Is a Man as Good as his Political Islamic Word?
Yesterday I had the unique opportunity to visit the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Muqattam area of Cairo. I interviewed their official spokesman, Mahmoud Ghozlan about a recent document of principles agreed upon by the Brotherhood and the leadership of the Evangelical Churches of Egypt. It is a very interesting document, and I [...]
Reflecting on the Papal Shrines
Five people were killed yesterday at St. Bishoy Monastery, crushed to death visiting the shrine of Pope Shenouda. I was nearly there, along with my three year old daughter. It was meant to be part two of my visits to the shrines of the most recent popes. The second leg was not planned with the [...]
Drawing through the Walls: Artists Beautify Cairo’s Barriers
Over the past several months the military council has erected massive stone barriers during street confrontations around the Interior Ministry near Tahrir Square. They have meant either to separate revolutionaries and police forces engaged in pitched battles, or, as a preventative measure to block the path to the ministry itself. As a consequence, not only [...]
Friday Prayers for Egypt: Constituent Assembly and Power Struggles
God, Perhaps it can be no other way. But it does not seem right. Parliament has chosen the 100 members necessary to draft Egypt’s constitution, but before any progress is made, near 20% have resigned. These are liberals and leftists together, complaining the assembly is dominated by Islamists. Others have put in their protest as [...]
Selecting the Next Pope
Near thirty journalists gathered at the Cairo Foreign Press Association headquarters to gain insight on the process involved in selecting a successor to the recently deceased Pope Shenouda. Arab West Report presented its research on the subject, accepting also further inquiries. The March 27 meeting was opened by FPA board member Sayid Ghuriyat, and presided [...]
Previous Articles on Egypt’s Constituent Assembly Members
Egypt is currently undergoing a major political stir concerning the formation of the constitution. The referendum in March 2011 assigned parliament the right to elect a 100 member constituent assembly to draft the constitution, which would be put to a popular referendum after fifteen days. Very little instructions were provided on how this should be [...]
A Salafi Speaks in Church on Shenouda
The evening was supposed to be about Fatima Naout and Pope Shenouda. It turned out to be so much more. That it included Fatima Naout is semi-exceptional in itself. St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church in Maadi invited her to be the keynote presenter for a memorial service for Pope Shenouda. Naout is a Muslim. Yet [...]
CNN in Cairo: Ben Wedeman
It is not an Arab Spring, says Ben Wedeman, CNN’s Senior Correspondent in Cairo, as it has lasted through several seasons, and is likely to continue several more. He prefers the term Arab Revolt, and believes there is no going back. Wedeman spoke at the Abraham Forum hosted by St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church [...]
Friday Prayers for Egypt: Pope Shenouda and the Constitution
God, Give comfort to the Copts in the loss of their pope. Pope Shenouda was a father figure and the only spiritual patriarch many Copts have ever known. May his death remind them that all die, but their confidence rests in the one of whom their faith claims resurrected the Messiah. As they find this [...]
Mother’s Day: Culture, Parenting, and Last-Minute Chocolate
Our American readers may wonder why I am writing about this topic two months before the US celebrates their matriarchs, but here in Egypt, our big day is on March 21st. Mother’s Day has been celebrated in the last three countries we have lived in: Jordan, Tunisia, and now, Egypt. I don’t remember the dates [...]
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