A Baptist World Alliance delegation visited Egypt, Lebanon and Syria in a regional tour focused on Christian unity, interfaith dialogue and planning for a global commemoration of the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus Christ's life and ministry.
The delegation was led by Elijah M. Brown, General Secretary and CEO of the Baptist World Alliance, and included Charlie Costa, President of the European Baptist Federation, and Nabih Abbasi, President of the Jordanian Baptist Church and Ambassador of the Baptist World Alliance for the Middle East and North Africa.
Costa told Christian Daily International the conditions in Lebanon and Syria weighed heavily on the delegation. Quoting Luke 21:25 — "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea" — he said the verse captured the mood. "People are suffering economically, especially in Lebanon and Syria, and the frustration and despair were clear in people's eyes and words."
Egypt
In Egypt, the delegation met with His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, and with Dr. Osama Al-Azhari, Egypt's Minister of Religious Endowments.
Talks covered Christian unity, interfaith dialogue, religious freedom and future cooperation. Proposals on the table included a formal Baptist–Coptic Orthodox dialogue and a memorandum of understanding between the Baptist World Alliance and the Ministry of Islamic Waqf. Pope Tawadros II welcomed both initiatives and stressed the value of dialogue and building relationships among churches.
The delegation also discussed plans for 2033, when the Baptist World Alliance hopes to gather church leaders from around the world in Jerusalem to mark the second millennium anniversary of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the beginning of the church. The gathering would include a reading of the Sermon on the Mount and was described as a testimony of unity among churches.
Coordination for the Egypt meetings was supported by Pastor André Zaki, President of the Evangelical Church in Egypt.
Lebanon
In Lebanon, the delegation met with President General Joseph Aoun. The delegation included Brown; Costa, who also serves as President of the Lebanese Baptist Assembly; and Rev. Joseph Kassab, Head of the Evangelical Community in Syria and Lebanon, along with other Baptist leaders.
Participants told CDI the meeting was positive and constructive. The delegation introduced the Baptist World Alliance, its global mission and its work in the Arab region, and discussed the role Baptist churches and institutions play in education, health, social services and community development.
The group also raised the importance of responsible Christian participation in the Middle East and the role of churches in promoting love, peace and coexistence, and contributing to serving communities and building bridges of dialogue and cooperation, especially in light of the challenges facing the region.
President Aoun expressed interest in how Lebanon is perceived in the West, describing the country as a model of diversity and coexistence and noting the Christian role in its political system. He stressed the need to protect Lebanon's distinctiveness and support its stability as a space for freedom, pluralism and balance in the Middle East.
Jordan and Syria
In Jordan, the delegation highlighted the church's community service role through a network of churches, schools, health centers and humanitarian programs. They pointed to religious freedom and pluralism in the Hashemite Kingdom as part of a broader culture of peace and cooperation.
In Syria, Abbasi described the visit as full of positive surprises. "For many, what we saw reflects that what happened was a miracle, as things changed from the old system to the current system, and it was one of the most wonderful things," he told CDI. "Our hosts took us on a full tour of old Damascus, the government, the governor's office, and we spent 24 hours with them on a full tour of the Umayyad Mosque and history, the water of old Damascus, and all of it."
Brown, reflecting on the full tour, said the delegation sought to bring encouragement across all four countries.
"I am grateful for the Baptist World Alliance delegation visit to Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan as we sought to be a presence of encouragement as we met with Baptist and evangelical churches, spiritual leaders, and government leaders," he said. "In each discussion, we emphasized our desire to partner to promote peace for all people, protect the right of all people to worship God, and to encourage planning for the years 2030-2033 when all Christians will celebrate the 2000th anniversary of the baptism, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ."
