The Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf, Archbishop Michael Lewis, has now taken up his duties as new President Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East (from 17 November 2019). He succeeded Archbishop Suheil Dawani, the 14th Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem. Archbishop Michael will continue to serve as diocesan Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf, a post he has held for the past 12 years. Before moving to Cyprus he served as the Bishop of Middleton in the Church of England’s Diocese of Manchester.
When interviewed by Rachel Farmer of the Anglican Communion News Service, Archbishop Michael said:
The greatest challenge and the greatest privilege is maintaining a Christian presence wherever we are. There are some countries where Christianity is honoured and taken to be a part of the integral life of a nation. There are others where it is under some pressure and threat and where maybe people will wonder what part Christians are playing.
Archbishop Michael talked about the need to support Christians in Iraq and Iran and finding a new bishop for the Anglican Diocese in Iran. He also spoke about difficulties facing migrants and non-indigenous people in some dioceses, who he said needed encouragement, guidance and support.
In terms of the future of the province as part of the Anglican Communion, he said:
I’m very committed to living with difference and in the Anglican Communion at the moment there is a lot of difference to be lived with. I think that in the dioceses of our province and in our province as it changes shape over the years, I hope that we respect and honour one another and relish those different flavours of Anglicanism.
Archbishop Michael is a member of the International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue, and previously of the Anglican Consultative Council, consultant to the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith, and Order, and Bishop-Visitor of the Community of the Sisters of the Love of God , Convent of the Incarnation, Fairacres, Oxford.
For further information read the full article in the Anglican Communion News.