Leadership

Over the last few years (2009-2011) I have been able to meet with numerous Iranian Christians in various cities in the UK and the USA. I have attended their churches and gatherings, I have sat down at Starbucks or over Persian food for conversations, and even in a hot tub once. In this article I will share a few of my preliminary conclusions and mention what I understand to be some of the key issues and challenges facing the Iranian Christian community in the coming years.

Duane Miller writes about how Muslims who have become followers of Jesus Christ sometimes adopt new hermeneutical methods for reading the Qur’an. How are topics like abrogation tackled? And what of the question of the corruption/tahriif of the Torah? And of course how is the issue of the crucifixion handled? What does Duane mean with this word ‘reappropriation’?

A brief paper wherein the author counters the triumphalism found in the document "The CAMEL Training Manual" in terms of Christian evangelization of Muslims. The author calls into question several of the suggested indicators that there are 'cracks in the foundation of Islam' and argues that Islam as a global movement and community, in all its diversity and variety, is much more resilient than what the CAMEL document portrays.

This article is part of my larger research on Iranian Christianity. Samira tells of her experience of an apparition of the Virgin Mary which she experienced as a child, and then her lengthy and slow conversion process to Christianity. After becoming a Christian she eventually felt attracted to the sacramentality of the Episcopal/Anglican tradition in the USA and became a minister in The Episcopal Church (USA).

The article begins with a brief review of the history of the diocese of Jerusalem. By interviewing eight members of the diocesan clergy in Jordan, the researcher desires to explore how the concepts in the title are related to each other within the Jordanian context. Is there a unique identity of Jordanian Anglicans? What is the desirability and/or feasibility of revising the prayer book? Given the declining demographics of Christians in the region, what avenues are open to these ministers to sustain their congregations? Specific care is paid to the topic of incorporating Muslim converts into existing congregations. Also included are some theological reflections on the meaning of liturgy within the Jordanian context and the diocesan policies for the formation of future priests, which has important implications for the future of the diocese.

First paragraph: On a relatively sunny, summer morning (for Scotland) I met with Frances at a coffee shop in what I will call Castle City. We had met through a mutual acquaintance at a university and the local Episcopal parish. She is a slight woman possessing a strong if introspective personality and at ease with words that made conversation enjoyable. She looks completely at home in the UK (and this would also have been the case 100 years ago) reminding us that the nation’s name Iran is related to the English word Aryan. I do not claim that this is a complete picture of her conversion, which as with many conversions out of Islam—whether to Christianity, atheism, or humanism—took place over many years and I try to give due weight to the various phases in this complex process. Moreover, it must be noted that this is the account of a diaspora conversion, because many of the key events took place outside of Iran .

Bp Suheil Dawani became the Ordinary of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (Anglican Communion) on this day. Guests from all around the world were present. The author gives some historical background of the diocese and the church building, and then describes the ecumenical liturgy used for the installation. This took place at the Cathedral Church of St George the Martyr in East Jerusalem.