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Coptic Christians in Ottoman Egypt: religious worldview and communal beliefs

Armanios, Febe Y.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1068350208

Abstract Details

2003, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, History.
This dissertation explores the beliefs and worldviews among the Coptic Christian community living in Egypt under Ottoman rule (1516-1798 CE), predominantly through the use of Coptic Church documents. Research in this topic has ultimately isolated three groups of Arabic Christian manuscripts which are closely considered here. These sources, written by Copts themselves, show Copts to be major actors rather than groups “marginalized” by the Islamic society at large. The first sources are chronicles that record communal events, noting momentous occasions such as pilgrimages or “miracles” performed by Coptic patriarchs. An example of this material is found in a discussion of the Coptic pilgrimage to Jerusalem during the Ottoman period, a ritual that reflects insight into the construction of spiritual meaning among Ottoman-era Copts. Two other categories of sources characterize the massive literary output which was a hallmark of this era. These are hagiographies and sermons, which were read out loud to sizable audiences and which document the performative dialogue between the church hierarchy and its congregation. A hagiography, that of Saint Salib, is considered here as a text of “communal remembrance” from the late Mamluk and early Ottoman periods, a time of political transition in Egyptian society. Another, that of the Coptic female martyr Saint Dimyana, illustrates ascetic values reflected in her legend that were popular among Coptic believers. The sermons which are examined in this dissertation were written to instruct the community in appropriate moral codes and behavior during the late eighteenth century. They reveal the Coptic clerical hierarchy’s concerns with the encroachment of “non-Coptic” morals into the community and provide clues to widespread practices among the community in this era. Ultimately, this dissertation speaks to the need to recognize and document the Coptic contribution to Egyptian society and religious life, and it addresses Coptic popular religious practices in relation to other communities; the gendered nature of religious participation; and tensions between clergy and laity within the Coptic community.
Jane Hathaway (Advisor)
268 p.
History, Middle Eastern
Ottoman; Coptic; Religion; Islam; Minorities; Communal Relations; Egypt; Eastern Christianity; Gender; Pilgrimmage; Sermons

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Armanios, F. Y. (2003). Coptic Christians in Ottoman Egypt: religious worldview and communal beliefs [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1068350208

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Armanios, Febe. Coptic Christians in Ottoman Egypt: religious worldview and communal beliefs. 2003. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1068350208.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Armanios, Febe. "Coptic Christians in Ottoman Egypt: religious worldview and communal beliefs." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2003. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1068350208

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1068350208
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© 2003, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.