Bishop Angaelos

Bishop Angaelos
General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
Installed 14 November 1999
Other posts member of The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church
Orders
Ordination 1999
Consecration consecrated by Pope Shenouda III
Personal details
Birth name Anba[1]
Born Egypt
Nationality British
Denomination Oriental Orthodoxy
Residence Coptic Orthodox Church Centre, Stevenage, United Kingdom

Bishop Angaelos was consecrated in 1999 as a General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom,[1] the church of Egypt founded by Mark the Apostle around 55 AD and the largest Christian denomination in the Middle East. He was born in Cairo, Egypt and emigrated with his family to Australia; he spent his childhood and early life there, obtained his Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Political Science, Philosophy and Sociology, and went on to postgraduate studies in law whilst working in the same field. He returned to Egypt in 1990 to join the monastery of Saint Bishoy in Wadi-El-Natroun where he was subsequently consecrated a monk by Pope Shenouda III. He served as Papal secretary until 1995, when he was delegated by the Pope to serve as a parish priest in the United Kingdom. He is also Patriarchal Exarch for the Youth Ministry at the Patriarchal Center and the Coptic Orthodox Theological College at Stevenage.[1] He is recorded as holding British nationality

He travels extensively around the world lecturing to Coptic youth at various youth conventions and conferences.

Official representation

Church ecumenical and public relations in the United Kingdom. Ecumenical activity at local, national and international levels, also working extensively in the area of inter-religious relations.

Local

Churches Together in Stevenage (CTIS)

Churches Together in Stevenage (CTIS) is the gathering of Christian churches in Stevenage and surrounding Hertfordshire villages, it has 30 member churches and 6 associate member organisations. The Coptic Orthodox Church is member of CTIS and is represented by Bishop Angaelos

National

General Synod of the Church of England

During the February 2012 session of the General Synod, Bishop Angaelos became the first appointed representative to it of the Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Churches Together in England (CTE)

Bishop Angaelos sits on the following national boards and committees of CTE:

Presidency of CTE

Churches Together in England have taken the decision to include a fifth president representing the Orthodox Churches in England. The Presidency and the Trustee positions will be held for a three-year term. Angaelos will be President from March 2015 to March 2018

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI)

The Coptic Orthodox Church is a member of CTBI and represented by Bishop Angaelos, a member of the Board of Trustees.

Churches Interfaith Religious Network (CIRN), an ecumenical instrument of CTBI

The Churches' Inter Religious Network succeeds the Churches' Commission for Inter Faith Relations. It is the churches' ecumenical forum on inter faith matters.

Moderator of the CIRN

Angaelos has been the Moderator since 2007

Council of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the United Kingdom and Ireland (COOC)

The following Oriental Orthodox Churches are members of the COOC:

Angaelos was chairperson as of 2013. He had been President from July 2010 to July 2012 (maximum 2 terms).

Anglican-Oriental Orthodox Regional Forum (AOORF)

The purpose of the Forum is to bring together representatives from the Church of England and those Oriental Orthodox Churches which are increasingly present in the United Kingdom. In summary the aims of the Forum are to receive and consider documents from international dialogues and their local relevance and implications amongst both clergy and laity; to encourage the unity of the Church through common prayer, worship, witness and education; and to discuss current pastoral, social and political issues and where appropriate make representations and responses to these issues. Bishops Angaelos and Geoffrey Rowell are the Co-chairs.

Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Regional Forum (COORF)

COORF tries to work within areas which can be agreed upon. Bishop Angaelos and Archbishop Kevin McDonald are the Co-Chairs.

Christian-Muslim Forum (CMF)

Bishop Angaelos is one of the six Scholar Consultants who have been appointed to support the theological and scholarly work of the CMF.

International

Lausanne Orthodox Initiative

This is an international initiative that brings together evangelical members of the Lausanne Movement with members of the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, to bring better and deep relationships between them. Angaelos is a Co-Chair.

Anglican-Oriental Orthodox International Theological Commission

The Anglican - Oriental Orthodox Commission was established in 2001 and began its work by addressing questions of Christology. It has produced a draft Agreement on Christology, which is currently being considered by the Churches of the Anglican Communion. Talks aimed at the resumption of dialogue are in progress. Bishop Angaelos represents the Coptic Orthodox Church on the Commission.

World Council of Churches (WCC)

The Coptic Orthodox Church is a member of the WCC; Angaelos represented it at the 9th Assembly in Brazil in 200 and will attend the 10th Assembly in Korea in 2013.

Initiatives

Asylum Advocacy Group (AAG)

The Coptic Orthodox Church UK Asylum Advocacy Group was formed in 2007 by Bishop Angaelos, who is the chair, and incorporates the following interested parties:

The Coptic Orthodox Church, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, The Evangelical Alliance, UK Copts Association, United Copts of Great Britain, Educational Relief Trust, Barnabus Fund, Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust. Baroness Cox and Angaelos are founder members of the AAG; clergy, lawyers and specialists in human rights are members.

The AAG addresses the religious faith problems and issues that Muslim-Christian converts from Egypt have during their asylum application process with the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA). A Report for the AAG was commissioned in 2007 to look at addressing the experience of Egyptian converts to Christianity in the UK asylum system. This Report is now used to brief the Home Office, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the judiciary. It is also used to support the applications of affected parties. The AAG is currently working with the UKBA on training needs and requirements for case workers to ensure that asylum seekers who are converts receive fair and unbiased treatment.

The Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom under Angaelos's leadership responded to a government consultation on same-sex civil marriage on 14 June 2012, saying that it could not support the proposal and listing items for consideration.[2]

Overview and patronages

Official Positions
Patronages

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Anba Angaelos of Coptic Orthodox Church
  2. ↑ Press release on same-sex civil marriage from the Coptic Orthodox Church Centre UK, with a letter by Angaelos, 12 June 2012. The letter says that the full response is on Web site www.CopticCentre.Blogspot.com

External links