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Mari Emmanuel

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His Grace
Mar

Mari Emmanuel
Bishop of Christ the Good Shepherd Church
Mari Emmanuel in 2021
Orders
Ordination26 July 2009
by Mar Yacoob Daniel
Consecration11 August 2011
by Mar Addai II
RankBishop
Personal details
Born
Robert Shlimon[1]

(1970-07-19) 19 July 1970 (age 54)
Habbaniyah, Al-Anbar, Iraqi Republic
DenominationChrist the Good Shepherd Church (2015–present)
Ancient Church of the East (1970–2015)
ResidenceSydney, Australia

Mar Mari Emmanuel (born Robert Shlimon; 19 July 1970)[1] is an Iraqi-born, Assyrian Australian[2] prelate. He is the bishop of Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, New South Wales. In 2011, Emmanuel was ordained a bishop in the Ancient Church of the East, but was excommunicated in 2014. In 2015, he established an independent church in the Eastern Syriac tradition of Christianity.[3]

His sermons are livestreamed on Christ the Good Shepherd Church's Facebook and YouTube channels, which collectively have a following of 255,000 users. His popularity has garnered online fan pages with thousands of people following him, and he has taken part in interviews on conservative YouTube programs, where he has spoken about religion and criticised homosexuality and the Australian COVID-19 policy.[3]

On 15 April 2024, Emmanuel and five others were stabbed at his church during a livestreamed sermon. Later on, the Police Commissioner of NSW Karen Webb, declared it a terrorist attack. Emmanuel lost his right eye from the attack.[3]

Early life

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Emmanuel was born as Robert Shlimon in 1970 in Habbaniya, Iraq, to a devout Assyrian-Christian family belonging to the Ancient Church of the East. He grew up in Baghdad, but his family left Iraq in 1985 and settled in Sydney, Australia, where he attended Fairfield High School.[3] He worked as a bank manager in the 1990s before becoming a deacon in the late 1990s and then being ordained a priest in 2009.[1]

Tenure as bishop

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Ancient Church of the East

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In August 2011, Mar Yacoub Daniel and Mar Zaia Khoshaba consecrated Emmanuel as a suffragan bishop for the Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand, assisting the Metropolitan of Australia and New Zealand. Previously known as Emmanuel Shlimon, he adopted the episcopal name of 'Mari Emmanuel' (after Saint Mari) at the time of becoming a bishop.[1][4]

In July 2013, while on a visit to Australia, Mar Addai II bestowed the patriarchal confirmation upon Emmanuel. At the time, though, he ordered him to make changes in regard to a range of different areas such as the liturgical, theological and social conduct. The patriarch's deadline expired, and Addai II suspended Emmanuel in July 2014, on the grounds of disobeying canons promulgated by the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325. The suspension was briefly withdrawn in December 2014 when Emmanuel declared his acceptance of the patriarchal decrees, but renewed when he expressed his disagreement a second time.[5][failed verification] For a period of time, Emmanuel preached at Saint Zaia Cathedral in Middleton Grange, New South Wales.[6]

Independent church

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In January 2015, Emmanuel established himself as bishop of an independent church in the East Syriac tradition, in Wakeley, Christ the Good Shepherd Church.[7] As of 2023, he is not listed as a clergyman in the Ancient Church of the East's Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand, and Lebanon.[8]

Social media presence

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Emmanuel has gained popularity through social media, such as Christ the Good Shepherd Church's YouTube channel and TikTok, which earned him the sobriquet "TikTok Bishop". The bishop's sermons on social media have ranged from homilies on the Holy Bible to fervent criticisms of LGBT, COVID vaccinations, and U.S. President Joe Biden's election (where he expressed disapproval of Biden's support for gay rights). While simultaniously preaching a number of Christian values, like honesty, moderation and humility. [9] Moreover, he has also criticised liberal Christianity.[10]

The bishop is usually dressed in a dark pulpit gown, where he holds a large cross, and displays his beard under a black cowl (as per Orthodox tradition).[9] His sermons are delivered in both English and Assyrian at the Wakeley church through Facebook and YouTube, in addition to offering Sunday school classes for young children and youth group ministry.[3] Clips from his livestreamed church sermons have been re-uploaded on social media and have amassed millions of views.[11] His online presence has been a target for criticism, hate speech and internet trolling.[9]

He has appeared on YouTube podcasts such as PBD Podcast and Valuetainment with Patrick Bet-David and Vincent Oshana, where the videos have received over one million views.[12] Another such podcast is titled "Satan Has Engulfed the Churches", where Emmanuel expresses his opinions on Pope Francis "going woke".[13][1] Amidst the Israel–Hamas war, he has called for peace and has expressed support for Palestinians in Gaza.[3][14] In early 2024, he visited Gaza during the conflict.[14]

Controversies

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On 19 July 2021, amid the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant outbreaks and the lockdown in Sydney, Emmanuel presented an online sermon that reprimanded the COVID-19 vaccinations and lockdowns calling them "mass slavery",[11] and saying that the coronavirus is "just another type of the flu, no more, no less" and called it a "plandemic". In his video, he implored Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian to do more and aid those with financial and emotional adversity, in addition to saying, "have we really lost the plot?"[15][16]

In addition to criticising non-Christian religions, such as Judaism and Islam, the Bishop is also known for preaching Anti-LGBT sermons and describing homosexuality as a "crime in the eyes of God". In one sermon, he stated that "Islam flourished and expanded with the sword". In addition, he has supported American former president Donald Trump, imploring him to remain faithful to Christianity and defy the influence of the Freemasons.[9] A sermon of his posted online by fans contains a translation of him claiming that the United Nations was a "Harlot" and built on lies that originate from Satan compared to being built on inferred-truth or honesty? 'of Christ',[11] [17] (at 5m:25s - 6m:35s in the video), in addition to labeling the World Health Organization a "fraud".[2]

In addition, some Christians accused him of being a follower of Nestorianism, a doctrine condemned as heresy at the Council of Chalcedon, a charge that he denied.

2024 stabbing attack

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Main article: 2024 Wakeley church stabbing

On 15 April 2024, shortly after 7:00 pm, Emmanuel was attacked by a 16-year-old during a sermon at Christ The Good Shepherd Church.[18][19][20] At a pulpit, the assailant set upon Emmanuel from the latter’s right and stabbed the bishop repeatedly with a switchblade until he fell after sustaining lacerations to his head; the perpetrator then stabbed five others.[21][20][22][23] Just after the attack, Emmanuel prayed for the assailant.[24][25] According to the NSW police commissioner Karen Webb, Emmanuel underwent surgery and was "lucky to be alive".[3]

In the livestream of the sermon, the attacker spoke in Arabic, shouting "Allahu Akbar” before stabbing Emmanuel.[26] In a video released by a churchgoer, he was also heard saying "if he [the bishop] didn't insult my prophet and religion, I wouldn't have come here".[27] Police described the attack as "religiously motivated extremism"[28] and as a "terrorist act".[29] According to Emmanuel, just about one month before the stabbing, there were threats spread on TikTok, stating he "has two weeks to live".[30]

Emmanuel's response

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On 18 April, in an online audio sermon at Liverpool Hospital, Emmanuel again forgave the attacker, in addition to demanding his followers to not seek revenge.[31] He stated:

Love never fails... whatever has happened to me personally I thank the Lord Jesus...I forgive whoever has done this act and I say to him, you are my son, I love you and I will always pray for you. And whoever sent you to do this, I forgive them as well, in Jesus' mighty name...I have nothing in my heart but love for everyone, whether this person is Christian or not, that is totally beside the point...I am doing fine, I am recovering very quickly.[31]

On 29 April, in his first sermon after the attack (which marked the Eastern Orthodox Palm Sunday), the bishop stated that he lost his right eye, and was wearing an eyepatch. He declared his eye injury as a "sacrifice", and said it should be taken as a indication of love towards Muslims, before addressing the topic of freedom of speech.[32]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Who Is Mari Mari Emmanuel? Bishop Famous On TikTok Stabbed In Sydney Church By 15-Yr-Old Suspect". TimesNow. 16 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b Jessica Bahr (16 April 2024). "A 'wonderful human' and a Trump fan: Who is the stabbed Sydney church leader?". SBS News. Retrieved 22 April 2024. Mar Mari Emmanuel is an Assyrian Christian bishop at Christ the Good Shepherd Church
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "What we know about Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, who was stabbed in the Sydney church attack". ABC News Australia. 16 April 2024.
  4. ^ History of Eastern Christianity (Malayalam) by Mar Aphrem Metropolitan. The Theological Literature Council, Thiruvalla, Kerala, India.
  5. ^ Wilmshurst, David (2019). "The Patriarchs of the Church of the East". The Syriac World. London: Routledge. pp. 239–245. ISBN 9781138899018.
  6. ^ Begley, Patrick (16 April 2024). "'Hate me, accept me or reject me': The inflammatory words of bishop stabbed in Sydney attack". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Who Is Mari Mari Emmanuel? Bishop Famous On TikTok Stabbed In Sydney Church By 15-Yr-Old Suspect". TimesNow. 16 April 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  8. ^ "GRAPHIC: "TikTok Bishop" Stabbed During Sermon, Sydney, Australia | Atlas News". 15 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d Lewis Jackson (16 April 2024). "Stabbed Sydney bishop is a TikTok star beloved by his community". Reuters. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  10. ^ Baker, Mark; McGuirk, Rod (15 April 2024). "Horrified worshipers watch online and in person as a bishop is stabbed at a church in Sydney". AP News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "Man arrested after stabbing attack at a church service in Sydney, wounding at least four". France 24. 15 April 2024. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  12. ^ Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel & George Janko, PBD Podcast Ep. 335, PBD Podcast, 5 December 2023, retrieved 4 January 2024
  13. ^ "Satan Has Engulfed the Churches" - Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel Reacts to the Woke Pope, Valuetainment, 5 December 2023, retrieved 5 January 2024
  14. ^ a b "Bishop questioned Islam before livestreamed terror attack". The Australian. 16 April 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  15. ^ "'It's a bit scary knowing he's out there every day': Life in the COVID hotspots". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Bishop Preaches Against Vaccine". Twitter. 10 News First. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  17. ^ BibleVisualised (YouTube Account). "SATAN IS THE FOUNDER OF THE UNITED NATIONS Mar Mari Emmanuel". YouTube. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  18. ^ Melissa Koenig: Bishop viciously stabbed during service in Sydney just days after mall massacre, New York Post, 15 April 2024
  19. ^ Christian Oliver: Bishop Stabbed During Middle of Church Service, Newsweek, 15 April 2024
  20. ^ a b "Sydney: Bishop stabbed during sermon - reports". 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  21. ^ Touma, Rafqa (15 April 2024). "Sydney church stabbing: multiple people, including bishop, stabbed during mass". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  22. ^ Melissa Koenig: Bishop viciously stabbed during service in Sydney just days after mall massacre, New York Post, 15 April 2024
  23. ^ Christian Oliver: Bishop Stabbed During Middle of Church Service, Newsweek, 15 April 2024
  24. ^ Raphael, Angie; Achenza, Madeleine (16 April 2024). "Bishop's shock act after allegedly being stabbed in church". News.com.au. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  25. ^ Clun, Rachel; Sakkal, Paul (16 April 2024). "PM calls for Australians to 'unite, not divide' after Sydney church stabbing". The Age. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  26. ^ Molloy, Shannon (16 April 2024). "'Un-Australian': Furious cops vow to hunt down mob who rioted after alleged terror attack". News.com.au. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  27. ^ Jose, Renju; Jackson, Lewis (16 April 2024). "Australia says Assyrian church stabbing was a terrorist act". Reuters. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  28. ^ Clun, Rachel; Sakkal, Paul (16 April 2024). "PM calls for Australians to 'unite, not divide' after Sydney church stabbing". The Age. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  29. ^ Edwards, Christian; Devitt, Paul; Xu, Xiaofei (16 April 2024). "Sydney church stabbing: Attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel a 'terrorist act,' police say". CNN. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  30. ^ "Stabbed South West Sydney Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel warned of imminent death". News.com.au. 16 April 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  31. ^ a b Lucy Slade (18 April 2024). "Bishop forgives alleged stabber in first message after terror attack in Sydney's west". Nine News. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  32. ^ Elias Visontay (29 April 2024). "Sydney bishop speaks of losing sight in one eye after alleged church stabbing". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
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