Aug
7
Communique from the Presiding Bishop of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East
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Today the former president of Iran, Dr Khatami received the newly installed Bishop in Iran, Azad Marshall along with Bishop Michael Nazir Ali of Rochester and the Presiding Bishop.We assured Dr Khatami that Bishop Azad had committed himself as a servant of Christ to be a servant to all the people of Iran, regardless of their religion. We had observed that pictures of Muslim Imams showed them with haloes around their heads in common with pictures of Christian saints. This suggests that Iran is a place where civilizations meet together – Christians, Jews and Muslims. It is our duty now to make this happen again.
Bishop Michael Nazir Ali expressed appreciation for Dr Khatami’s focus in inter-faith dialogue on Stewardship of the Creation, the Dialogue of Civilisations and the Theology of Dialogue and hoped this could be developed. They also exchanged reflections on Persian poetry.
Dr Khatami noted that Iran was the site of the oldest church building in the world, and it had offered safety to Christians when they were being persecuted in the early centuries. Iran also welcomed Islam and has tried to develop a great Islamic civilization. The role of Christianity was very important in this.
The former president noted that Nietzche had proclaimed that God is dead, by which he meant that the thought of God is dead in the modern world. The new civilization has brought many achievements for humanity, but in it the thought of God has been forgotten. In its place has been put the super-man, the will to power. This has been expressed in the face of Hitler. Hitler is dead, but his spirit exists in war, terrorism and violation of people.
He continued that we dare to say that God is alive. It is our duty to vitalize the thought of God among humanity. We are sure that Christianity and Islam are trying to address the absence of the thought of God among us. The great task for all of us is to fill the gap, a task in which we can all be together though we have differences in detail.
The most important dialogue in the dialogue of civilizations is the dialogue among religions.
Dr Khatami closed by saying “Emphatically I wish success to Bishop Azad. Bishop Azad, this is your home”
On behalf of the province of Jerusalem and the Middle East and the diocese of Iran we express our profound gratitude to Dr Khatami for his words and his welcome.
The Most Rev Mouneer Anis
Presiding Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East
Tehran
Aug
6
Communiqué of House of Bishops of Church of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East
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The House of Bishops of the Church of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East met in Iran on the occasion of the installation of Bishop Azad Marshall and issued the following communiqué.We the undersigned have met in Tehran. We were very pleased and rejoice in the election and installation of Bishop Azad Marshall as the 6th Bishop of the Diocese of Iran. We welcome him as a full member of the House of Bishops. We pray that the Lord will give him the wisdom and love he needs as he leads his diocese as well as Pakistani Christian Urdu-speaking parishes under his oversight in the Gulf.
We are very encouraged by the new spirit that we have observed in the church in Iran and also the openness and support of the Government of Iran to our church and also the keenness and desire of the Muslim religious leaders to start a dialogue with us in the province.
We also welcome the bishop elect of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, the Rt Rev Michael Lewis and we look forward to his installation in the future.
We fully support the Bishop of Jerusalem, the Rt Rev Suheil Dawani for all his efforts to promote peace and reconciliation and inter-faith dialogue throughout his diocese especially in this critical time of conflicts. We also fully support him as he seeks the recognition of our church in Syria.
In view of the many challenges and opportunities of service that have arisen as a result of the changes in our province in the last twenty years, we also recognize the need for developing a common vision for our province and we are looking forward to discuss this in future provincial meetings.
We are committed to pray and support Archbishop Rowan Williams in keeping the unity of the Communion at this difficult time. We recognize the importance of maintaining our faith and the unity of the Church of Christ especially in this region where we face many challenges.
We accept and affirm the recommendation made by the Primates in their last meeting in Dar-es-Salaam and we fully endorse their communiqué.
We greet all the churches in the Anglican Communion in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God the Father.
Rt Rev Suheil Salman Dawani (Jerusalem)
Rt Rev Azad Marshall (Iran)
Most Rev Mouneer Hanna Anis (Egypt) Presiding Bishop
Tehran August 6 2007
Aug
5
Greetings from the Archbishop of Canterbury to Bishop Azad Marshall
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To our beloved in the Lord, the Right Reverend Azad Marshall
It gives me great pleasure to be able to send you greetings through our dear brother Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali on this day of great joy and significance for the Diocese of Iran. As you assume your responsibilities as the sixth Anglican Bishop in Iran, be assured of our continued prayers, and those of countless Anglicans throughout the world, for the crucial mission of Christian witness you shall oversee.
You will know from our meetings in Pakistan and here at Lambeth Palace, that the affairs of the Anglican Church in Iran are regularly in our thoughts and prayers. Your efforts in restoring the diocesan structure to provide a solid foundation for the future have been particularly valued and it is encouraging to see the focus on raising up a team of co-workers bearing fruit. The task of building relationships with government and religious leaders is an important element in the ministry to which you are called and we look forward to working with you in promoting deeper mutual understanding.
In recalling some words of St Paul in his letter to the Hebrews (10:32-38) I wish upon you and your family, your fellow bishops in the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, the faithful of Iran and all those gathered to celebrate your installation in Tehran our Lord’s richest blessings.
Rowan Cantuar
Aug
5
Summary of Sermon by Bishop Michael Nazir Ali at Installation of Bishop of Iran
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Tomorrow is the Transfiguration. Now the feast is about to begin. We find that Jesus is so taken up in the life of God and the Father that God is seen to be shining in and through him. This is that glory that Moses was not able to see. It is now seen shining in and through Jesus.This glory is just a sign of something greater to come. Jesus already has been acknowledged as Messiah by Peter. Jesus has spoken of his suffering and death. The transfiguration is God’s assurance to him that whatever the suffering to come, the glory is to be revealed.
The glory seen in the risen Jesus is also the glory of men and women as they are meant to be but which we have lost through sin and rebellion
That is why Paul’s words in Colossians 3 in our other lesson all depend on the resurrection of Jesus. If we are raised with Jesus we are to set our hearts on things above where Christ is. We are to take off what is not desirable – including sexual immorality, evil desires and greed, which is called idolatry.
Jesus by his obedience has turned away the wrath of God from us and our rebellion and made us friends. Some things we have to put on – what are they? Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We are to bear with one another, and forgive each other. Above all put on love. The word cummerbund in the Persian translation is appropriate because it keeps all the clothes together.
The peace we have now has been achieved through the work of Christ. Then Paul urges that they should let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach one another in all wisdom. Jesus is God’s wisdom heard and seen by us. Jesus has been seen in glory. The glory of the crucified and risen Christ belong together.
Jesus said “I when I am lifted up will draw everyone to myself”. As those who live the risen life, we must see what we have to put off and what we have to put on. Our task is to seek such glory of Jesus. His risen life is to be found in the Bible. His risen life helps us lose what hinders life.
My hope is that Bishop Azad ( whose name means free) will free you to be followers of the risen Christ and help you to know what you have to put off and what to put on.
Aug
4
A fresh hope for the Church in Iran
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A statement from the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East
We greet you in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
We have gathered from around the Anglican Communion for the installation of Bishop Azad Marshall as the sixth Bishop in Iran.
We rejoice to find that the Anglican Episcopal Church in Iran has been active since the announcement of the appointment of Bishop Azad Marshall as vicar-general of the Diocese in Iran in 2004. Bishop Azad has focused his early work on regathering those of the Anglican community who had been dispersed over the last years. In particular he has been able to welcome and encourage clergy to begin taking public services of worship again in churches. All those whom we have met have spoken of Bishop Azad’s welcoming spirit.
The response of the Anglican community here was shown when representatives of each region in Iran, including Shiraz, Isfahan, Jolfa and Tehran, met in synod in Tehran and elected Bishop Azad as their Bishop by 15 votes to 1. Thus the people of Iran themselves have affirmed the discernment of the Province who nominated him as Diocesan Bishop in February 2007.
Bishop Azad has also built good relationships with the Muslim religious leaders in Iran, and specially with those in the Ministry of Religious Affairs. He joined with ex-President Khatmi in his visit to the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace earlier this year. The Bishop is now involved in dialogue with the Islamic organizations. He is committed to enabling peace and reconciliation between the two faith communities.
The importance which the Islamic leadership and the Iranian Government attaches to the installation of Bishop Azad is shown by the the way in which the Presiding Bishop Mouneer Anis of Egypt was received on arrival at Tehran Airport by representatives of the Iranian Government and the Egyptian Ambassador.
We ask for your prayers for Bishop Marshall and his family as he faces many challenges. He will continue his responsibilities as Bishop of the Church of Pakistan in the Gulf. In Iran he will focus on restoring parishes and repairing church buildings that have been closed and deserted for many years. This will require significant financial investment.
With the openness of the Government and People of Iran there is hope that these church properties could be returned to the name of the Church in Iran once again.
The Installation will take place in St Luke’s Church, Tehran on Sunday August 5th at 5 p.m (1.30 p.m.GMT). Several Bishops from around the Anglican Communion have already arrived to take part, including Bishop Michael Nazir Ali of Rochester who is representing the Archbishop of Canterbury and who will be leading all the bishops of the Province and visiting Bishops when they meet Iraqi Ayatollah for a dialogue on the evening of August 6th, Archbishop John Chew (South East Asia), Bishop Suheil Dawani, Bishop of Jerusalem, Bishop Paul Butler of Southampton, Bishop Riah, former Bishop of Jerusalem,and a representative of the Bishop of Oxford.
We request your prayers for the installation service.
Presiding Bishop Mouneer Anis, Presiding Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East.