A comprehensive examination of this deeply traditional Christian religion as it confronts modernity Though the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt is among the oldest Christian communities in the world, it remained relatively unknown outside of Egypt for most of its existence. In the wake of the Arab Spring, however, this community was caught up in regional violence, and its predicament became a cause for concern around the world. Copts in Context examines the situation of the Copts as a minority faith in a volatile region and as a community confronting modernity while steeped in tradition. Nelly van Doorn-Harder opens Coptic identity and tradition to a broad range of perspectives: historical, political, sociological, anthropological, and ethnomusicological. Starting with contemporary issues such as recent conflicts in Egypt, the volume works back to topics—among them the Coptic language, the ideals and tradition of monasticism, and church historiography—that while rooted in the ancient past, nevertheless remain vital in Coptic memory and understanding of culture and tradition. Contributors examine developments in the Coptic diaspora, in religious education and the role of children, and in Coptic media, as well as considering the varied nature of Coptic participation in Egyptian society and politics over millennia. With many Copts leaving the homeland, preservation of Coptic history, memory, and culture has become a vital concern to the Coptic Church. These essays by both Coptic and non-Coptic scholars offer insights into present-day issues confronting the community and their connections to relevant themes from the past, demonstrating reexamination of that past helps strengthen modern-day Coptic life and culture.

Chiefly interested in the early modern period, 1517-1798.

Explores the history, theology, and culture of the Coptic Orthodoxy, discussing key figures in the renewal of the church, and examining the role of women within church and society.

Using the life and writings of Cyril III Ibn Laqlaq, 75th patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, along with a variety of Christian and Muslim chroniclers, this study explores the identity and context of the Christian community of Egypt and its relations with the leadership of the Ayyubid dynasty in the early thirteenth century. Kurt Werthmuller introduces new scholarship that illuminates the varied relationships between medieval Christians of Egypt and their Muslim neighbors. Demonstrating that the Coptic community was neither passive nor static, the author discusses the active role played by the Copts in the formation and evolution of their own identity within the wider political and societal context of this period. In particular, he examines the boundaries between Copts and the wider Egyptian society in the Ayyubid period in three "in-between spaces": patriarchal authority, religious conversion, and monasticism.

This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the heritage of Coptic Christians. The contributors combine academic expertise with intimate and practical knowledge of the Coptic Orthodox Church and Coptic heritage. The chapters explore historical, cultural, literary and material aspects, including: the history of Christianity in Egypt, from the pre-Christian era to the modern day Coptic religious culture: theology, monasticism, spirituality, liturgy and music the Coptic language, linguistic expressions of the Coptic heritage and literary production in Greek, Coptic and Arabic . material culture and artistic expression of the Copts: from icons, mosaics and frescos to manuscript illuminations, woodwork and textiles. Students will find The Coptic Christian Heritage an invaluable introduction, whilst scholars will find its breadth provides a helpful context for specialised research.

Copts and the Security State combines political, anthropological, and social history to analyze the practices of the Egyptian state and the political acts of the Egyptian Coptic minority. Laure Guirguis considers how the state, through its subjugation of Coptic citizens, reproduces a political order based on religious identity and difference. The leadership of the Coptic Church, in turn, has taken more political stances, thus foreclosing opportunities for secularization or common ground. In each instance, the underlying logics of authoritarianism and sectarianism articulate a fear of the Other, and, as Guirguis argues, are ultimately put to use to justify the expanding Egyptian security state. In outlining the development of the security state, Guirguis focuses on state discourses and practices, with particular emphasis on the period of Hosni Mubarak's rule, and shows the transformation of the Orthodox Coptic Church under the leadership of Pope Chenouda III. She also considers what could be done to counter the growing tensions and violence in Egypt. The 2011 Egyptian uprising constitutes the most radical recent attempt to subvert the predominant order. Still, the revolutionary discourses and practices have not yet brought forward a new system to counter the sectarian rhetoric, and the ongoing counter-revolution continues to repress political dissent.

Samuel Tadros provides a clear understanding of Copts—the native Egyptian Christians—and their crisis of modernity in conjunction with the overall developments in Egypt as it faced its own struggles with modernity. He argues that the modern plight of Copts is inseparable from the crisis of modernity and the answers developed to address that crisis by the Egyptian state and intellectuals, as well as by the Coptic Church and laypeople.

Cover -- Copts in Context -- Title -- Copyright -- CONTENTS -- List of Illustrations -- Series Editor's Preface -- Preface -- Note on Transliteration -- Introduction: Creating and Maintaining Tradition in Modernity -- Part 1: Identity in Transition -- The Copts in the January Revolution of 2011 -- The Undesirables of Egypt: A Story of Persecution and Defiance -- Examining the Role of Media in Coptic Studies -- Father Samaan and the Charismatic Trend within the Coptic Church -- Transmitting Coptic Musical Heritage -- Part 2: Challenges of the Diaspora -- Singing Strategic Multiculturalism: The Discursive Politics of Song in Coptic-Canadian Protests -- Coptic Migrant Churches: Transnationalism and the Negotiation of Different Roles -- Strategies of Adaptation for Survival: The Introduction of Converts to the Coptic Orthodox Community in the Greater Toronto Area -- Belonging to the Church Community: From Childhood Years Onward -- Part 3: Tradition -- The Revival of the Coptic Language and the Formation of Coptic Ethnoreligious Identity in Modern Egypt -- Reading the Church's Story: The "ʻAmr-Benjamin Paradigm" and Its Echoes in The History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria -- The Evolution of Lent in Alexandria and the Alleged Reforms of Patriarch Demetrius -- The Perfect Monk: Ideals of Masculinity in the Monastery of Shenoute -- The Paradox of Monasticism: The Transformation of Ascetic Ideals from the Fourth to the Seventh Century -- Reconsidering the Emerging Monastic Desertscape -- Notes -- Selected Bibliography -- Contributors -- Index

The book presents an original and critical study of Coptic-Muslim relations in Mubarak's Egypt, providing a comprehensive analysis of its political and social background. With great historical depth, the book examines the Coptic concerns discussed and negotiated by the Egyptian public during the Mubarak era, focusing especially on the oft-neglected diversity of voices within the Coptic community.