Catalysts for peacemaking, especially where minorities are persecuted, where justice is denied, human rights are suppressed or reconciliation is needed.
CAMPAIN exposes misrepresentation in public affairs, information and the news. They recently published an article about the stance taken by the Church of England on apartheid in Israel A Dam is Bursting Beneath the Church of England:
“You may think that the Church of England is an immovable monolith that follows an unhealthy agenda set by the Israel lobby. However, two things suggest that change is in the air.
Firstly, the Provincial Standing Committee of the Anglican Church in Southern Africa has just declared Israel an Apartheid State, echoing the words of the late Desmond Tutu. The testimony of an overwhelmingly black African establishment that knows all about apartheid will prove embarrassing for Archbishop Welby as he doggedly insists that it is not. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba observed in a subsequent statement: “When black South Africans who have lived under apartheid visit Israel, the parallels to apartheid are impossible to ignore. If we stand by and keep quiet, we will be complicit in the continuing oppression of the Palestinians”.
Secondly, the Anglican newspaper Church Times, has been faithfully reporting both sides of the argument. After publishing a favourable report on Welby’s speech of 6th September, its 15th September edition carried critical letters by Linda Ramsden of ICAHD-UK and Jonathan Coulter of CAMPAIN. The following 22nd September, we got a defence from Revd Sudworth, Welby’s right-hand man. Then Dr. Jonathan Chaplin took the Church to task for failing to plan for the future of Church-state relations and adopting a posture of “supine, unreflective passivity”.
Archbishop Mouneer is a much respected Patron of Peacemaker Trust. In this article “A Deeply Torn Communion” published in The Anglican Way, Archbishop Mouneer, laments that, “the Anglican Communion is deeply divided and being torn apart.” In sober yet clear language he explains why:
“Yet, there are those who claim that the Communion is still united, in spite of the major theological dfferences between its Provinces. This claim of unity is deceitful and far from the truth. Provinces are not anglican Communionll in communion with each other, so it is simply wrong to use the term Communion of global Anglicanism or even the weaker language of a Federation. It is very sad to see a Communion of churches that was once united become seriously fractured. Many may ask: Why has this happened? Are there ways to heal and restore this fractured Communion? In this article, I will review some of the reasons that led to the fragmentation of the Communion. In a following article, I will suggest ideas that may help to heal our torn Communion.”
Affirming an orthodox biblical understanding of scripture and upholding the articles of the Church of England, Archbishop Mouneer explains the reasons for the tear in the Anglican Communion: A Departure from the faith once receive and a systemic failure of leadership most notably by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
“When Justin Welby became the Archbishop, hopes were raised again because of his seeming fresh resolve to address the conflict. He stated his wish to listen to the Global South Primates the very next day, after his enthronement. He also heard from every Primate as part of his inaugural program of visiting all the Provinces of the Communion. As a result, almost all the Primates came to 2016 Primates Meeting with a sense of real anticipation. During that meeting, in deference to the strong feelings of the Global South Primates who had felt greatly offended by American unilateralism, it was decided that TEC representatives would not be invited to participate in doctrinal and ecumenical commissions. Nonetheless, it soon became clear that Archbishop Welby wanted in fact to forge a new status quo: one of living with disunity, rather than one of striving to overcome it and restore unity. This was illustrated by his introducing the theme of “Walking Together.” Sadly, therefore, while hopes had been high that he would use the good relations he had initially established with the Primates, along with his prior experience in conflict resolutions, to put an end to the Communion Crisis, ultimately, the opportunity was wasted.“
Archbishop Mouneer concludes:
“Now the time has come to ask hard questions. How can the Anglican Communion be called a Communion when it has lost the sense of mutual interdependence to such a degree that it was described as a church suffering from “ecclesial Parkinson’s.”
The challenge now, for Anglicans worldwide, is how to develop a new conciliar structure that heals the ecclesial deficit mentioned in the Windsor Continuation Group Report. A structure is needed that is able to protect the faith we Anglicans received from our forefathers.
In my next article, I will explore how best to consider the structure of a future more interdependent Communion, that is better able to affirm and maintain its historic and uniquely Anglican identity.”
We look forward to reading Archbishop Mouneer’s next article. Read this article here
President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine confers on Bishop Riah Abo El Assal the Star of Jerusalem Order on 31 May in recognition of his work on behalf of peace, justice and reconciliation. A richly deserved recognition. Source: Amad
We write as supporters of an organisation called CAMPAIN, a group that challenges misrepresentation and misinformation in public affairs and the news media. It is a non-partisan body with members belonging to all political parties and none, and members of the Christian faith, other faiths and none. The instigators of this letter are Christian (including Ordained Priests). However, whether Christian or not, most people in the UK expect the established church and its leaders to be a beacon of hope in the dark areas of this world that will publicly stand up for the rights of ALL people – not just those who claim a faith.
We note that the Church of England sets out its role in the world in its Five Marks of Mission. All signatories of this letter share a commitment to the fourth Mark which is “to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation”.
Salaam in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose resurrection from the death we celebrate these days ever proclaiming: “Jesus Christ is risen”.
In recognition of our long-standing relationship of over thirty years, I am writing to formally invite you to become my chaplain in the UK, to assist me when I am visiting, or to advise me in the fulfilment of my episcopal duties, albeit in retirement.
My dear Stephen, you are a person of integrity and forthright views with the courage to express them.
At the same time you have always shown the utmost respect for the adherents of different faiths, in particular to Jews and Moslems, while advocating for Christian presence in the Land of the Holy One, Israel and Palestine, and campaigning for Palestinian Human Rights.
I wish more servants of Christ, bishops and clergy, Anglicans and others, were as courageous as you in challenging the destructive effects of Israeli apartheid and Christian Zionism on both Jews and Palestinians.
I appreciate your prayers, your advocacy and solidarity with the Church in the Holy Land.
Know this comes with my prayers and my sincere thanks in advance.
In Christ,
+Bishop Riah Abo El Assal
I have been assisting Bishop Riah in the fulfilment of his episcopal duties in an informal capacity for decades. It is a delight and honour to have that role more formally recognised.
The first team of Muslim and Christian leaders have now been trained and begun to initiate peace building projects. The need is great, especially in Upper Egypt.
The plan therefore is to train five further teams in 2023. The budget for this is modest – $16,000. If you would like to support this exciting project you may do so through the Friends of the Anglican Province of Alexandria (specifying your gift is for the Peace Building Team).
You can make a donation by bank transfer in UK Sterling directly to the FAPA account: Account No: 00018311 Sort Code: 40-52-40
Peacemaker trust is delighted to promote this exciting peacemaking project and hope that you will also.
In May 2022, Archbishop Mouneer Anis, First Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Alexandria, launched the Centre for Christian Muslim Understanding and Partnership at All Saints Cathedral in Cairo. The vision is to promote peace and harmony between faith communities through more understanding of faiths, cultures and through working together for the common good.
We are delighted to announce that the Right Revd Richard Llewellin has kindly agreed to join the Peacemaker International Board of Reference. Bishop Richard becomes the 10th Anglican Bishop or Archbishop to do so.
Bishop Richard was ordained in 1964 and was a curate at Radlett. After serving a second curacy at Johannesburg Cathedral, and being expelled from South Africa by the apartheid Nationalist government of the day in 1971, he was then successively the Vicar of Waltham Cross, the Rector of Harpenden and a canon of Truro Cathedral before being ordained to the episcopate as the suffragan Bishop of Street Germans (1985-1992).
He later became the suffragan Bishop of Dover (1992-1999) and was subsequently appointed Bishop at Lambeth and Chief of Staff to the Archbishop by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, a position he held until 2004. In retirement he was appointed an honorary fellow of Canterbury Christ Church University.
Bishop Richard is a member of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and has also served as a human rights monitor with the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel. EAPPI is an international programme coordinated by the World Council of Churches. It brings people from around the world to the West Bank to serve for three months as human rights monitors.
As an Israeli Jew and the head of an Israeli human rights organization – ICAHD, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions – I am appalled by the very thought of bringing anyone, let alone such a principled person as Stephen Sizer, before a religious Tribunal. What, are we back to the Medieval days of the Inquisition? I can’t speak for the Church of England, but Jews, the British Board of Deputies, participating in a religious Tribunal?! The very thought is appalling. What has happened to us, Jews and Christians together? Are we willing to return to the dark processes of Tribunals with no legal underpinnings, no genuine evidence or testimony, conducted solely against people whose views we don’t like – besmirch and destroy people’s lives – just to prevent criticism of Israel? Is it really so easy, in the 21st Century, to persecute people for their religious and political views? Savonarola meets Trump?
The charges against Dr. Sizer are untrue and trumped-up – and you all know it. Antisemitism?! How do you possibly defend yourself against such a charge? In the intellectual and democratic world in which most of us live, Dr. Sizer has made a rational, well-researched case for his views and analysis presented in articles, books and lectures based firmly on academic research and religious history. But that is exactly the type of person for which Tribunals are necessary, since analyses like Dr. Sizer presents, unpopular in some partisan circles as they may be, cannot be dismissed in academic circles or barred in courts of law. They must be denounced in Tribunals with no moral, legal or intellectual authority, and as in all religious Tribunals, the person maligned and destroyed in order to somehow delegitimize his or her views. I am embarrassed for all of you – and downright angry at the Jews who participate in the dark proceeding of religious Tribunals.
Yesterday I collected about 15 boxes of Christian literature for Book Aid from the Oasis Christian Centre in Romsey which acts as a hub for donations from customers. We then take on to Book Aid’s regional hub in Southsea.
Last week I also received a collection of theological books donated from the estate of the Right Revd John Ellison, former Anglican Bishop of Paraguay 1988-2007 who died in 2019. John had been a good friend, an occasional preacher at Christ Church, Virginia Water, and more recently, a member of the Peacemakers International Board of Reference. We are grateful to John’s family for some of his theological books donated to Book Aid. Andrew Symes wrote a moving testimony to John’s life and ministry for Anglican Mainstream. In these two short videos I interviewed Bishop John about the state of the Episcopal Church in North America and the Church of England.
An interview with Archbishop Mouneer Anis, First Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Alexandria, about the launch of the Centre for Christian Muslim Understanding and Partnership at All Saints Cathedral in Cairo this week. The vision is to promote peace and harmony between faith communities through more understanding of faiths, cultures and through working together for the common good.
The Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt played an important role in the drafting of the interfaith agreement between the Anglican Communion and Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, signed in 2002 at Lambeth Palace in London. Since then, the Diocese and Al-Azhar have worked together on many community projects through Egypt, and have arranged and participated in an annual dialogue meeting.
The Centre for Christian-Muslim Understanding and Partnership was established in order to bring these projects together in one organisation, in order to further develop and resource this vital work in the future. The idea for such a centre was developed and supported by the Anglican Archbishop of Alexandria, the Most Rev. Dr. Samy Fawzy Shehata, and His Eminence, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr Ahmed Al-Tayyeb. Archbishop Samy then asked Archbishop Emeritus Mouneer Anis to develop the centre and serve as its first director.
Peacemaker Trust 