Another Class Begins

Greetings again from Cairo. We have just started another class in the Fall term. In the first picture you see Dr. Jan Opsal, a professor from the School of Mission and Theology, in Stavanger, Norway, who will be the instructor, and some of the students participating in the class. It is titled: "Sharing the Same Prophets - Men in the Muslim and Christian Scriptures". Dr. Jan is in the blue shirt, and a second student from Norway, Kate, is on the left, with some students you have met before.

The course will review the stories of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus as they are portrayed in the Qur'an and Hadith (traditions) of Islam, and the Old and the New Testament of Christians. It will use the same format as the course Dr. Jan taught on "Women in the Muslim and Christian Scriptures" last January. This combined course signals a growing partnership between his institution and the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo. It is hoped that in the future some ETSC students will travel to Stavanger for a semester or two as part of their studies program.

Because of Dr. Jan's tight schedule the class will meet for only four weeks (til mid December) and for a longer period of time each Tuesday and Wednesday.

We are pleased that this relationship between our two schools is continuing. Dr Jan will also teach two of our Scholar's Seminars on Tusday afternoons while he is here. These are open to all faculty, other students who speak English, and guests from the wider academic community in Cairo

To the left is the syllabus for the class and a book which I want to recommend which follows the same plan as Dr. Jan's class. Let me quote a few sentencs from the introduction to the book to give you some idea of how this works. Under the subtitle: "Joseph Meets Joseph" the author Dr. John Kaltner writes:

A comparative analysis of the Joseph story in the Qur'an and the

Bible that is informed by narrative criticism allows us to come to a

fuller understanding of the rhetorical dimension of the two texts.

{The Bible and the Qur'an are} put in conversation with each other

in a prolonged and detailed way. (p. xix + xx)

He goes on to say that we can "listen in" on that encounter (between Joseph and Joseph) as though we were sitting in a circle with the two different story tellers, each intent on telling the story in such a way as to convey what that person wishes to say.

Worth looking into. The book should be available in the United States. Its full title is: "Inquiring of Joseph, Getting to Know a Biblical Character through the Qur'an", from a series called "interfaces", Barbara Green, Editor. It is published by the Liturgical Press out of Collegeville, Minnesota.

Last week I presented the prospectus for my January course on "Biblical Hermeneutics in the Modern World" at a Scholar's Seminar. One definition of "Hermeneutics" is the study and the methods we employ to get the most out of the Biblical texts. This is what I will try to do in my class. That is what Dr. Jan is doing in his class. If you would like a copy of the text I used in my presentation, you can write me at my e-mail address: rogerrab39@yahoo.com.

Hope you are well. Roger

Doing Research in Egypt

Greetings from the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo. We are well into our fall term. One of the classes I am teaching is to help students identify and research the topic they will develop into a master's thesis in the last half of their second year. This involves using a book entitled: "The Craft of Research", by Wayne Booth. The course also helps to provide tips for the students as they study and write in English, a second language for each. Pictured here are some of the students and faculty who attended a recent "Scholar's Seminar", an opportunity to have faculty and students present "papers" which can be discussed and reviewed. Next week, the five students on their second year will present the "tentative" subject for their dissertations. We want them to demonstrate a knowledge of what they have learned in classes in Biblical Studies or Christianity in the Middle East, and then to make an original contribution to their field of research. This will analyse original sources and will also connect with an interest in their own lives and ministries. I will discuss these with you in a later blog.
Pictured to the right is a professor in Church History at the seminary, The Rev. Wageeb, who led the seminar on how to access resources on line from the United States. The seminary subscribes to a service called "ATLA" (the American Theological Library Association), which offers its users a way to review and download resources from hundreds on valuable periodicals produced over the last several years. It will be too costly for this or any seminary to order all of these and to store them. The Rev. Wageeb, who graduated from the master's program several years ago, is presently teaching at ETSC, and is pursuing his doctoral degree at the University of Birmingham in England. It is an important goal of the seminary to provide for the study of its Egyptian teachers aboard, so they can increase in their scholarship and teaching ability. The Presbyterian Church in America shares an objective with The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to train indigenous leaders and scholars so that they can assume more responsibility for the ministry of their churches. Missionaries from the United States seek to aid in this development and in effect want "to work themselves out of a job". We also will welcome the contributions to be made in the future by "non-western" scholars. The Rev, soon to be Doctor Wageeb, is one of these.

Hope all are well. Will write again soon.

Roger Rogahn

First week of school

Greetings again from the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo. We have just completed our first week of the Fall term. The first picture shows most of the first and second year students in the master's program, and the teacher from the Netherlands, Professor Jan deWit. The woman with blond hair (as you can imagine) is the visiting student from Norway. The stairs are at the front entrance of the administrative and classroom building of the seminary. The
classes will run until late December. Professor deWit is teaching a course on Isaiah, and I am teaching two classes, Christianity in the Middle East - III (1800 to the present) and a course which helps students with their research and in writing a dissertation during their second year. I will let you know soon what their topics will be.

In November and December we will welcome back a professor from Norway, Dr. Jan Opsal. He will bring some students with him and teach a course entitled: "Sharing the Same Prophets, Men in the Muslim and Christian Scriptures". It will examine the ways that five men, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, are portrayed in the Qur'an and Hadith, and in the Christian Bible. It should be as interesting and stimulating as the one he taught last January on the women of our traditions. I am also looking forward to teaching a class in January entitled: "Principles of Biblical Interpretation (Hermeneutics) in the 20th century". This will include a study of feminist interpretations, interpretations from Latin America "liberation" scholars, and what has come to be called: "Post-Colonial Hermeneutics", the writings of Middle Eastern, African and Asian Biblical scholars, who, while acknowledging their debt to European and American teachers, are developing their own "contextual" interpretations. Should be quite a challenge to teach.

The second picture shows the participants in the seminary retreat, which was held the week before school started. Its purposes were: to welcome new students, to renew friendship with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students, and to hear
about the summer practical experiences they had. In addition to the 4 years of study, divinity students at ETSC work each summer in a field assignment, and are also required to do one year of internship after graduation before being eligible for ordination in the Presbyterian Synod of the Nile. There is a great need here for pastor/developers, particularly in the rural ares where the Synod has land and buildings and small communities of faith, but no ordained leaders. I hope to be able to visit some of these ministry sites during this school year.

That is all for now. Hope you are well. Blessings, Roger Rogahn

International Coptic Conference

Greetings again from Cairo and the Evangelical Theological Seminary. We are just about to start our fall term. The new Biblical studies teacher, Willem de Wit, has arrived from the Netherlands and is settling in. He will teach a course in Isaiah while finishing his dissertation. We have three new students in Biblical studies and one in Christianity in the Middle East, the field in which I teach.

To the right is the tower and part of the administration buildings for the Coptic Cathedral where the conference sessions are being held. This building complex, close to where our seminary is located, was built with the permission of the Egypian government of President Mubarak a few decades ago. As you can see, its tower ascends sky-ward, as do the minarets of the many mosques in Cairo.

This is the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims when the devoted fast from sunup to sundown. Fasting is a discipline of the Coptic Church here in Egypt as well.

The spirirtual leader of the Egyptian Orthodox Church (the Copts) is Pope Shenouda, an aged patriarch, who traces his heritage back the the Evangelist Mark (by tradition) who founded the Christian Church here after the ascension of Jesus. By tradition, St. Mark was one of the seventy sent out, and his mission field was Egypt, one of the intellectual centers of the Roman Empire. I just reviewed a Coptic book which sets forth the long history of the church and its leaders. Another time I will write some more of this pontiff, since his reign will be one of the topics we will explore in the course I am teaching on Christianity in the Middle East from 1800 to the present. By the way, if you want to learn a little more about Egypt, there is a book recently published in the United States entitled "Mirage, Napoleon's Scientists and the Unveiling of Egypt", by Nina Burleigh. It is very readable and gives some picture of the harsh conditions encountered by the French (and by early missionaries from the U.S. here). Nothing like today.

To the left is the sign which bears Pope Shenouda's invitation to about 250 scholars from around the world. Among the presenters and moderators is a former director of the graduate program here, Dr. Mark Swanson, who now serves on the faculty of the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, Il. We are also expecting a visit from Dr. David Grafton, my predecessor, who left here two years ago to teach at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He will bring a group of seminary students from his Center on Islamic Studies in January, and they will interact with the graduate students here.

The conference offered many interesting presentations, and some boring ones too. There seems to be a dramatic increase in interest about Egypt and the Coptic Church. One reason for this is the discovery or recovery and restoration of many manuscripts and sites of the ancient and medieval church. The last picture is just a sample of the beautiful art work on display and available to the visitor and pilgrim to Egypt.

More soon on the start of school. Peace and joy. Roger Rogahn

A GLANCE AT ART

Greetings again from Cairo. We are still preparing for the fall term which begins the end of September. Some things happening in the meantime are:

The arrival of a Biblical scholar, Willem de Wit, from the Netherlands to help teach masters' students,

The 9th Annual Congress of Coptic Studies (15-20 of September),

The arrival and settling in of the Peter Johnson family (He is the new regional rep. for the ELCA)

And a chance for me to do some travelling and visiting with colleagues from the seminary. Thus begins my story and brief reflection about art in this place over the centuries.

I have become more fascinated by the art of all cultures in these last few years, and coming to Egypt exposed me to some of the treasures from this place. In a visit to the Egyptian Museum shortly after my arrival I came across a small section devoted to portrait-paintings from the Greco-Roman period. Thus begins my story. The first picture is not from Cairo, but of a fresco now in Naples which comes from the ruins of Pompeii. Few of these still exist due to the ravages of time and tragedy. This one gives us a glance into the life of a simple baker family, their appearance and their dress. Note how the couple faces us and how prominent the eyes are depicted. They seem to be looking at us, or maybe a little beyond us. Fresco painting was popular for walls and ceiling. It involved mixing the pigment of the paint powder with the wet plaster as it was being applied. It remains a method in many parts of the world. I remember being fascinated with the frescos of Diego Rivera and other Mexican artists of the 20th century.

Another method employed from ancient times to depict images was through mosaics, the insertion of many tiny painted tiles onto a ceiling, wall or floor surface. These often retained their color for centuries because they had been baked into the surface. The sheen remains. An example of this is from the entrance to a Coptic Church of St. Mina, on the outskirts of Cairo. Some friends and I were there to witness a Coptic wedding. The mosaic of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus seemed to sparkle in the later afternoon sun.

Notice too that their portrait presents them as facing directly toward us, yet we will soon see in a close up of the face of Mary that the gaze is much like the one of the couple in the fresco above. This illustrates how the Christians adopted some of the features from past art.

Another method of portrait painting which was very popular is the Greco-Roman and early Christian period in Egypt evolved from the wooden masks which were put in the coffins of the Egyptian pharoahs and other nobility from ancient times. This method, called "encaustic painting" involved applying the paint with hot wax to a wooden surface. It allowed the details to remain rich and vibrant over the centuries. Many of these masks, uncovered by treasure seekers from the West as early as 1615, became very popular in Europe during the 19th century. Again, the gaze or stare of the woman is a very striking feature of the painting. How she appeared in life was to be remembered as this "mask" was placed on her body in the tomb.

Now compare her with the close up of the mosaic face of the Virgin

from the front of the Church of St. Mina. To me the same emphasis on the eyes (perhaps showing more compassion), and the gaze which seems on the one hand to be directed toward you, the viewer, and yet in some way beyond you. Art historians have suggested that the Christians during these early centuries wanted to portary its saints as real people, living normal lives and relating to us, and yet with a gaze that stretches beyond the chances and changes of this age to a new life and anticipates a world which await those who trust in the Lord.

More information about the school and its activities will follow soon. Hope you are well. Roger Rogahn

RETURNING A SECOND YEAR

Greetings again from the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, Egypt, where I will be serving as an ELCA Missionary directing the Master's Program. Immediately after my return here in early August, the faculty retreat was held for the coming year. Pictured is one of the planning sessions of the five day retreat, when we were together in a suburb of Alexandria, Egypt.


Many topics were covered:

- the opening of a distance learning center in southern Egypt, where there has been significant
growth in the past several years. The seminary wants
to be more available to the pastors and lay leaders in their ministries and to become even more sensitive to the challenges of parish ministry in the 21st century.

- a review of the curriculum and a standarization of requirments for all seminary courses in the program to train pastors (i.e. how much reading is required, how many papers, etc.). This is particularly important because the seminary employs several part-time teachers and all need to be on "the same page".

- the faculty includes mostly Egyptian teachers and is supplement by teachers and other staff from North
Americans, who received their financial support from the Presbyterians and Mennonite communities world-wide. Dr. Darren Kennedy has just been awarded his doctorate from the University of Edinburgh and his spouse Elizabeth is writing her thesis at the same school. She will return to teaching Hebrew at the seminary this fall. Dr. Dustin Elingston teaches New Testament courses. The Rev. Brice Rogers heads the Development Department at the Seminary. (The Seminary still receives the majority of its financial support from ouside of Egypt, but this is changing as the visits by seminary personnel to Presbyterian churches in Egypt encourage each congregation to have a "Seminary Sunday", and receive an offering to support its work. Ms. Elaine Pequegnat, a Canadian, teaches English at the Seminary.

All are deeply committed to their ministry. Classes begin the last week in September.



The seminary community held its own version of the Olympics, which included water sports and track events.
(I placed last in the competition in the water balloon


toss). It was nice to have many of the families of the faculty be with us for the five days of the retreat. It was held in a Christian community, away from the traffic, the noise, and the smoggy skies of Cairo. Now it is back to work, preparing classes for the fall, dealing with registration issues, (it looks like we we be receiving at least six new students, including a visiting student from Norway - I am still waiting for the TOEFL - "english competency test" for others - a score of 500 is required), and the opportunity to welcome a new Biblical scholar from the Netherlands.

But more about that in my next report which should come about the end of this month. Stay well and cool.


Thank you for your support and prayers. In Christ, Roger Rogahn

Graduating Class No. 139

Greetings from Cairo! We have just completed the graduation ceremonies for 20 students to receive their diplomas; certificates, bachelor of divinity degrees, and masters degrees. You see them pictured above along with the dignitaries who presented their awards. It was the 139th time the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo has graduated a class, showing the long term investment in the mission field here by the Presbyterian Church in America and other overseas partners, in cooperation with its local colleagues. Though still a tiny minority within this predominately Muslim country, it presents a strong witness to evangelical and ecumenical Christianity, and works with the wider Christian community in the Middle East to live as gentle and loving neighbors in this diversity.

I had written in an earlier blog that Christian church buildings are not as prominent on the landscape as you would find in the United States and Europe, but as you can see from this picture to the right, this one and a few others are of grand size, seating over 1,000 worshippers. The church was filled to capacity with family members and friends of the graduates. A few of the graduates with a divinity degree will serve as assistants in churches like this one in the center and suburbs of Cairo, but most will receive a first call to rural or small town communities throughout Egypt. Several have put off marrying until the finish of their studies. (This reminds me a little of the situation not too long ago in the U.S., when only men were called to serve as pastors and when weddings and ordinations occurred in the same year).

I will complete the administrative tasks for this first year in the next few weeks and fly to the U.S. for vacation, a conference with other missionaries, and visits with family and friends. I will also be visiting First Lutheran Church in Torrance, California on July 6th. They have been contributing support to my work here, for which I am very grateful. If you would like me to speak at your church (in the southern California area - June 22nd, 29th, July 13th and 20th are available, or during the week), please let me know. I will return to Cairo on the first of August to participate in the faculty retreat. My appointment is again for one year, while the Global Missions Division of the ELCA searches for a "younger", long term replacement. I will write again when I have news, probably in early September. In Christ, Roger Rogahn