Center for Middle Eastern Christianity (CMEC)

The Center for Middle Eastern Christianity (CMEC) has two important dates that mark its foundation. In 2004, partners and friends were invited to the inauguration service of the center in a tent on the roof of the old building of Evangelical Theological Seminary Cairo (ETSC). Dr. Rev. Kenneth Bailey was the keynote speaker, and the meeting intended to unleash the vision of founding CMEC in order to fundraise for this ambitious project. The second date was in the spring 2023, after finishing the construction work and securing the furniture and equipment of the center. A three day conference was held in the mornings for researchers and students of the Christian Arabic Heritage, and public lectures were held in the evenings to Christians from the different mainline churches. The goal of these meetings was to celebrate the announcement of the founding of the CMEC and promote its vision and mission.   

The Core Values that govern our work are the Christian principles of love that manifest themselves through:

  • Accepting and respecting the diversity of different cultures and races.
  • Equal treatment of the genders.
  • Welcoming the diversity of personal capabilities and skills.
  • Encouraging team-spirit among CMEC’s employees and researchers.


We commit to the highest academic standards that:

  • Stimulate love of learning and a spirit of understanding, especially of differing points of view.
  • Focus on Christian heritage and Egyptian Arab culture as an essential component of Egyptian Christian culture.
  • Encourage research that is based on critical and analytical thinking.
  • Respect freedom of thought, research, creativity and expression.
  • Life of integrity and a leadership that is eager to serve among both students and graduates.

 

Mission: CMEC is essentially committed to ETSC’s goals and principles. It seeks to preserve and revive the Christian heritage of the Middle East and raise the intellectual awareness of ETSC students, graduates, and church leaders of their rich Middle Eastern heritage. It also aims to connect this rich heritage with the theological tradition of the Reformed Church in a way that further deepens theological and biblical studies around the world.

Important Undertakings: CMEC’s diploma in Arab Christian Heritage (DACH) is intended to introduce students to the rich Arab Christian heritage by expounding Christian doctrines in terms that are relevant to the local cultural and historical context. It provides a way to understand and interpret the Bible from a Middle Eastern perspective. The courses are taught in an academic atmosphere that respects Christian ecumenical relations and that builds bridges between the students and their various backgrounds and cultures. The courses are offered online, in Arabic, to students from all over the world. The program is completed in a full calendar year (12 months) on a part-time basis and welcomes students from different denominational and religious backgrounds from different countries and cultures.

CMEC’s Kenneth Bailey Library is a rich reservoir in Arab and Middle Eastern Christian studies. With over 8000 volumes, the collection is a great gift for serious researchers, due to the high quality of the academic resources and manuscripts it holds. A regular book review from the library holdings is published on the Center’s Facebook page to inform and benefit those interested in the field of Middle Eastern Christianity.

CMEC cooperates and maintains partnerships with centers and organizations working in the field of Middle Eastern Christianity, such as the Foundation of Middle Easterner New Testament Studies (FoMENTS), which was established by the late Rev. Dr. Kenneth Bailey.

Notable Achievements: 

  • The Center has held numerous public seminars related to Arab Christianity and Middle Eastern heritage, attended by both Christians and Muslims.
  • CMEC has translated 18 articles by Rev. Dr. Kenneth Bailey (publication forthcoming this year).
  • CMEC continued to expand its library with new publications.   
  • Work is underway to issue an academic journal in Arabic and English. 
  • Work is ongoing to publish new books and issue new editions that are sold out.

 

Future Objectives:

  • Revive the tradition of the Arab Eastern church.
  • Equip more researchers and writers who are qualified to enlarge the Arabic library in the area of Middle Eastern Christianity.
  • Deepen relations and partnerships between different cultures and beliefs.
  • Extend bridges between the Church in the Middle East and the global church.
  • Promote partnerships with like-minded ecumenical centers interested in Arab and Middle Eastern heritages.
  • Translate CMEC’s Arabic research and monographs into English to edify the western Church and place the Centre on the global map.
  • Issue the first annual academic Journal of CMEC Awraq Sharqia.
  • Translate relevant English resources, such as Rev. Dr. Kenneth Bailey’s articles, into Arabic.
  • Publish outstanding research papers of DACH courses.