Dear Friends,
This week, let us intercede for Dr. Anwar Berhe in Ethiopia.
The ancient East African nation of Ethiopia is the second most populous African country, with approximately 105 million people. Christians (62%) and Muslims (34%) have coexisted peacefully in Ethiopia for over a millennium. In recent years, however, political corruption, economic injustice, and human rights abuses have led to social unrest, mass protests, and violent crackdowns. Thankfully, sporadic ethnic violence seems to be abating under the leadership of Abiy Ahmed, who recently won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. Anwar notes that Ethiopia is one of the African nations with a fast-growing Evangelical population.
Anwar completed his PhD in Islamic Studies at the Melbourne School of Theology in Australia. His research explores Muslim theological perspectives on Christianity in Ethiopia between 1974 and 2016, and their implications for interreligious harmony. Anwar now teaches at the Evangelical Theological College (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), a school committed to equipping churches for ministry in Ethiopia’s multi-religious context.
Prior to his studies, Anwar directed outreach in the Ethiopian Kale Heywet (Word of Life) Church for ten years, and taught multiple missions courses in various Ethiopian theological schools. Anwar and his wife Tsigereda have a six-year-old daughter, Yididya.
Anwar shares the following message:
Dear ScholarLeaders Community,
After completing my PhD in Islamic Studies at Melbourne School of Theology, my family and I returned to our home country in January and resettled in the city of Addis Ababa. I then joined the teaching team at the Evangelical Theological College as a full-time faculty member teaching courses on Islamic Studies and Mission, and taking on leadership roles in the Mission Department. Currently, I am also developing curriculum for the graduate program on Christian-Muslim Relations.
Prayer Requests
1. I thank God for your prayers and financial support, which enabled me to complete my doctoral studies at the Melbourne School of Theology.
2. Ethiopia is preparing for a national election in 2020. These kinds of elections are often followed by violence, so please pray for the nation’s peace and stability.
3. The Evangelical Theological College (ETC) is preparing to launch its MA program in Christian-Muslim Relations in August 2020. This will be the first and only graduate program, in the Horn of Africa, that focuses on Islamic Studies. Please pray for the provision of necessary resources, and wisdom for us during the student recruitment process and as we identify adjunct lecturers for the program.
4. ETC has continued expanding its graduate academic programs, but our classrooms and library are getting congested. Please pray for provision for our expansion project.
Thanks for your prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Anwar M. Berhe