Beginning of Missions in Egypt
Missionaries have been in Egypt since the beginning of Bible times and continue to work closely with its citizens today. There are two main types of missionary workers who have ventured into Egypt, mainly consisting of Christians and Muslims. Both groups continue to work hard to share their beliefs with the Egyptian people, as well as offering lots of humanitarian aid in the process.
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| Abraham's journey to Egypt. 11 |
Christianity
Christianity made its way into Egypt through the hands
of Biblical men. One of the first times this country is mentioned in the Bible
is in Genesis 12:10 when Abraham is fleeing famine in the land, taking his wife
and family into Egypt.1 Thus, one could say that
Abraham was one of the first original “missionaries” that came proclaiming God
as the I Am, even before Christ arrived. In the first century A.D., Saint Mark
came into Egypt preaching the Word of God proudly and bringing in doctrine with
theology.3 By the 1700’s, many
protestant European missionaries expanded their forces to the continent of Africa.
The Baptist, London, and Church Missionary Societies went into the midst of
Egypt, bringing with them the Bible, medical professionals, and teachers.3 This allowed for the
gospel to be shared in a Protestant view, while offering lots of aid to the poor
and needy. The last group of missionary encounters came when American
Presbyterians came into Egypt, desiring to establish the Near East Council of
Churches (NECC) in the early 1960’s.4 This organization was able
to solidify the churches of Egypt, evangelize to the lost, and convert many
people from Islam.
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| Muslim conquest of Egypt. 12 |
Islam
Missionaries of Islam have tried converting Egyptian
citizens since 6th century. Between 569 and 632 A.D. Mohammad
preached his views throughout Egypt, conquering the country at the same time.
He made it clear that one could either peacefully convert to Islam, or die because
of refusal.5 However, because the religion
appealed to the masses by aligning closely with traditional African views, it
was easier for Egyptians to accept and convert. Marital interest along with
political values were consistent with what Egyptians already believed, helping
convert many souls to the Muslim faith in the first era of mission work. Amr
took over after Mohammad died, moving troops across Egyptian boarders to subdue
the citizens and conquer the cities.6
Impact on Today’s Society
Throughout the years, missionaries and religious
activates have had great impact on the Egyptian people. Islam is currently the
largest religion in Egypt, accounting for about 87% of its population.7 In the past few decades
Islam has taken a very political role in Egyptian government, promoting
democracy, extremism, and fundamentalism. This impact hit non-Muslims hard when
they feared a struggle forming between modern thinkers and the legalistic
Muslims. 8 Nevertheless, many
Egyptians are in agreement that Islam continues to have a powerful role in the
government today. On the other hand, Christianity may only represent 12% of
Egypt’s religious beliefs, but it has provided much humanitarian aid to this
African country. Samaritans Purse food, necessities, and biblical guidance to
hurting people in and around Egypt.9 Habitat for humanity also
offers the impoverished in Egypt housing to families who are in need of a warm,
hygienic, and safe living space. 10
[1]
Holy Bible
[3] Overfield, James H. 2011.
"Christian Missionary Endeavors in Africa and Asia". In World
History Encyclopedia, Alfred J. Andrea. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. http://ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login?url=http://literati.credoreference.com/content/entry/abccliow/christian_missionary_endeavors_in_africa_and_asia/0
[4] American
Evangelicals
[5] Fowler,
Sir Montigue. Christian Egypt, Past, Present, and Future. London: Church
Newspaper, 1901.
[6] Fowler,
Sir Montigue. Christian Egypt, Past, Present, and Future. London: Church
Newspaper, 1901.
[7] "Egypt."
Operation World. Accessed April 28, 2016. http://www.operationworld.org/egyp.
[8] Auxier,
Richard C. "Egypt, Democracy and Islam." Pew Research Centers Global
Attitudes Project RSS. January 31, 2011. Accessed April 29, 2016.
http://www.pewglobal.org/2011/01/31/egypt-democracy-and-islam/.
[9]
"Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief: Past Activities." Samaritan's
Purse Canada. Accessed April 28, 2016. http://samaritanspurse.ca/rss/disaster-relief/canada/samaritans-purse-disaster-relief-past-activities.aspx#.VyJflEYmsnI.
[10] "Egypt." Habitat for Humanity Int'l. Accessed
April 28, 2016. http://www.habitat.org/where-we-build/egypt.
[11] Christian Publishing House. The Sins of Abraham. Ohio, 2014. Web. 29 April 2016. http://www.christianpublishers.org/apps/blog/show/42802205-the-sins-of-abraham-
[12] Pesantren Global. Muslim Conquest of Egypt. Pendidikan, 2013. http://www.pesantrenglobal.com/muslim-conquest-of-egypt/
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