Coptic leader apologizes for bishop's statement questioning the Qu'ran
September 27, 2010
The leader of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church has apologized for a colleague’s public statement that some passages in the Qu’ran are incorrect. Coptic Bishop Bishoy had drawn angry protests from Muslims by saying that the Qu’ran, in its treatment of Jesus, is wrong. Bishop Bishoy, who is the second-ranking figure in the Coptic Church, said that passages in the Qu’ran that denied the divinity of Jesus might have been inserted after the death of Muhammad.
Pope Shenouda III said that the bishop’s statements had been “inappropriate,” and that debates on religious beliefs are unwise. “I am sorry if our Muslim brothers’ feelings were hurt,” said the Coptic leader, adding “we are the ones who are guests, since Muslims are the majority.”
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Further information:
- Egypt pope apologizes over bishop's Islam remarks (AP)
- Egypt's pope 'sorry' for bishop's Koran comments (BBC)
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Posted by: mclom -
Sep. 28, 2010 3:07 PM ET USA
Everytime we make a point about Islam,which we should be free to discuss because it is not our religion, we are blackmailed by threats of the consequences to "hurt feelings" of Muslims. We cannot go on like this because this is the classic method that Islam has always used to intimidate, the method used to violently over-run huge swathes of Christian territory. I pray the Holy Spirit will send a new courage to us via the seed of martyrs.
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Posted by: Mike in Toronto -
Sep. 27, 2010 6:15 PM ET USA
Sad, but true -- patriot6908 is spot on vis-a-vis dire consequences. HH Pope Shenouda is wisely of the "discretion is the better part of valour" school of thought, and recognizes that Christian martyrdom is best an individual choice, and not the result of hurt-feelings-fuelled jihad.
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Posted by: -
Sep. 27, 2010 4:02 PM ET USA
“we are the ones who are guests, since Muslims are the majority." Not quite true as Christians were in Egypt shortly after Our Lord's ascension while Islam conquered Egypt by the sword in the 7th Century--six hundred years later. But given the consequences of hurt feelings among the Muslim majority, Pope Shenouda made a discreet decision.
