The Abrahamic Religions
It represents a heavy burden, a dreadful responsibility, to represent the link to God Almighty for millions of trusting faithful. All the more so when they exist, though an ancient presence, on the forbearance of the greater Muslim population which, from time to time, finds it difficult to demonstrate forbearance, preferring to burn Christian churches and persecute Coptic Christians.It is a fine balancing act. And it seems that Egypt's Coptic Pope Shenouda III, excelled at his task.
He is dead, at age 88, a respectable enough age for a venerable prince of the Church. His was the most difficult of tasks throughout his reign, to attempt to pacify the suspicion and hatred emanating from Islamism toward Christianity. And now that their protector, Hosni Mubarak is absent from power, and the ruling Generals have other things on their mind, the restive Muslim Brotherhood and fanatical Salafists can extoll the engagement of attack on their detestable presence at will.
Shenouda III's efforts on behalf of his flock were prodigious. His mission was to ensure a protected place within Egypt, his beloved land of birth, for Coptic Christians, living among majority Muslims. He appealed to the name of "one God whom we all worship" early in his Papacy, to attempt an acceptance by the Muslim community with the presence of Christians, who, after all, preceded Islam.
Rational thought does not guarantee itself in a geography where tribal, sectarian and clan disputes and rivalries lead to suspicion, anger and vicious dismissal. Pope Shenouda was a personality of his times and his geography. As an Egyptian and a Coptic Christian he was prepared to engage with Egyptian Muslims, not Jews; 'foreign interlopers' though their heritage was as ancient as his, and their religion the fount of his own.
He was critical of Anwar Sadat for forging a peace treaty with Israel. He gave his unqualified support to the Palestinian 'cause'. Because he was politically engaged and a gadfly, he suffered expulsion. On President Sadat's assassination he was welcomed back to Cairo by Anwar Sadat's successor, who permitted him to build churches and gave his charges protection.
As a great man of God, it can be questioned why, while he attempted reconciliation between Coptic Christians and Muslims, he made no effort toward urging conciliation between Egypt and Israel, as the politician and far more pragmatic Anwar Sadat did.
Labels: Christianity, Egypt, Islamism, Israel
posted by Pieface @ Monday, March 19, 2012
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