For the third time in as many years, the Christianity Today Institute looks at the work and witness of the church in another land.
The decision to make Egypt the institute focus for 1988 came as a result of our desire to see how Christians cope in a land where the majority of “believers” are Muslim. Other Islamic nations such as Saudi Arabia were seriously considered, but Egypt, the educational heart and soul of Islam, seemed the ideal choice.
As in the previous two international reports (South Africa, South Korea), four institute representatives (two academicians, two journalists) were assigned the task of carrying out an extensive interview schedule. Making up that team were: J. Dudley Woodberry, Ph.D. from Harvard in Islamics, and a former missionary to Islamic countries; James Hoffmeier, Egyptologist and Old Testament expert, who grew up in Egypt with missionary parents; CT executive editor Terry Muck; and CT associate editor Rodney Clapp. Among the men and women they interviewed over countless cups of tea and soda (a “given” anytime two or more gather for a discussion in Egypt) were pastors, priests, and a pope.
The combination of months of prior research and the tireless help and counsel of key leaders from within the Egyptian church allowed the institute team to maximize the three weeks spent in such ports of call as Alexandria, Minya, Beni Suef, Deir El Barsha, and, of course, Cairo.
HAROLD B. SMITH, Managing Editor
Cover photo by J. Dudley Woodberry.
