Bishop John

Archbishop Mouneer of the Anglican Church of Egypt recently asked for prayer for the demonstrations and future of Egypt. An extract here and full letter link at end,

27 June 2013

Egypt is on the edge of . . . ?

My dear brothers and sisters,

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

The situation in Egypt is very serious. I do not know where this situation will take us. I feel that Egypt is at the verge of violent demonstrations, another revolution, or civil war. We do not know what is going to happen, but we know that we are at the edge of something drastic.

One year ago Dr. Mohammed Mursi became the President of Egypt, following 11 months of turbulence in the socio-economic and political situation in Egypt. Many had hoped that Egypt would move forward for the better however things became worse and are now very difficult. Egyptians became divided between Islamists and non-Islamists. A constitution that was written and approved in haste was one of the main reasons for these divisions. Other reasons were the exclusion of moderates and non-Islamists from participation in the political life, and the appointment of Islamists as ministers in the Cabinet and other prominent posts.

These divisions led to instability, a lack of security, and many demonstrations which in turn badly affected the economy and tourism. People started to complain from the rise of food prices, the frequent power cuts, the sectarian clashes, and lately the lack of fuel. Two weeks ago there were demonstrations in several governorates in objection to the appointment of new governors who are known Islamists. A new movement called, “tamarrod” or “Rebellion” was formed last April and they called for massive demonstrations against the President and the government on the 30th of June. They claim to have gathered the signatures of 15 million supporters.

One week ago the Islamists made big demonstrations in support of the President. They warned the supporters of “tamarrod” against demonstrating on the 30th of June. “Anyone who will sprinkle water at the President will be sprinkled with blood,” said one of the supporters of the President. This means that there will be bloodshed if people try to force the President to step down.

What is going to happen on the 30th of June? We do not know! All what we know is that when emotions run high, anything can happen. However, we trust that God is in control and we are in His hands.

I am writing this to request your prayers for Egypt and for the people of Egypt.

May the Lord bless you!

+ Mouneer Egypt

The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis

Bishop of the Episcopal / Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa

President Bishop of the Episcopal / Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East

Full letter, Egypt is on the edge of . . . ?

I invited Guest Blogger James Oakley to deepen my understanding of his article  Parents as pastors: Asylum seekers in the April edition of the Tasmanian Anglican. James writes,

One of our members of federal Parliament took me to task about some aspects of that article – objecting that I had unfairly impugned the motives of politicians who adopt a different view than I do about right treatment of asylum seekers. Perhaps you read my original article and thought the same – that I was taking an easy shot at politicians.

My purpose in writing every ‘Parents as Pastors’ column is to help us think about and carry out the important responsibility of raising our children in the Christian faith. Part of that is helping children to think critically and biblically about contemporary issues, including political issues. So here is the core of my response to that elected member, with my prayer that it will be a challenge and a blessing to you as well.

I am sorry that you feel that the article was taking an easy shot at politicians and their motivation. If this was your understanding, then you have misread both the article and my intentions.

Please allow me to explain my concern to assist parents to raise their children to give God first place in their lives.

You are no doubt familiar with God’s command in Exodus 20:3: ‘You shall have no other gods before me.’ Martin Luther said in his commentary on this verse:

‘Thus it is with all idolatry; for it consists not merely in erecting an image and worshiping it, but rather in the heart, which stands gaping at something else, and seeks help and consolation from creatures, saints, or devils, and neither cares for God, nor looks to Him for so much good as to believe that He is willing to help, neither believes that whatever good it experiences comes from God. Ask and examine your heart diligently, and you will find whether it cleaves to God alone or not.’

My purpose in writing the article was to invite readers to consider deeply their own attitude to Australian nationalism and self-determination in light of the debate around asylum seekers who arrive by boat. The public debate, from both major political parties, treats these people as pawns to be deployed in discouraging others and/or combatting people smuggling. I specifically asked my readers to consider, in light of this public rhetoric, whether they have ‘elevate[d] their concept of Australia to the position that God properly occupies.’ It is the sort of careful soul searching that all Christians, including those who are members of Parliament, ought to regularly engage in.

From this position of self-reflection, I asked readers to consider how they bring up their children to have no other gods besides God.

I do not question the heart or motivation of our politicians in my article. However, it is altogether right that we weigh the public words and actions of our elected representatives, and that we speak up if they are found wanting. For this purpose I criticised the public statements and deeds of governments of both political persuasions. Most pertinently, I challenged the idea that these asylum seekers can properly be described as ‘queue jumpers’. …  The fact remains that there are no signatories to the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees in Southeast Asia. The UNHCR has offices in some of those countries, but is then dependent on the goodwill of the hosting country as well as other receiving countries to resettle refugees. The legal regimen in some of those countries leaves asylum seekers extremely vulnerable to arrest, imprisonment, torture, and deportation. The UNHCR, on its website, alerts the world to the vulnerability of asylum seekers in much of Southeast Asia. Scott Morrison, the Opposition spokesman for Immigration, highlighted the very real risk that asylum seekers face in Malaysia, (‘Asylum seekers “treated like Indonesian cattle” says Scott Morrison’, Herald Sun, June 2, 2011). [WARNING – this link starts with a graphic video of a flogging, which you may need to stop or scroll past.]

There simply is no ‘safe haven’ between Australia and countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, or Sri Lanka (all of which account for the vast majority of boat arrivals in the last 10 years). It is little wonder that desperate people move on to somewhere that seems safer. And the existence of other deserving people elsewhere in the world does not relieve us of our international legal responsibilities, nor of our Christian responsibilities to our neighbour – including all those asylum seekers who come within our capacity to help.

There is ample material in the public sphere by which to judge the record of Australian governments on asylum seekers, but this is not the primary focus of my article. My article is certainly not asking readers to judge the motivations of our politicians. Rather, my purpose is to ask myself and my readers what I now respectfully ask of you: examine your own heart diligently, and find whether it cleaves to God alone or not.

 Also see, Churches’ humane call asylum seekers.

Here is the recording of my Presidential Address given on 31 May 2013.

Sunday afternoon I gathered with Indigenous Elders and church leaders at Leprena in Glenorchy to discuss Reconciliation between Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, the ‘latecomers’.

I made some notes which I hope to write up but I wanted to share with you a moving liturgy ‘Land, Water and Fire Ceremony’ with which our time was commenced. [If I recall correctly, it is from the Catholic Education Office.]

Land, Fire and Water Ceremony

 A container of local earth, a container of water (usually a coolamon) and a fire are placed at the front of the assembly. The room (if possible) is in darkness with just enough light for the following to be read. If possible the didgeridoo should be heard in the background. The ceremony can take place with Indigenous people alone or with Indigenous and Non-indigenous. This version presumes the presence of Non-indigenous people and has a Reconciliation theme. The ceremony can be adapted for use with Indigenous people alone.

Indigenous Person

For thousands of years before recorded time, our people have walked on this LAND, on their own country.

Our relationship with the land is at the centre of our lives.

Our country is our mother: in a sense our country is us.

FIRE is important to our people; our people could not do without it.

Fire means the calling of people together the gathering in a circle around the fire for cooking and eating and for warmth at night; the gathering for ceremonies; the gathering for story telling; the place for being together.

Fire is at the heart of our Indigenous culture.

WATER is also important to our people.

In the driest part of the driest country, water is life-giving, refreshing, cooling and cleansing to our country and to us.

AIR and SKY are also important to our people

Sky is full of stories of creator, of pathways, of ancestors connecting with us, watching over us.

Indigenous Person

Land, Fire, Water and Sky also have deep symbolism in our Christian heritage.

In the Old Testament LAND was God’s promise to the Jewish people.

In the New Testament, Christian people are called to the deep groaning of the Spirit in creation.

All creation and life looks forward to the promised land of heaven.

For Christians FIRE represents the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles at Pentecost as tongues of fire. We think of the flame of faith burning in people’s lives.

WATER is the symbol of our baptism, which gives us new life and hope and makes us one with Jesus and with each other.

AIR, WIND are symbols of the Spirit, the breath of God, giving life to all creation.

 Non-Indigenous Person

As Non-Indigenous and Indigenous people together, let us have a sense of the importance of (name the traditional owners or tribe or clan) country upon which we are standing.

Let us sense the land beneath our feet and know to whom it belongs.

(Pause)

Let us have a sense of the importance of water and fire – as Indigenous and Christian life symbols.

(Pause)

The cool, refreshing water; giving life to Indigenous and Non-indigenous alike. The water giving life to people in baptism.

(Pause)

The warm, inviting fire drawing us all, Indigenous and Non-indigenous, together. the light of Christ, the flame of the Holy Spirit, bringing us together in Jesus.

(Pause)

Indigenous Person

This container is filled with earth from our land.

This is our fire.

This coolamon is filled with water.

We invite you to come forward in a moment and touch this earth, our land.

We invite you to touch the water and put your hands in the water.

Let us feel and sense it as life-giving.

You may like to make a cross on your forehead with the water.

We invite you to feel the warmth of our fire.

Let us sense the warmth as a call to all people in this country to come together warmly, sharing our different stories and being together as one.

(Everyone now comes forward to touch the earth and the water and feel the warmth of the flame. This takes place with a didgeridoo backing.)

 See also, The Water Ceremony.

From the office of Bishop John Harrower May 24, 2013

What is the current status of the proposed changes?

• The Reproductive Health Bill (Access To Terminations) Bill 2013 passed the House of Assembly of the Tasmanian Parliament on April 16, 2013.  All members of the Greens party, and all members of the Labor Party, except The Hon. Michael Polley, voted for the Bill.
• The Bill has NOT become law.  It must now be considered by the Legislative Council.  The Bill has passed the first reading in the Legislative Council. This simply means that the Council has agreed to consider it.
• The Legislative Council will consider the Bill in detail in the coming weeks, probably sometime in June.  It may choose to reject the Bill, to pass the Bill as it currently stands, refer the Bill to a committee for proper consideration, or to change (amend) the Bill and return it to the House of Assembly.

What is actually being proposed, as it currently stands?

• The Minister for Children (The Hon. Michelle O’Byrne) released a Draft Bill in March.  Our submission (see http://imaginarydiocese.org/bishopjohn/2013/04/05/abortion-tas-anglican-submission/ ) was based on this Draft Bill.  The Bill that passed the House of Assembly was slightly different to the draft but not in any substantial way.  The key concerns, as presented in our submission, remain.
• The Bill, as it stands:
  • implements “abortion on request” for any reason, up to 16 weeks of pregnancy.
  • allows abortion at any stage in pregnancy after 16 weeks if a doctor and a specialist agree that proceeding with the pregnancy would be to the detriment of the mother.  The doctor must take into account a number of circumstances, including the social and economic impact on the woman.  These broad grounds effectively remove any restriction, even for late term pregnancies.
  • compels doctors who have a conscientious objection to facilitate in an abortion by referring any patient who is seeking “pregnancy advice” to a doctor who will provide the abortion.  This overrides a doctors professional judgement and duty of care.  It questions the professionalism of all those who ascribe human value to the unborn child.  Failure to refer runs the risk of deregistration and unemployment.
  • compels “counsellors” (broadly defined as any form of advice-giver) to similarly refer those seeking advice.  The penalty is approx $30,000 fine or imprisonment.
  • implements “access zones” that prohibits certain activities within 150m of an abortion provider.
  • has other technical issues that demonstrate that it has been sloppily and hastily drafted.
• The stated aim of the Bill is to decriminalise abortion.  None of the issues outlined above need to arise in order achieve this aim.  If abortion is to be decriminalised, it should not be done like this.

What can I do?

• We encourage you to make contact with the members of the Legislative Council in order to communicate your views on the matter.
• The best form of communication is a letter, phone call or email that thoughtfully outlines the particular ways in which you disagree with the Bill.  You may wish to urge them to reject the Bill or to at least significantly amend it.   You may wish to tell them that the aim of decriminalisation should not be achieved through the measures currently included in the Bill.
  [A pdf version of this post contains contact details for Legislative Councillors – click here]

• There is a petition that can be signed: http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/EPetitions/Council/CurrentEPetition.aspx?PetNum=14&lIndex=-1
  [A pdf version of this post contains a paper version of the petition – if you use and sign this do NOT sign the electronic version.  Also ensure the petition paper is returned on time – click here]