, or belief" (Article
104 40), many judge that Egyptian Christians are v1ct1ms of non-official discrimination in numerous sectors of social and political life. 17 Although it is strictly forbidden to carry on any form of evangelism among Muslims, many Muslims do accept Christ and are baptized. These Christian converts usually undergo severe persecution. Nevertheless, Christian radio programs recorded in Egypt and other countries, though transmitted from outside of Egypt, continue to give non-Christians the opportunity to understand the Christian message free of prejudices of anti-Christian propaganda. Freedom of worship is generally assured, but the construction of new churches is extremely difficult. Even after securing the approval of many government offices, the permission of the president of the republic is required. Similar measures apply even to needed repairs of existing buildings. A 1934 law imposes ten conditions on new church construction including the stipulation that a church may not be built within 100 meters of a mosque. By means of administrative delays on church applications opportunity is given for the construction of a mosque near the proposed construction site of the church. 18 In response some Christians open worship centers without prior authorization, thereby incurring a negative reaction from the government.
The Churches of Egypt Today The Christians of Egypt are gathered into the three main communities of Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant. Although Anglicans do not consider themselves to be "Protestant," for convenience they will be treated below as part of the Protestant churches. The three communities will be dealt with separately, with particular attention given to the Evangelical Church of Egypt (Presbyterian and Reformed) since this article has been prepared primarily for Reformed readers.
I. The Orthodox Churches The name Orthodox ("keeper of the sound [right] doctrine") came into use following the great schism of July 16, 1054, which divided the church into East and West. Eastern churches called themselves Orthodox while the Western church came to be known as Catholic. Both terms were previously used for the undivided church. 19 The rivalries ensuing after the Council of Chalcedon resulted in the continuing residence in Alexandria of two Orthodox patriarchs, one Greek "Chalcedonian" (Eastern Orthodox), the other Coptic "non-Chalcedonian" (Oriental Orthodox).
105 The Greek Orthodox Church The patriarcate of Alexandria of the Eastern Orthodox church had its first massive reduction after Chalcedon in 451, as the majority of Egyptian Christians became "monophysites." Thus, this patriarcate became limited to the Greek speaking minority, a minority that for centuries continued to be both substantial and influential. After 1958 most of Egypt's Greek community emigrated, chiefly to Greece. Despite the small membership of this church, its patriarcate maintains some ten primary/secondary schools, several orphanages, as well as clinics and homes for the aged. One of its great institutions is the Greek Orthodox Library in Alexandria which houses more than thirty thousand books along with manuscripts from as early as the ninth century. 20 Even more important is the monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai, where the Codex Sinaiticus was "discovered" by Von Tischendorf in 1844 and 1859 and "salvaged" from an obscurity so complete that some of its leaves had been discarded and burned as trash! Codex Sinaiticus dates from the fourth century and contains in Greek the entire New Testament and most of the Old Testament.
The Coptic Orthodox Church The Coptic Orthodox church calls itself the church of the martyrs because it has suffered great persecution. This persecution was so severe under Diocletion that it reckons its era from 284 A. D., the year of his accession. 21 Numerically, the Coptic Orthodox church is the most important national church in the Near East. As with other Christians who live at the intellectual center of Islam, it has strnggled through the centuries both to maintain its identity as a Christian constituency and to make significant contributions to the wider community. The modern story of Arab nationalism and Egypt's emergence from colonial dominion is crowned with important figures from the Christian community of Egypt. The predominantly Muslim government of the country even today acknowledges the Christian contribution to Arab renaissance and defends Christians against occasional outbursts of opposition from militant elements within the Islamic population. The present patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox church is His Holiness Anba Shenooda III, known as Pope Shenooda III, the 117th successor to the See of St. Mark in Alexandria. His title today as patriarch includes the whole of Africa as well as the countries to which some Coptic Orthodox have emigrated. The Coptic Orthodox church has about forty dioceses and metropolitanates throughout Egypt. There are also about fourteen metropolitanates and bishoprics outside Egypt in such places as Northern Sudan, Jernsalem, East Africa, England, Ireland, France, Italy, South Africa, and the United States.
106 Monasticism has a prominent place in the life and thinking of the Coptic Orthodox church. Its patriarchs (popes) as well as its bishops are selected from among the monks. Its laity is also influenced by monasticism. Of particular significance and illustrative of this fact is the existence in Cairo of the House of Consecration for the Service of Preaching of St. Mark's See (bait Al-Takris Li Kidmat Al-Kirazia Al-Marqusia), where laymen, some dedicated to celibacy, live in common and engage in different activities to support themselves while working for the apostolate. It is also a center for religious literature. This initiative and many others connected with the Monastery of St. Macarius in the Nitria Valley are largely due to the leadership of Father Mattta Al-Meskin (i.e., the poor) who has exercised a profound influence on Coptic youth. It is interesting that when in November, 1996, the Coptic Orthodox church celebrated the silver jubilee of the "enthronement" of Pope Shenooda III to the See of St. Mark, a commemorative book prepared for the occasion was subtitled, "Pope Shenooda and the Contemporary Monastic Revival." The church now operates nine monasteries with a total of about three hundred resident monks, and five convents with about one hundred nuns. 22 The monastic spirit dominates the theological thought and ecclesiastic leadership of this great church. Theological education is carried out by a major seminary (clerical college) located adjacent to St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo, and by its half-dozen branches scattered throughout the country. Courses for laity interested in biblical and theological studies draw hundreds of people. Of special note is the current emphasis on Bible study in many parish churches. As often as possible, the major weekly meeting is held at St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo. It is led by Pope Shenooda III and is attended by four to six thousand people. Although the Coptic Orthodox church has not been in communion with the Eastern Orthodox churches since 451, an agreement on christological matters was signed and sealed four years ago by both the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches. Now both families of churches are working on the long and complicated process of the "lifting up of the anathemas" of the fifth century. Simultaneously, the Coptic Orthodox church is playing a leading role in the ecumenical movement as represented by the World Council of Churches, the Middle East Council of Churches, and the All Africa Conference of Churches.
Armenian and Syrian Orthodox Both of these churches are Oriental Orthodox (non-Chalcedonian) and their significant membership is outside of Egypt. Due to the various pressures noted above, most Armenians have emigrated from Egypt. The Armenian Apostolic church has a diocese in Egypt under the catholicosate of Etchmiadzin. The Syrian Orthodox is the smaller of the two churches.
107 II. The Catholic Churches To the Western mind, the Catholic church is the Roman Catholic church, one and united. The Middle East, however, has a Latin-rite Catholic church as well as six Eastern-rite Catholic churches. These communions recognize the pope as head of the church, but Rome has no jurisdiction over their internal management and liturgy. In Egypt they have their own patriarchs or bishops.
The Latin-Rite Catholic Church The Latin-rite constituency is very largely an expatriate community with a limited number of Egyptians. Two bishops, one each in Alexandria and Cairo, coodinate the parish, educational, and medical work conducted by some twenty different male and female religious orders which number among them the Jesuits, Franciscans, and Dominicans. 23 Some Roman Catholic schools, hospitals, and orphanages have rendered distinguished service to Egypt for more than a century. The Jesuits, very active in the area of education, have in Cairo the "College de la Sainte Famille," a rather large and prestigious boys school for primary, preparatory, and secondary education. This school houses a large library that is frequented by the public. Some Jesuits teach at the Coptic Catholic Seminary in Ma'adi near Cairo. A tuition-free project of primary education in the villages of Upper Egypt was launched by the Jesuit Father Ayrout about thirty years ago, and attracted international attention. It is being continued as the Society of Upper Egypt offering educational as well as limited developmental services. This society now has thirty-eight schools. Secondary schools for boys are run by the Christian Brothers, the Lazarist Fathers, and the Dom-Boscon Fathers. Several Latin-rite orders of sisters have an extensive ministry through very reputable primary, preparatory, and secondary schools for girls. The Franciscan Fathers have in Cairo a Center for Coptic Studies, and the Dominican Fathers have a Center for Oriental Studies that plays an important role in the area of Christian-Muslim dialogue and mutual understanding. Both centers have excellent libraries.
The Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches Over the past four centuries, and for various reasons and circumstances, some Christians in the Middle East have separated from their "Eastern" churches in order to restore communion with Rome. Roman influence, especially from the sixteenth century onward, had far reaching effects in this regard. The Eastern-rite (sometimes called Oriental-rite) churches accepted the Catholic confession, but rejected the Latin-rite and Western institutions. They were guaranteed canonical and liturgical autonomy by Rome. Built on this foundation, the Catholic Eastern churches came to be known as "Uniates " by the Orthodox, not without a somewhat pejorative and scornful overtone. 24
108 Other than the Maronite church which claims an unbroken fellowship with Rome (though this is seriously questioned by historians),25 five different Eastern-rite Catholic churches were established as new patriarchates in the Middle East between 1552 and 1824: Chaldean Catholics (drawn from the Assyrian or "Nestorian" church of the East) in 1552; Greek Catholic or Melkites (drawn from the Eastern Orthodox patriarchates of Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem) in 1724; and from their respective Orthodox bodies, Armenian Catholics in 1740, Syrian Catholics in 1773, and Coptic Catholics in 1824. All of these Catholic churches have patriarchates or bishoprics in Egypt, and some of them operate schools, hospitals, and homes for the aged. In Egypt, the Coptic Catholic church is the most important. In 1829 the Ottoman authorities permitted the Coptic Catholics to build their own churches, and in 1895 a Coptic Catholic patriarchate of Alexandria was firmly established. This church has six dioceses and some two hundred priests. The latter were all educated at the Coptic Catholic Seminary at Ma'adi near Cairo, a school which plays an important ecumenical role in the Association of Theological Education in the Middle East. While the contemplative life continues to be the major trait of Orthodox monasticism, the various male and female monastic orders of the Coptic Catholic church are fully involved in educational, medical, and welfare activities. A female order, the Egyptian Nuns of the Heart of Jesus, plays an important role in staffing church schools, dispensaries, and orphanages. The liturgy of the Coptic Catholic church is an abridgment of the longer Coptic Orthodox liturgy from which it is derived.
III. The Protestant Churches Protestant work was started in Egypt in 1633 by Peter Heyling, a Lutheran missionary, who was there for little more than a year. In 1750, during a visit of Count Zinzendorf to Egypt, the Moravian church decided to start mission work there. The first missionary, Frederic W. Hocker, came to Egypt in 17 52, and was followed by John Antes (1770) and George Henry Wieniger (177 4). But in 1782, the Synod of Herrnhut decided to suspend missionary work in Egypt. During the early part of the nii1eteenth century, Protestant work started anew. Reference will first be made to the Episcopal (Anglican) Church of Egypt and the different Protestant churches other than the Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church of Egypt. The latter will be dealt with subsequently.
The Episcopal Church of Egypt The Christian Missionary Society of the Anglican Church sent its first m1ss10nary, William Jowett, to Egypt in 1819. He concentrated on the distribution of Scriptures. In 1825, the Basel Mission sent five German
109 missionaries: Samuel Gobat, J. Leider, Theodor Muller, William Kruse, and Christian Kugler. They were under the direction of the Christian Missionary Society which tried its best to revive the Coptic Orthodox church and to preserve the best of its tradition. By 1862, however, the society's work had gradually died away. 26 Anglican (Episcopal) work was resumed in 1882. Its main objective was the evangelization of non-Christians.27 W. H. Temple Gairdner (1873-1928), a noted Arabist, organized the first small Anglican congregation in Egypt. It consisted mainly of converts from Islam because Gairdner refused to proselytize from the Christian churches. 28 Anglicans in Egypt consider their distinctive mission to be that of a "bridge" church between Orthodox and Evangelical (Protestant) communities. Under Gairdner and under Bishop Kenneth Craig's tenure in the 1970s, the Anglican Church had much interest in dialogue with Muslims. It has a hospital in Menuf, near Cairo, two English speaking congregations in Cairo and Alexandria, and some Arabian-speaking congregations in Cairo and nearby areas. Their Episcopal Publishing House continues the work of the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, and is rendering a great service to the whole Arab world .
Evangelical (Protestant) Churches Other than the Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church 1. The Plymouth Brethren and the Open Brethren The Plymouth Brethren began work in Egypt in 1880 under the leadership of Otto Bliedel and B. Pinkerton. They made large advances after two ministers of the Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church of Egypt joined them: the Reverend Roufail Girgis of Mallawi, and the Reverend Botros Dinathious of Qus, both in Upper Egypt. 29 The Plymouth Brethren do not like to be called "church," but were recently forced to accept that designation. They have no organized ministry and permit no liturgy in their worship. They conduct their services as they are "led by the Holy Spirit," and follow the practice of closed communion. Although the ministry of the Open Brethren in Egypt dates from 1915, their fellowship was not founded until 1935, under the leadership of a certain Mr. Clapham. Their doctrines are similar to those of the Plymouth Brethren, but they differ on matters of adult baptism, open communion, and stress on personal witness. 30 2. The Holiness Movement, the Christ Standard, and Faith Churches These three communions are Arminian in doctrine and have a strong emphasis on holiness. The Holiness Movement church (known in North America as the Free Methodist church), came to Egypt in 1898. Brought by the Reverend Herbert I. Randal, a Canadian, 31 it was continued under the leadership of Canadian
110 superintendents until 1957, when responsibilities were turned over to Egyptian superintendents. This church has about 100 congregations. The Christ Standard church began formal work in 1920, and has some forty congregations today. The only difference between it and the Holiness Movement church is that it was started and supported by a different mission organization. The Faith church numbers about twenty congregations, and was started in 1930 by a mission agency called "Pentecostal Faith Mission" (no connection with the Pentecostal movement) in the United States. It is identical with the above two churches except for its observance of adult baptism. 3. The Church of God This church is very similar to the Faith church, except for the observance of an additional "sacrament" of foot washing. It has about five congregations. 4. The Pentecostal Churches Egypt has numerous pentecostal churches. Their distinctive characteristics are an emphasis on the baptism of the Holy Spirit understood as another experience (or second blessings) to be distinguished from regeneration, glossolalia, divine healing, and adult baptisms. The major pentecostal church is the Assemblies of God, founded in 1914 by the same Herbert I. Randal who had established the Holiness Movement church some years before. This church numbers some fifty congregations. Smaller pentecostal churches include Pentecostal Grace church, Grace church, Society of Pentecostal Youth, Pentecostal Assembly of God, and the Church of Christ. These churches are identical in every respect. Financial support from abroad (especially from the United States), is likely what enables them to split off and survive. They emphasize the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit rather than the fruit of the Spirit. 5. Baptist Churches Egypt has three Baptist denominations. The most important one is connected with the Southern Baptists in the United States, and was started in the 1960s. The other two may owe their origin to the availability of Baptist financial resources in the United States. 6. The Dutch Reformed Church The Dutch Reformed church was started in Egypt in 1871. The Evangelical (Presbyterian) church operated their two congregations and their school which are near Cairo.
111 The Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church of Egypt This church is by far the largest and strongest Protestant church in Egypt. It dates from the 1851 visit of Dr. Joseph B. Thompson of New York. After that visit he published Egypt: Past and Present, a book which praised the work of the Episcopalian, J. Leider, and declared that the door for missionary work in Egypt was open. Its appearance may have been the signal for the beginning of Presbyterian work in Egypt. Presbyterian mission work in the Middle East began in Syria (which then included Lebanon) in 1818. In 1851 the Reverend Paulding came from the Syrian mission to Egypt for medical treatment and recuperation. Upon returning to Damascus, he suggested that his mission board begin evangelical work in Egypt. On May 21, 1853 , the General Assembly of the church soon to become the United Presbyterian Church in North America, resolved that some of its missionaries in Syria start an evangelical work in Egypt. On November 15, 1854, a group of missionaries which included the Reverend and Mrs. Thomas McGague and the Reverend and Mrs. James Barnett arrived in Cairo. They were joined by the Reverend and Mrs. Julian Lansing in 1856, by Miss Delles in 1858, by the Reverend and Mrs. John Hogg, the Reverend and Mrs. Ewing, and Miss McCown in 1860, and by the Reverend and Mrs. Andrew Watson and Miss Hart in 1861. These missionaries devoted much time to the study of the Arabic language, the patterns of Egyptian daily life, and Egyptian history. They also kept close relationships with the leadership of the Orthodox Coptic church, the Armenian, and the Greek Orthodox churches. They concentrated chiefly on the distribution of Scripture and preaching. The first presbytery was formed in 1860, and the first local congregation was organized at the Ezbekia district of Cairo in 1863. The history of this church is recorded in many books. 32 The Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church of Egypt now has some 300 ordained ministers, about 250 congregations, and approximately fifty other groups without formal organization. This church's comparatively short history and the fact that it constitutes a minority within the minority of Christians in Egypt makes its sizable contribution all the more remarkable. As a Reformed church, the Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church of Egypt placed great emphasis on the education of both girls and boys. It opened its first school for girls in Alexandria in 1856 through the efforts of the Church of Scotland. In 1860 a second girls school was opened at a street in Cairo known as Harat El Saka'in. The following year a third was opened at the Ezbakia district in Cairo, with a boarding section started in 1864. The most outstanding achievement in this regard was the establishment of the fit:st school for girls in the whole of Upper Egypt at Assiut in 1865. Later several other girls schools were opened in Cairo and in cities of the Delta. The most important twentieth century achievement in the education of girls was the establishment in 1905 of the American Mission
112 College for Girls in Cairo. This institution is now the Ramsis College for girls and is famous for its high academic standards. The Evangelical (Presbyterian) church opened its first school for boys in Cairo in 1855 . This was followed by schools in Alexandria (1856), Mansoura ( 1866), Zagaziq (1894), and in smaller towns in the Delta. The most important school for boys was established in Assiut, in Upper Egypt, in 1865. Known first as Assiut College, it is now Al Salam (peace) School. Originally established to prepare candidates for the Christian ministry, its scope was soon enlarged. This school used to be the best secondary school in Upper Egypt, and many of its graduates had outstanding careers in medicine, law, and engineering. The Evangelical (Presbyterian) church also provided education both in agriculture and technology and for the visually and mentally impaired. Christian lay leaders, encouraged by this educational emphasis, established schools in their towns and villages, and it soon became common to find a school annexed to a church building. Christian and Muslim graduates of these schools played leading roles in the social, political, and professional life of Egypt. Some of them were instrumental in and contributed generously to the establishment of Cairo University, Egypt's oldest and best-known university. It should also be noted that the American University in Cairo was established by Dr. Charles Watson, the son of Dr. Andrew Watson, one of the early missionaries to Egypt. The Evangelical (Presbyterian) church was also interested in medical work. The small dispensary established in Assiut in 1868 developed into the Assiut Hospital which rendered great service to the entire province of Assiut. This hospital was handed over to the government some twenty years ago. Another important hospital is in Tanta, at the center of the Delta, and is managed by this church's Council for Medical Services. Many congregations have dispensaries to minister to their town or district. In the early fifties, the Evangelical (Presbyterian) church undertook a literacy program to aid the reading skills of both Christians and Muslims. Christian women were given the right to vote at congregational meetings long before the government permitted them to vote in civil elections. Women play an important role in this church's life through membership on all its councils and presbytery committees. The Evangelical (Presbyterian) church undertakes developmental programs through its Council for Social and Development Services, and addresses ministry needs in new housing and remote areas through its Council for Pastoral and Outreach Ministries. These efforts are often frustrated by lack of funds. The Evangelical (Presbyterian) Theological Seminary with a continuing history from 1868 has a long-standing commitment to serve the Arab world . It h.as trained students from the Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq. Instruction at the seminary is, as much as possible, in the Arabic language. In addition to the traditional academic disciplines, much attention is given to the
113 areas of homiletics and pastoral care. The seminary's graduates currently serve throughout the Middle East as well as in the United States, Canada, Germany, England, and Australia.
Conclusion Significant lessons can be learned from this record of the church in Egypt. The importance of the Scriptures and their translation into the language of the people cannot be overemphasized. To a great extent, that is what kept the Egyptian church alive from the beginning, and brought it new life through evangelical work in the nineteenth century. Today, with many translations available, there is fresh opportunity for biblical teaching and expository preaching. The ecumenical movement renders an important service to the church. Yet, evangelical churches of the Third World (to which Egypt belongs) often feel that the relief and development programs of the World Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches tend to be so concerned about the material needs of people that their deep spiritual needs are almost entirely overlooked. The evangelical church of Egypt is committed to a transformational development of people which is both inward and outward, individual and corporate, material and spiritual. Evangelicals often feel that this commitment is missing from ecumenical programs. They regret that the word "evangelism" as descriptive of the mission of the church seems to have been replaced in the ecumenical vocabulary with phrases such as "social responsibility." The evangelical church of Egypt is convinced that evangelism cannot be divorced from social responsibility. The road to Jericho where the physical needs are met (Luke 10:30-37), cannot be separated from the road to Gaza where the spiritual needs are also met (Acts 8:26-39). It is interesting that in both stories, Luke makes Jerusalem the point of departure. The vertical relationship with God (the first and great commandment) should never be separated from the horizontal relationship with humans (the great commission). The cross consists of the vertical and the horizontal. Separating one from the other leads to a false gospel. We should never allow ourselves to be so "heavenly minded" as to be no earthly good, nor to be so earthly and materialistically concerned as to forget people's spiritual needs. These alternatives represent the ultimate paganism. Furthermore, although the evangelical churches in Egypt acknowledge their debt to the United States and the West for the labors of the past, it is sad to see some divisions in local churches instigated through the financial support competing parties receive from abroad. The different Baptist and pentecostal churches in Egypt are clear examples of this tragedy. Even worse is the fact that some churches in the West (including the main line churches) occasionally interfere with and try to "remote control" churches they are connected with in Egypt. This, of course, is a most delicate matter.
114 Furthermore, many para-church groups have found Egypt to be a good base for their operations. Some use Egypt and local Egyptians as a springboard for their activities in countries that are less open to the gospel. This sometimes gets the young people of Egypt in trouble, while these outsiders leave the country, write their reports, and relate their adventures, all for the sake of promotion and fund raising. The Middle East was the cradle of Christianity. Egypt was the country of refuge for the baby Jesus when he fled from the tyranny of Herod. May the Lord keep Egypt a safe place, and protect it from the rampant fanaticism of the Middle East, that all may experience true freedom of worship, to the glory of God and the advancement of his kingdom.
ENDNOTES:
I. Eusebius, The Ecclesiastical Hfatory, trans. by K. Lake (London: W. Heinemann, 1926-32), ii, 16.
2. A.C. Mc Giffert, A History of Christian Thought (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1932), 178.
3. Ibid.
4. H.T. Kerr, The First Systematic Theologian: Origen of Alexandria (Princeton: Princeton Theological Seminary, 1958), 13.
5. The filioque in connection with the procession of the Spirit from the Father and the Son was a later addition going back to the sixth century, generating much discussion. Cf. Encounter: Documents for Muslim Christian Understanding, ed. by Michael Gagnon (Rome: Pontificia Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies in Rome), No. 17 6-177, lOf.
6. Cf. for instance, J.D. Conway, Times of Decision (Notre Dame, IN: Fides Publishers Association, 1962), 27ff.
7. R. V. Sellers, The Council of Chalcedon (London: S.P.C.K., 1953), 212.
8. Op. cit., 211.
9. Cf. Mc Giffert, op. cit., 285 .
10 · N.A. Horner, A Guide to Christian Churches in the Middle East (Elkhart, IN: Mission Focus, 1989), 29.
115 1 1. Encounter, 10.
12 · Ibid .
13 · The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, ed . by F.L. Cross (London: Oxford U.P., 1974), 346.
14 · Horner, op. cit., 30.
15 · Kurt and Barbara Aland, The Text of the New Testament, trans. by E.F. Rhodes (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1987), 301.
16. World Christian Encyclopedia, ed . by D.B. Barrett (Nairobi: Oxford U.P., 1982), 275.
17 · Ibid, editor supplies several examples. See also Patrick Johnstone, Operation World (Zondervan Publishing House, 1993), 205.
18 · Ibid.
19 · Encounter, 11.
20 · Horner, op. cit., 14.
2 1. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 346.
22 · Horner, op. cit., 31.
23 · Horner, op. cit., 56.
24 · Encounter, 14.
25 · Horner, op. cit., 38, and Encounter, ibid.
26 · Otto F .A. Meinardus, Christian Egypt (Cairo: Cahiers d'histoire egyptienne, 1965), 416.
27 · Horner, op. cit., 68.
28 · Ibid.
29 · Tarich Al Echwa Fi Masr, History of the Brethren in Egypt [in Arabic] (Cairo: Brethren Bookshop).
116 30 · Meinardus, op. cit., 420.
3 1. Nettie M. Hill, Norma A. Eves, A Brief History of Holiness Movement Missions (Athens, Ont.: Young People's Missionary Society, 1948).
32 · See, e.g., Andrew Watson, The American Mission in Egypt (1854-1896) (Pittsburgh: United Presbyterian Board of Publications, 1904); Edith L. Butcher, The Story of the Church of Egypt (London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1897), 2 vols.; E.E. Elder, Vindicating a Vision (Philadelphia: United Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, 1958).
THEOLOGY & REFERENCE
Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms Donald K. McKim Paper $20.00 Cloth $33.00 This unique volume briefly identifies nearly 6000 theological terms and encompasses a broad range of theological disciplines. No other single volume provides such easy access to so many theological definitions.
At your bookstore, your Cokesbury bookstore or call toll-free 1-800-227-2872
117