Dear friends,
The Centre for Christian-Muslim Understanding and Partnership is delighted to welcome a group of undergraduate students from the University of Birmingham for two weeks. The group, led by Professor Nicholas Adams, Professor of Philosophical Theology at the University of Birmingham, have been engaging in Scriptural Reasoning sessions, Arabic lessons, and sightseeing as part of their stay in Cairo.
The students have visited places of interest representing Egypt’s diverse society and the rich tapestry of its history and culture. They visited historic Islamic Cairo, including the Islamic museum, and the citadel, al-Azhar mosque, and have also visited the office of the Grand Imam to see the process by which fatwas from all over the world are read and responded to by the scholars of al-Azhar. They have also visited the Coptic sites of Cairo, such as the Monastery of St Simon the Tanner in Moqattam, and the Hanging Church in Old Cairo. The students also visited the Library of Alexandria and the Egyptian museum to discover more about Egypt’s Greco-Roman and Pharaonic heritage.
The left photo is the students at a cave church; the right photo is students at al-Azhar mosque.
Here is what three students had to say about the experience:
‘I have enjoyed our daily excursions in Cairo, and having the opportunity to immerse ourselves in authentic Egyptian culture, and to meet locals, broaden our perspectives, and use the Arabic we have learned in our morning lessons.’ – Fatima
‘The CCMUP is a welcoming and safe environment for all people, regardless of religious background. There is so much to learn, whether you are a newcomer to learning about Christianity or Islam or an expert in the field. Everyone’s opinion is listened to seriously, everyone has space to ask questions, and everyone at the centre is accommodating and makes you feel at ease.’ – Hannah
‘The process of Scriptural reasoning allows various individuals with differing faiths and cultural backgrounds to congregate, discuss, and dissect sacred texts. Personally, I have enjoyed seeing how people read sacred texts through their different cultural lenses, which has deepened my appreciation of different traditions. I have enjoyed the openness and respectfulness of the CCMUP, which gives space for all ideas to be heard respected
equally.’ – Poppy
Professor Nicholas Adams, Professor of Philosophical Theology at the
University of Birmingham, UK.
“Our goal in this interreligious programme is an immersive experience of
language, culture, and religion. Our Birmingham students are intellectually
curious, culturally sensitive, and responsibly fearless. Our mix of scriptural
reasoning and site visits has worked well. I look forward to developing our
partnership with CCMUP over the coming years.” – Professor Adams
Best regards,
The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis
Centre Director
Website: https://www.ccmup.org/ Email: ccmupegypt@gmail.com
