Monthly Archives: September 2015

HG Bishop Angaelos’ Comment re Refugee Crisis

View official statements and press releases via www.CopticMediaUK.com 

Welcoming those less fortunate

By His Grace Bishop Angaelos,
General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom

Until now, the Middle East crisis has been contained in that part of the world, and has, for some, become somewhat of a distant reality. If we have occasionally been moved by what we have seen or heard in reports, we have also had the relative comfort of being several steps removed from the situation. Now however, we are witnessing the movement of tens of thousands of desperate people fleeing that crisis and approaching the shores of Europe to seek refuge, and so the issue has become much more immediate and closer to home.

I have recently visited both refugee camps in Erbil and transit camps on the Greek-Macedonian (FYROM) border at Idomeni, and have therefore seen this humanitarian tragedy from both sides. This has provided an invaluable opportunity to personally meet and speak with many humanitarian aid workers and volunteers, as well as those in camps, and those making the dangerous journey. It has also further reinforced my view that this is a humanitarian crisis of a scale unseen since the Second World War, and that it can only be satisfactorily addressed, let alone resolved, through collaboration among and between states, NGOs and religious institutions.

During my visit to Idomeni it was painful to hear a young Syrian man say “…in Syria we are now used to quick deaths that come with bombs or shootings, but what we are experiencing in these journeys is a slow death.” The fact that these refugees willingly travel, sometimes with their children, in what they themselves call ‘death boats’ is proof of the desperate situations they are fleeing, and their struggle should not be belittled.

Along these journeys, vulnerable refugees, many of whom are children and minors, become easy prey for trafficking and organised crime gangs that exploit this vulnerability in a way that shames our humanity. We must therefore not close our ears to the cries of those who flee the horrors of their day-to-day existence in war-torn homelands to face even more horrific journeys. As more borders close, refugees who have already sacrificed almost everything will still find alternate routes because they have nothing to lose. In anticipation, we must collaborate to formulate a coherent and humane response and continue to protect those in greatest need while recognising and preserving their dignity.

As the United Kingdom prepares to welcome refugees from camps bordering Syria under the Government’s Vulnerable People Relocation Scheme (VPRS), it is imperative that we look at the whole issue of asylum with renewed insight. Until now, refugees have been considered by many as a potential burden and/or threat on and to our communities, and an additional drain on our economy. Looking with humane eyes however, we must realise that the majority of these vulnerable individuals have experienced immense suffering and loss and have not wanted to, but have been compelled to, leave their countries, communities, and all they have behind. Many have even more tragically also lost loved ones in this ongoing conflict.

The Prime Minister’s initiative to accept 20,000 refugees from camps bordering Syria over the next five years is welcomed, as it will indeed make a significant difference to those people and their families. While this is a start to solving a problem that is now of immense magnitude, we are also hopeful that these numbers will be revisited over time, and increased when possible to accommodate the ever-increasing flow of people fleeing conflict, war and persecution. As we see people come into the United Kingdom under this scheme or others, it is worth considering our outlook on the overall situation.

I was moved by the call of a senior figure within UNHCR Greece during my recent visit, who challenged us as Church leaders to make the teaching of Matthew 25 manifest: “Come, you blessed of My Father… for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I wasnaked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” This commandment is timeless and without exception, it applies today just as much as it did 2000 years ago when our Lord Jesus Christ Himself sought refuge in Egypt, fleeing adversity (Matthew 2:13).

As we do our utmost to serve those in great need, we pray for the millions currently displaced, those currently in refugee camps, and others who have embarked on treacherous journeys fleeing war and conflict; we also pray for policy makers, aid workers and volunteers who are dealing with this complex situation first-hand.

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Find out more about His Grace’s visit to Greece via CTBI.org.uk

Statement on assisted suicide by Bishop Angaelos

View our official statements via www.CopticMediaUK.com 

Statement on the proposal to legalise assisted suicide

By His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church
in the United Kingdom

As we approach the UK Parliament debate on the proposed ‘assisted dying bill’, we must ensure that this discussion is conducted within the context of a clear understanding of the sanctity of life and the inevitability of death. At the outset, the selective use of the term ‘assisted dying’ over ‘assisted suicide’ shifts the focus from the fact that this act will essentially legitimise and facilitate the premature taking of one’s own life.

An open letter addressed to parliamentarians regarding the ‘assisted dying’ bill was published in the Guardian on 5 September 2015, signed by various Faith leaders, of which I was one. This letter which opposed the bill outlined the following key concerns:

  • “If passed, it will directly affect not only those who are terminally ill and who wish to end their lives, but also their families and friends and the health professionals who care for them”
  • “It also has the potential to have a significant impact on other vulnerable individuals: those who believe that they have become burdens to family and carers and feel under pressure within themselves to ‘do the decent thing’ and, tragically, those who might be pressured by others to seek a medically-assisted death”
  • “In the UK some 500,000 elderly people are abused each year, most by family members, often for financial reasons. Many of these would also be vulnerable to pressure to end their lives prematurely”
  • “For many, a change in the law would result, not in great comfort, but in an added burden to consider ending their lives prematurely; a burden they ought not be asked to bear”

We have an age-old duty of care, especially to those closest to us, and this proposed change could in certain situations deprive us of giving that care to those who may consider themselves purely as a burden, and thus seek the premature ending of their own lives.

It is encouraging that the vast majority of doctors and healthcare professionals entrusted with front-line care for terminal patients see their role as being either to provide treatment or the appropriate palliative care, according to their medical judgement, but not as actively encouraging or taking part in ending life.

In not knowing when life will end, we continue to live that life to its fullest and impact the world around us, even at an advanced age or when experiencing the greatest illness. If we are now placed in a position to decide when life can or should indeed end, whether it be ours or others, this could significantly affect how we live our life, and would create a constant dilemma for many as to when the ‘right time’ to end it would be.

One unsettling element of the proposed bill is that it qualifies a person for assisted suicide if he or she is “reasonably expected to die within six months” leaving no room for the uncertainty which we know to still be part of our medical science even today. My own pastoral experience has brought me to minister to many diagnosed with terminal illness who have lived far beyond their prescribed life-expectancy. One brother bishop in particular who was told that he had 6 months to live 7 years ago continues to effectively shepherd his flock until today.

At a time when we see tens of thousands of people coming to our shores, fleeing death and seeking a better chance of life, this bill essentially seeks to advocate for those within those same shores to end their lives; a stark contrast indeed. Rather than looking at ways to legitimately end life, our focus should be on how to allow people to live and safeguard it as a precious gift.

Regardless of the outcome of this debate, it must be acknowledged that being in a place where death seems preferable to life, whether our own or others, is one of immense pain, and so we pray comfort for those suffering that pain, those seeing loved ones suffering before them, and for the wide variety of healthcare and support professionals who deal with them at various stages of their journey.

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Statement on refugee crisis by HG Bishop Angaelos

View the statement via our Media and Communications office www.CopticMediaUK.com or read below:

Statement on the refugee crisis in Europe

By His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church
in the United Kingdom

4 September 2015

Having seen heartbreaking images of the lifeless and abandoned body of young Aylan Kurdi lying alone on a beach in Turkey puts an all too gruesome optic to a matter either in the forefront or background of every mind over the past months. The images we have now become too accustomed to seeing may have desensitised some, but the horrific reality of the situation remains; thousands of people continue to risk all, even their lives, to seek the safety that we are thankfully free to live on a daily basis.

Whether it is Aylan, his family, or the countless thousands of others making the treacherous journey to flee conflict and find a better life, we must now realise that the solution to this crisis is greater than for individual Churches, religions, communities, or even states to address alone, and so a more universal, integrated and collaborative approach to make the best of limited human and material resources, must be sought.

The Church of Egypt is no stranger to the issue of asylum as it was Egypt that accepted and embraced the infant Christ and His family as refugees when they fled targeted and intentional persecution. It is indeed telling that while the world has apparently progressed over millennia since then, the problems and challenges remain the same.

As a Church with its roots in the Middle East we are very aware of the struggles faced by people in the region, Christians and others. It is essential that the plight of these refugees is not belittled or ignored, as they face very real challenges in their homelands, living with a daily threat to their livelihood and even existence.

At a time of increasing economic pressure in Europe and a greater fear of importing radical elements seeking to destabilise our communities, it is understandable that caution must be exercised. Having said that however, that caution should not mean a blanket rejection of the vast majority of those coming who are genuinely seeking safety for themselves and their families. What is concerning is abrasive rhetoric in the media and public sphere, leading to the constant dehumanisation of people who are undoubtedly victims of this conflict, to the extent that many now see them simply as an impending risk to their communities, putting aside their basic rights and needs. What we must realise is that many of these people, indigenous to their homelands, are not fleeing out of choice or preference but out of sheer necessity.

This is undoubtedly an extremely complex issue that involves geo-politics, global economics, European economies and borders, state and regional security, as well as an increasingly volatile Middle East, but as I have mentioned previously, we must not be prescriptive to people living in crisis on whether or not they should stay and fight in their war-torn countries, or flee for their lives. Whatever their choices may be, we must advocate to either safeguard their continued presence or provide an alternative if they cease to see a viable continuity in their homelands.

It is encouraging, that over the past few days there has been a greater intention and appetite for a pragmatic and compassionate response to this increasing refugee crisis in seeking practical solutions whatever they may be.

The Scriptures are timeless in their direction, and when the Lord God instructs His people to care for the widow, orphan, traveller and stranger (Deuteronomy 10:18) that was not meant exclusively for His immediate audience alone, but to the whole of humanity over time.

These challenging events remind us of the brokenness of our humanity, but as Christians we also recognise the ability of God to heal that brokenness. For that reason, we pray confidently for solutions in the homelands of those fleeing, the countries that may extend whatever hospitality they can, and above all, safety for many who make these dangerous journeys out of sheer desperation.

*Ends*