“A Christian by Religion and a Muslim by Fatherland”: Egyptian Discourses on Coptic Equality

In the discourse concerning the social and political marginalization of the Egyptian Coptic Christian community, there is a widespread assumption that a secular, liberal Egyptian state is the only type of state that will respect Coptic interests and promote democracy and equality. However, contemporary Copts in Egypt have continued to exhibit traditional attitudes towards pivotal issues such as personal status law and the limits of personal autonomy, a trend that suggests that the type of secularism supported by Copts is complex and distinctive from secularism in a Western context. These distinctions can be attributed to Egyptian cultural values that Copts share with Muslim Egyptians as a consequence of the historical experience of Coptic integration into Egyptian society.

The increase in sectarian violence since the twentieth century and the pressures of an authoritarian state, along with persistent uncertainties about Egyptian identity and the divisive tenor of relevant scholarship have obscured the reality that Copts and Muslims share a particular Egyptian frame of reference. This thesis endeavors to take these circumstances into account while comparing the attitudes of Coptic intellectuals and activists with those of moderate Egyptian Islamists. While Copts and Islamists certainly differ on a number of issues, there are considerable commonalities that underscore the social and cultural integration of the Coptic community. Coptic intellectuals often envision reform according to the shared values and interests of Egyptians as a whole; rather than approaching the issues as a distinctive, isolated minority group that is only preoccupied with promoting special interests. Moderate Egyptian Islamists have also provided extensive commentary on Coptic concerns and have used independent reasoning to support the validity of providing Copts with equal citizenship and political rights according to Islamic principles, an effort that underscores their recognition of Coptic Christians as an integral component of the Egyptian nation.