From September 2^nd through 4^th 2024, Dialogue Across Borders cosponsored a third round of the “Journey of Learning” interfaith program with the Centre for Christian-Muslim Understanding and Partnership (Anglican/Episcopal) in Cairo. The conference offered Christians and Muslims an opportunity to listen and learn from one another about their respective faiths. Two lectures were devoted to the place of women in Christianity and Islam. The following lecture was delivered by Dr. ʿĀīdah Naṣṣīf, professor at Cairo University and the Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary, as well as a member of the Egyptian Senate. Dr. ʿĀīdah has written many books and publications in the field of dialogue and the renewal of religious discourse.

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Good morning to all of you. First, I would like to thank Bishop Mouneer for his kind invitation to this forum and this center, and I am happy and honored to be among such a diverse group from Egypt, whether from churches, Al-Azhar, or society in general. I am also grateful for this center because, from its title and from what I have heard about it, it is a meeting point and a place for dialogue and understanding. My greetings and appreciation to all.

Today we will discuss the status of women in Christianity. In fact, I will start from a somewhat local perspective, then move into a broader perspective. I will start from the perspective of Egyptian women. Egyptian women have had a prominent status since the dawn of history, from the beginning of Pharaonic civilization. As you all know, Egyptian women had a special status in ancient civilization and history in the Pharaonic state, and we all see their images carved in temples, whether in Luxor or otherwise, and they are always side by side with their husbands in the matters of life. Among them were teachers, writers, and accountants. They used to start attending schools for teaching writing to children from the age of four. One of the examples of Egyptian history is Queen Hatshepsut (c.1500 BCE), who ruled Egypt with authority for about twenty years, and established relations with neighboring countries.

We then go through the Coptic civilization and the Holy Bible and the characters mentioned in it, who played a role in education, in the Christian faith, and in spreading Christianity in Egypt. Then the Islamic civilization with what is rooted in the Holy Qurʾān regarding the status of women and the teachings of the importance of the role of women, and there is no doubt that His Eminence the Grand Mufti will talk about the status of women in Islam in one of these sessions.