The Death of a Pope
18/03/12 05:38
The Ottoman Empire was one of the largest and longest lasting empires in history. At its height, it ruled most of the lands around the Mediterranean. The region that we now call the Middle East was once a peaceful land under an empire with far-reaching interests. For more than 600 years, the Empire was ruled from Constantinople, presently known as Istanbul. It was the center of relations between the East and the West.
The final collapse of the Ottoman Empire began with World War I. The partitioning of the Empire that followed was based primarily on European politics, not the natural relationships between the people who lived in the countries. Small countries were formed with improbably boundaries. Look at the modern country of Lebanon, for example. The people who lived there used to do regular business in cities that are now parts of Syria and Israel. The modern borders divide businesses, families and social relationships. The formation of the modern states resulted in people losing their homes, farms and properties without compensation.
The result has been that the region is scattered with refugees – people made homeless by political disputes.
There was a time when the Ottoman Empire was a model of religious tolerance. Christians, Jews and Muslims lived as neighbors in peace. This is not to say that there were not cases of discrimination and even eruptions of violence, but the land was once filled with cities that boasted churches and mosques and temples standing side by side. It is a popular theory these days to blame religion for the violence in the area, but there are still a few elders who remember when religious diversity was a way of life.
On Tuesday, they will bury a pope in Wadi Natron, northwest of Alexandria in Egypt. Pope Shenouda III died on Saturday at the age of 88. He had suffered from diabetes, renal failure and lung cancer. Shenouda was the head of the Coptic Orthodox Christian Church. The Coptic Church is the largest Christian church in the Middle East. Christians make up less than 10% of the total population of Egypt these days. Since the fall of the Ottoman Empire Christians have been leaving the Middle East in large numbers and the church has faced a steady decline in membership.
The death of a pope is a big event, nonetheless. Thousands of people have paraded by the pope’s body, displayed in an elaborate golden crown and red and golden robes. As many as two million people are expected for the funeral. The Coptic Church has a worldwide presence with members in Europe, Canada, the United States, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nambibia and South Africa.
If one were to read the popular news media, you might think that there was only one pope in Christianity. Pope Benedict XVI is the head of the Roman Catholic Church, the largest Christian communion. But the Christian Church has experienced divisions and different communions for almost all of its history. Like other world religions, it is not a monolithic gathering of people who all have the same beliefs, theology and interpretation of scripture. It is rather a complex and diverse collection of many churches.
We often simplify when we look at others. We make the same mistake of misinterpretation of other world religions.
Violence against Christians in Egypt has been on the rise since last year’s revolution. In January of 2011, the bombing of a major church in Alexandria left 21 dead. At least 25 Coptic Christians were killed in clashes with the army in October. Christians are continuing to leave Egypt because of the fear of violence.
Life isn’t easy for those who leave. Christians who immigrate to the United States are often identified by their skin color and accent as Muslim and face rising anti-Muslim and anti-Middle Eastern discrimination. A distinct minority in Egypt, Coptic Christians find themselves to be members of an even smaller minority in other countries. The practices and traditions of the Coptic Church are distinct from those of other Christian groups and Coptic Christians do not feel at home in the midst of other Christian churches.
The region that once was the center of religious diversity now is becoming more and more polarized. Religion has become the excuse for violence. People have become intolerant of difference.
I have lived my life in a corner of Christianity that has been far from popes and hierarchical structures. My understanding of the organization of the Christian community is very different than the views of Coptic Christians. I am not a fan of icons, or lavish vestments, or crowns and jewels. I prefer the role of servant of the people. But I also know that our church has found significant partnerships with Coptic Christians. Engaging in mission around the world often means working with partners in different churches. In the Middle East, our Coptic Christian partners have been effective in their ministries of outreach and meaningful partners in development work, disaster response, and other ministries. I understand Jesus’ prayer, “That they may all be one,” to be about Christians working together in mission and ministry and not about mergers of church structures.
The death of a spiritual leader is always a time of uncertainty for faithful people. It will take some time for the 150 bishops of the church’s Holy Council to set up the process of selection of the new pope. Thousands of bishops, priests and monks are eligible to vote in the election. Shenouda has served since 1971, so it has been a long time since the selection process was needed. In the meantime, faithful Coptic Christians will wonder about the future of their church as it faces decreasing membership. This combines with fears about the future of their country as hard-line Islamists gain political power in a time of uncertainty and national transition.
I pray that religious tolerance and open religious dialogue are not just parts of the past in the Middle East, but also the way of the future. A new pope in the Coptic Christian Church will face incredible challenges and difficult times. May that new pope be graced with a vision of the future in which Christians, Jews and Muslims can live side by side with justice and peace.
The final collapse of the Ottoman Empire began with World War I. The partitioning of the Empire that followed was based primarily on European politics, not the natural relationships between the people who lived in the countries. Small countries were formed with improbably boundaries. Look at the modern country of Lebanon, for example. The people who lived there used to do regular business in cities that are now parts of Syria and Israel. The modern borders divide businesses, families and social relationships. The formation of the modern states resulted in people losing their homes, farms and properties without compensation.
The result has been that the region is scattered with refugees – people made homeless by political disputes.
There was a time when the Ottoman Empire was a model of religious tolerance. Christians, Jews and Muslims lived as neighbors in peace. This is not to say that there were not cases of discrimination and even eruptions of violence, but the land was once filled with cities that boasted churches and mosques and temples standing side by side. It is a popular theory these days to blame religion for the violence in the area, but there are still a few elders who remember when religious diversity was a way of life.
On Tuesday, they will bury a pope in Wadi Natron, northwest of Alexandria in Egypt. Pope Shenouda III died on Saturday at the age of 88. He had suffered from diabetes, renal failure and lung cancer. Shenouda was the head of the Coptic Orthodox Christian Church. The Coptic Church is the largest Christian church in the Middle East. Christians make up less than 10% of the total population of Egypt these days. Since the fall of the Ottoman Empire Christians have been leaving the Middle East in large numbers and the church has faced a steady decline in membership.
The death of a pope is a big event, nonetheless. Thousands of people have paraded by the pope’s body, displayed in an elaborate golden crown and red and golden robes. As many as two million people are expected for the funeral. The Coptic Church has a worldwide presence with members in Europe, Canada, the United States, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nambibia and South Africa.
If one were to read the popular news media, you might think that there was only one pope in Christianity. Pope Benedict XVI is the head of the Roman Catholic Church, the largest Christian communion. But the Christian Church has experienced divisions and different communions for almost all of its history. Like other world religions, it is not a monolithic gathering of people who all have the same beliefs, theology and interpretation of scripture. It is rather a complex and diverse collection of many churches.
We often simplify when we look at others. We make the same mistake of misinterpretation of other world religions.
Violence against Christians in Egypt has been on the rise since last year’s revolution. In January of 2011, the bombing of a major church in Alexandria left 21 dead. At least 25 Coptic Christians were killed in clashes with the army in October. Christians are continuing to leave Egypt because of the fear of violence.
Life isn’t easy for those who leave. Christians who immigrate to the United States are often identified by their skin color and accent as Muslim and face rising anti-Muslim and anti-Middle Eastern discrimination. A distinct minority in Egypt, Coptic Christians find themselves to be members of an even smaller minority in other countries. The practices and traditions of the Coptic Church are distinct from those of other Christian groups and Coptic Christians do not feel at home in the midst of other Christian churches.
The region that once was the center of religious diversity now is becoming more and more polarized. Religion has become the excuse for violence. People have become intolerant of difference.
I have lived my life in a corner of Christianity that has been far from popes and hierarchical structures. My understanding of the organization of the Christian community is very different than the views of Coptic Christians. I am not a fan of icons, or lavish vestments, or crowns and jewels. I prefer the role of servant of the people. But I also know that our church has found significant partnerships with Coptic Christians. Engaging in mission around the world often means working with partners in different churches. In the Middle East, our Coptic Christian partners have been effective in their ministries of outreach and meaningful partners in development work, disaster response, and other ministries. I understand Jesus’ prayer, “That they may all be one,” to be about Christians working together in mission and ministry and not about mergers of church structures.
The death of a spiritual leader is always a time of uncertainty for faithful people. It will take some time for the 150 bishops of the church’s Holy Council to set up the process of selection of the new pope. Thousands of bishops, priests and monks are eligible to vote in the election. Shenouda has served since 1971, so it has been a long time since the selection process was needed. In the meantime, faithful Coptic Christians will wonder about the future of their church as it faces decreasing membership. This combines with fears about the future of their country as hard-line Islamists gain political power in a time of uncertainty and national transition.
I pray that religious tolerance and open religious dialogue are not just parts of the past in the Middle East, but also the way of the future. A new pope in the Coptic Christian Church will face incredible challenges and difficult times. May that new pope be graced with a vision of the future in which Christians, Jews and Muslims can live side by side with justice and peace.