The council aims to unite Egypt's Christian churches, while retaining the independence of each, to facilitate Muslim-Christian dialogue, and to discuss various social and political issues from a Christian perspective, such as abortion, the constitution and the personal status law.[1][2] Marking the first anniversary of its formation in February 2014, the council stated that it has no political goals and that it would back no candidate in the country's 2014 presidential election.[3] When it was announced, the idea received widespread support from Egypt's different Christian communities,[1] and its formation was praised by Bishop Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.[4]