HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
The festive season has begun and we are on the road this weekend.
HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT THANKSGIVING
See you next weekend.
Category Archives: Travels
HEY! IT’S VACATION TIME
BLOG 401 July 9, 2018
With the heat of summer comes the relief of sitting by a nice swimming pool and soaking your feet in the cool water. Maybe. Most of us are so hard at work we don’t have time.
During the next two months I’ll be traveling, finishing up book projects, and out of sight in the mountains. Consequently, I won’t be writing blogs again until after September 1. In the mean time, the new Early Faith for Today website will continue. If you haven’t tuned us in yet, summer offers an opportunity. The Christian faith is presented as it was in the first three centuries with application for today. Check it out.
Have a wonderful summer and I’ll see you in the fall.
Filed under America, middle east, Travels
Memorial Day
Sorry, Friends. I’m out of pocket. My daughter is graduating with her doctorate degree from the University of California and I have to be there. The following week, Margueritte and I will be traveling, but I’ll be back with you on June 4, 2018.
Memorial Day weekend is a sobering time as we remember and honor those who have fallen in defending this country. In our families, we make our own private journeys to the graves of those we loved and lost. Bless you in such moments of remembrance.
THE VIEW FROM THE VATICAN
My blogs focus on the Middle East and clarifying the on-going politics of the major countries in the region. I attempt to give a balanced view of events apart from personal concerns or vested interests. However, I have just returned from an important trip to Rome and a private audience with the Pope. Anyone interested in world peace and unity among previously hostile groups would be interested in my conversations with his Holiness. Consequently, I want to share with you the following press release from the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches.
Pope Francis contacted Bishop Tony Palmer and Archbishop Robert L. Wise of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches asking them to come to Rome for a private audience and discussion of the Pope’s quest for unity and restoration of relationships between Roman Catholics and the Protestants. Archbishop Wise and Bishop Palmer also huddled with the Vatican’s office of Ecumenical Relations to discuss greater unity. Wise is a resident of Oklahoma City.
Archbishop Wise was former head of the Communion’s office of Ecumenical Relationships before turning leadership over to Bishop Palmer who lives in England. The CEEC knew Archbishop Jose Marie Bergoglio before his election and becoming Pope Francis. Both Palmer and Wise know him as friend while Pope Francis is a spiritual father to Bishop Palmer.
Archbishop Wise said, “the Pope is a gentle, gracious man with a unique gift of humility. His Holiness has a profound spiritual sensitivity and listens carefully to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We sat together and talked as friends.”
The tension between Catholics and Protestants positions was ended with the Vatican’s acceptance of Martin Luther’s doctrine of Justification by Faith. Both Wise and Palmer were present in Bari, Italy when this was publically proclaimed. Wise said, “The world should know the battle is over. We can love each other as Christians and stand shoulder to shoulder. Brotherhood now exists.”
Wise and Palmer met the Pope in his private residence behind the Cathedral of St. Peter’s in Vatican City. Earlier Bishop Palmer released a video tape of the Pope expressing his love and desire for unity with all Christians through the internet that was seen across the world. Archbishop Wise said, “A new day is at hand for the entire world. We rejoice in the Pope’s desire that we join hands in love and unity. Our task is to make sure the entire church understands that we stand at a new place in history.”
This press release reflects the Vatican’s concern to create a world-wide condition in which peace and unity help create a new environment for hope that struggling and warring parties can find new agreement. I believe it is worthy of our attention.
Filed under Catholics, Christians, Peace, Travels
International Travel
Robert L. Wise is travelling internationally this week and will have a blog for you when he returns on Monday, April 7, 2014. Thank you for your interest and stay tuned! The weekly blog will return a week from today. God bless you all.
Filed under middle east, Travels
WHAT’S COOKING IN EGYPT?
WHAT’S COOKING IN EGYPT?
The results of elections appears to be universal. Candidates kiss babies, grin, wave, and promise everything from taking care of your old age to rejuvenating the country, And what happens? The week after the elcction when the dancing in the streets is done, the politicans get down to business and it’s nothing like they promised.
Today, the politicians in Egypt are getting down to business. The dust is clearing and the squeeze is on. What does it mean? Well, there’s good news and bad news.
Egypt’s new president Mohamed Morsi fired the military’s chief of staff and just threw out one of the major provisions that the military imposed on the government. Will Morsi’s actions stick? Hard to say. The military will probably wait and see what comes next. Morsi has definitely taken a major step forward in asserting the power of his office and propelling himself into an authoriative position over the military. How long he can prevail is a “wait and see” proposition. After it’s said and done, the military has the bullets and are well positioned to resist.
On the other hand, the most radical ideals of the Moslem Brotherhood don’t seem to be materializing. As is generally true of politicans, Mohamed Morsi has come face-to-face with political realities and that produces compromise. Morsi has made some of his own adjustments that involve backing away from some of his campaign promises. On of these compromises appears to be dropping the idea of changing the peace treaty with Israel. Such an adaptation takes a step toward a more peaceful Middle East.
In addition, recent visits by Secretary Hillary Clinton and Defense Secrerary Leon Penetta seem to be paying off in an unexpected way. In a recent blog, I noted Clinton got a nasty reception from Cairo demonstrators. However, she did come down on the side of constitutional government which put her on Morsi’s side in that struggle. During the visit, she warned of security issues in the Sinai and offered American help. Subsequently, terrorist gunmen in the Sinai attacked Egyptian border posts and comandeered two military vehicles used to storm the Israeli border. The unanticipated attacks deeply shook Morsi’s government. Morsi’s response is now viewed as an important test of the nascent presidency.
Indicating a renewned confidence in the United States, Egypt has now accelerated talks about American assistance in protecting the Sinai, including acquiring military equipment with electronic and aerial surveilance as well as police training. The American State Department warned that the Sinai is being used as a base for smuggling arms into Gaza for Palestinian extremists. Moreover, the USA has 700 American soliders in the Sinai as part of an international peacekeeping force in the area. Secretary Clinton expressed concern about the welfare of these American troops. While Egypt has always been sensitive about American direct involvment in its security, they do receive $1.5 billion dollars a year in assistance.
Egyptian troops, light tanks, attack helicopters are now pouring into the Sinai desert to root out the increasingly agressive Islamic militants. Egypt’s military action reflects a key provision of the l979 peace treaty which promised the demilitarization of the Sinai peninsula. Egypt’s push to secure the border is an important step indicating a continuing alliance with both America and Israel.
Morsi’s govenment’s actions seems to indicate the train may be back on the track in terms
of American and Israeli relationships. The next question is where the train is actually going.
Question: Is it possible for Egypt to come out of the current struggle in better shape than was previously thought?
Filed under Christians, Forgivness, History, Introductions, middle east, Peace, Prayer, Redemption, Travels
SYRIA’S STRUGGLE AND SUFFERING
It doesn’t take long to understand how complex Middle Eastern struggles actually are. For example, The American State Department came up with the idea of a multibillion-dollar Iraqi police training program that was to be the centerpiece of a hugely expanded civilian mission. Since October, $500 million has already been spent. Now it turns out the Iraqi government didn’t want it in the first place, but no one asked them until after the money had been allocated. Now that the military is gone, the Iraqi government is aggressively asserting its sovereignty. And the police force idea is going down the drain. Sorry, State Department. You obviously didn’t pay enough attention to the locals.
Granted that it is much more difficult to know exactly what’s going on in Syria, but similar confusion appears to be ruling the day. Insiders appear to agree that Bashar Al-Assad is slowly hemorrhaging to death, but that’s not certain. Turkey currently hosts around 23,000 Syrian refugees running from Assad. Some fighting has spilled over into Lebanon. As Senator John McCain noted, “What is obvious and indisputable is that the Kofi Annan plan has failed.” What the cease fire idea actually accomplished was buying more buy for the Syrian regime to continue killing the opposition and civilians. However, citizens appear to have not given up their struggle to oust Assad.
Recently, Turkey’s prime minister personally addressed thousands of cheering Syrian refugees who had crossed into camps in Turkey. He proclaimed that Assad’s grip was growing weaker by the day and that victory was close. Whether his statement is true or not requires more information. The complete truth remains to be seen.
The Syrian regime has currently proposed elections in the near future. A new constitution was adopted that would limit a Syrian president to two seven-year terms Of course, Assad and his father ruled Syria for over 42 years. The idea of a new election in the midst of a civil war obviously hasn’t sparked enthusiasm.
The opposition immediately responded that without reforms any election would be meaningless. Haytham Manna, head of the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change in Syria, rejected the idea as ludicrous. He noted there are no characteristics of a normal election exist during war and upheaval. Assad appears only to be attempting to buy time – once again.
So where are we? Key constituencies supporting Assad include religious minorities such as Christians and Alawites. Both groups fear what a takeover by Sunni Muslim’s would do to them. (Assad is a Alawite, an off-shoot of Shiite Islam.)
Russia and China continue to attempt to shield the regime from harsh diplomatic sanctions. In a former blog, I pointed out that Russia is making millions (probably billions) by supply military arms and equipment to Syria. War lines the Russian pockets with gold. Western powers, including Turkey, remain unwilling to use force against Syria. The result? Stalemate.
Turkey prime minister told the refugees, “Sooner or later, those who have oppressed our Syrian brothers will be accounted for before their nation. Your victory is close.”
Sorry. Not close enough! (518 words)
Question: How long do you think the Assad regime can endure? By the way, why doesn’t the American government pay better attention to the daily circumstances unfolding in these foreign governments?
Filed under middle east, Peace, Prayer, Travels
Dr. Robert L. Wise 