Demonstrations have erupted in Egypt once again as protesters were angered by President Morsi’s proposed Constitutional Declaration, described as a ‘power grab’ by members of the church in Egypt.

Photos taken by Bible Society’s Ramez Atallah of Egyptian protests this week.

Ramez Atallah, General Director of Egypt’s Bible Society , has written to supporters around the world, saying Christians and non-Christians alike have come out to protest the President’s move for unprecedented power.

After taking part in a demonstration outside the Egyptian Presidential Palace, where thousands have gathered to protest the declaration, Atallah wrote:

“Two veiled woman [sic] and a man standing beside me said to me, “this is Egypt, veiled and unveiled women, Christians and Muslims, we are all Egyptians and that is the way we want to be!” I had tears in my eyes as I heard these words and as I saw the reality of their statements reflected in the camaraderie and closeness of people who obviously did not know each other but enjoyed being together and enjoyed being fellow Egyptians.”

The president of the Evangelical Theological Seminary, Atef Gendy, in Cairo told a Christianity Today correspondent that Egypt’s Christian population is strongly opposed to the new governing arrangement.

“He [Morsi] is undermining the judicial system, putting this authority in his hands to go along with the executive and legislative power as well. We cannot allow for anyone to become unaccountable.”

Photos taken by Bible Society’s Ramez Atallah of Egyptian protests this week.

Echoing Gendy, Atallah says most of the protesters represent the best of Egyptian society, many of whom “courageously protested” against the Mubarak regime during the January 2011 revolution.

“Now, again they came out in large numbers to make sure that the price they paid to gain democracy would not have been in vain,” Atallah writes.

The immediate future for Egypt looks bleak, says Atallah, hinging on the December 15^th referendum for a new constitution. If the constitution is passed, it will give the President uncontested powers without judiciary oversight. If the referendum does not pass, the President “will continue using the unprecedented powers he has taken onto himself which precipitated the present protests.”

Growing tensions in Egypt have been of great concern to churches in the country. In mid-November the Coptic, Catholic and Evangelical denominations in Egypt withdrew their representatives from the Constituent Assembly, the national committee for the creation of a new constitution. “The ongoing process within the Constituent Assembly will not guarantee a constitution that will provide national consensus or that reflects the identity of Egypt,” said Bishop Pachomios, the Coptic Church’s acting-pope.

Anglican Bishop of Egypt, Mouneer Anis wrote a request for prayer for Egypt last week, suggesting the political atmosphere was volatile: “no one-can predict what is going to happen.” Anis says the Constituent Assembly is majority Islamists “who want to impose their own views in the constitution,” thwarting hopes for real democracy in Egypt.

“Please pray for God’s overruling in this politically complex situation,” writes Atallah. “Please pray that as a Bible Society we may know how to help Christians with messages from the Scriptures which will encourage and challenge them during these turbulent days.”