The EBF General Secretary, Tony Peck has called on all EBF member Unions and Churches to pray for peace in Egypt at this present time after the violence and bloodshed of last week.

Photo: St. George's Coptic Church burns in Sohag City, Egypt, after arsonists set it ablaze.

He said, ‘We have all been horrified by the scale of the violence and the death toll as the military have sought to clear supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood from the streets. At the same time we have information from Cairo that more than 40 churches have been attacked and burned, as anger is vented on Christians who are seen as supporting the military crackdown. However, Christian leaders are calling for a speedy and peaceful end to the violence, and want to join themselves with those who wish to see their country as a place where people of different faiths and persuasions can live alongside one another in peace.

We have not managed to have direct contact with the EBF member body, the Egyptian Baptist Convention in these past few days, but we ask for prayer for their President, Nabil Karam, their pastors, and church members (there are 19 churches with 2250 members in the Convention which is one of several Baptist groups in Egypt). An EBF delegation visited Egypt in March 2012, and met with the leaders and pastors of the Convention. At this critical time we believe that Christian leaders in Egypt will need both courage and wisdom in their witness to Christ’

You can read a more personal perspective on the situation in Egypt by Tony Peck in his blog Europe Matters.