wfn.org | Anglican St. George's College Jerusalem Open Amidst Middle East Strife

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ACNS 2873 - MIDDLE EAST - 12 February 2002

St George's College Jerusalem open amidst Middle East strife

What has been called one of the "poorer years" for St George's College by
its Dean, 2001 saw only 146 pilgrims in contrast to 450 in 1999. The Very
Revd Ross Jones, an Episcopal priest from the United States, met with his
executive committee at Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria this week
in hopes for wide support from around the Anglican Communion during this
time "as we struggle to survive with the dearth of pilgrims."

The Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, the Rt Revd Riah Abu El Assal, shared his
vision as well as fears for the future. He told the committee that "three
Christians leave Bethlehem every day." He spoke of crisis humanitarian needs
in Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, where churches have to provide food for 300
families, following continuing destruction of homes.

Dean Jones said the college is running in a considerable deficit but
reported that St George's "is one of only three comparable institutions
still open." He said, "Those who have attended have heartily endorsed both
the program and their decision to attend."

Bishop Riah spoke of St George's as an important "window to the world." The
statement of purpose of the college reads "a Holy Land centre for the
formation of faith, presenting the Christian faith through the Anglican
tradition in the context of the land, the people and the traditions from
which it arose."

Present at the Virginia meeting were chairpersons of regional committees in
Great Britain, North America and Australia/New Zealand as well as the
Anglican Consultative Council.

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