The Rt Revd Riah Abu El-Assal, Bishop Coadjutor of Jerusalem, has challenged 20 British dioceses to send 100 pilgrims to the Diocese of Jerusalem in the millennium year.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd George L Carey, will chair the regular meeting of the Primates (Chief Archbishops, Bishops) of the Anglican Communion from 9-17 March at St George's College and Cathedral, Jerusalem. The meeting will focus on the themes of the forthcoming Lambeth Conference 1998 as well as taking the opportunity to learn and experience more of the situation in the Middle East. Visits to top leaders of Israel and Palestine are planned as well as a two major liturgical events in the historic St George's Cathedral.
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As we welcome the dawning of a new Christmas, we are reminded of how the angels sang, "Glory to God in the highest and peace to God's people on Earth" (Luke 2:14).
The Rt Revd Ghais Malik, Bishop of Egypt and North Africa, has been elected the new President Bishop of the Episcopal Church in of Jerusalem and the Middle East. He succeeds the Most Revd Samir Kafity who is retiring. The election was made on 25th November at a Central Synod of the Province in Cyprus.
The Church of England has called on the Israeli Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, to show a renewed commitment to the peace process in the Middle East.
The Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) today passed a resolution which endorses a proposal to help create a new town plan for Bethlehem's Manger Square. Anglicans were asked by the Palestinian National Authority to take part in this restoration of Bethlehem. The project will focus on reconstructing and replanning Manger Square (the birthplace of Christ) by the year 2000.
Leaders of Christian Churches in Jerusalem have issued an urgent call for an end to the violence that has caused the death of more than 50 people in two days and has brought Israelis and Palestinians close to the brink of all-out war. The Church leaders - Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant - demanded that the Israeli and Palestinian authorities take the "necessary" steps to "alleviate the sufferings of the people in the Palestinian territories" and "reactivate the peace process with new determination".
For three day now we have witnessed ugly scenes of brutality, bloodshed and unnecessary loss of life in the wake of the present Israeli Government's refusal to negotiate with the Palestinians Authority and move towards complete implementation of the Oslo Accords.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has sent a message to President Yassir Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu saying he was "deeply troubled by the sudden upsurge of violence in the Holy Land" and appealing to them "to bring an end to this suffering" and to recognise "the real danger of the present conflict".
The Kuwaiti convert, Robert Hussein, who feared for his life, has taken refuge in the United States of America after months of hiding in Kuwait. The convert was convicted of apostasy in May for converting to Christianity and received death threats. After the court hearing he received a written verdict of the hearing recommending his execution. However the Islamic court insisted that it was a crime for any normal citizen to kill him. But Mr Hussein's supporters feared that extremists would kill him. Mr Hussein moved to the USA on 17 August and was granted sanctuary by the US Government after receiving his passport from the Kuwaiti authorities.
A Kuwaiti convert to Christianity, Robert Hussein, fears for his life after an Islamic court branded him an 'apostate'. Mr Hussein received death treats after speaking publicly about his conversion and was convicted by an Islamic court in in June of being an apostate who, under shari'a law, 'should be killed'.
I am in deep shock upon hearing the news of the killing of innocent people in the Lebanon at a United Nations shelter in this latest surge of terror by Israel. Murder is murder, and the targeting and slaughter of innocent people of any age is contrary to all that we as Anglican Christians hold dear
The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Primate of Jerusalem and the Middle East, the Bishop Coadjutor of Jerusalem, the Anglican Observer at the United Nations and the Secretary of the Anglican Communion, have issued statements of sympathy, concern and calls for prayer after the news of the recent bombings in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
For the second successive Sunday in Jerusalem the dawning of the day was suddenly and violently disrupted. The whole world was able to witness the bloody and terrible carnage effected by those who seek to sabotage an increasingly fragile peace process. I join in condemning such brutal actions and activities by all sides and groups
A leading member of the Anglican Church in Bahrain has called on local Christians to join in a week of prayers for peace in the island nation after recent outbreaks of violence.
The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East has expressed the firm hope that Jerusalem, known as a city of peace, would become a "symbol that could change our present world, the starter of the new order".
would like to take as my text a quote from Archbishop Oscar Romero, martyr for the Faith, June 19, 1977. Archbishop Romero said, "I speak a word of encouragement for the Lord's light will always brighten these days. New shepherds will come but always the same Gospel."
