News relevant to the Coptic church in Egypt.

[Norbert L]

Dr. Jay Smith who is a Christian academic involved in a wider historical discussion with Muslim apologists about the history between us and Islam. Some of his work involves historical evidences that discredit Islam has now focused on the Ashtiname letter that can affect the Church in Egypt and not in a safe way.

Rather than me explain it in an incomplete way, he explains his predicament in this short video. In my view anyone here who knows someone who is associated with that church, may want to let them know.

 

[Phronema]

This is interesting, but I'd just say that he isn't the first person whether Christian, or Muslim to doubt the authenticity of that particular document.

I hate to be a naysayer, but I highly doubt this will change many things. Muslims through the centuries haven't followed it, and in recent years attacks have been carried out against the very monastery where this document resides at St. Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai.

In addition two attacks were carried out against St. Mark's Cathedral, and St. George's during Holy Week during The Divine Liturgy on Palm Sunday 9 April 2017 where 45 people were killed, and 126 injured to include the Muslim police personnel outside the churches.

Sadly the Ashtiname Letter doesn't seem to matter to the ones carrying out the attacks, and so not much will change in my opinion.

With that said thank you for posting about it though.

 

[ArmyMatt]

you also might wanna share this on The Voice in the Desert forum, as that's the forum for the non-Chalcedonians.

 

[dzheremi]

Not as relevant as it might seem, as St. Catherine's is probably the most famous Chalcedonian place of worship in Egypt, so it doesn't concern the Copts. The Arab invaders never covenanted the ashtinameh with the Coptic population. Not that it really matters anyway, since, as Phronema points out, the Arabs themselves don't respect this document, whether real or fake.

 

[ArmyMatt]

it's interesting, I just remembered from my time in Seminary, when the librarian from St Catherine's came and gave a talk. he said he believed it was a legit document and a lot of local Bedouins believe it's legit too, and are known to take up arms to defend the monastery from other Muslims.