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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Review on The Christians of Egypt, 7 Jul 2002
By A Customer
This is a well written, informative, and easy to read book for readers, who may or may not be familiar with the Christians of Egypt, the Copts. Egypt is home for the largest indigenous Christian population in the Middle East that by some estimates is about 15-20% of the total population. The book provides a good and critical review for the history and status of the Copts. Saint Mark the Evangelist baptized the Egyptian Church with his martyrdom in the first century AD. Historical tradition recognizes Saint Mark as the first Patriarch of the Coptic Church.
The book starts by the definition of what is Copt, however it excludes the Roman Catholic and Protestant Copts from its review, and concentrates primarily on the followers of the Coptic Orthodox Church. This is unfortunate, as regardless of the denomination, the Copts collectively face similar challenges. The author may have elected to focus on the Orthodox Copts, as the most ancient Christian group or the one with largest population. However, the author provides a brief review for some of the Protestant and Catholic influences on the modern Coptic Orthodox Church, such as the introduction of Sunday schools and the modest interactions of the Orthodox Coptic Church with the Catholic and Anglican Churches, and other international Christian Churches and communities.
The book provides brief historical reviews, where the author felt the need to introduce historical background, however it primarily focuses on reviewing of the contemporary history of the Copts in the latter part of the 20th century. It also reviews the influence of Islam, specially the resurgence of militant Islam on the Copts. In addressing the issue of the size of the population of the Copts in Egypt, the book provides a rather short review for a major issue affecting contemporary Copts. The book indicates that given conflicting figures of the census data, and the vagaries of politics and hazards of census taking, it is better not to know exactly how many Copts there are. This is unfortunate as the weight attributed to demograhic factors tend to influence a group's social standing, political prospects and influence. Militant Islamic groups have tended to discount the number of the Christians in Egypt, as it suits their political agenda. Sympathizers with militant Islam within the ranks of the government of Egypt have kept the data of the census of the Copt as if it were a state secret. The Copts have long contended that their number was deliberately discounted.
The book provides a good review for historical events occurring during the eras of Cyril VI 1959-1971 and Shenouda III 1971- present, the Patriarchs of the Coptic Orthodox Church. It reviews the revival of the contemporary Coptic Orthodox Church, immigration of the Copts to western countries, evangelical missions in Africa, resurgence of violence by militant Islamic groups against the Copts in Sadat's time through the present, banishment of Pope Shenouda III 1981-1985, and the life of Father Mark of Scetis, a convert from Uganda whose support for Pope Shenouda may have led to his murder in the US. The book criticizes, and rightfully so, the Mercedes Princes of the Coptic Church. This phenomenon reflects upon some of the monks and or bishops who joined the Church's ranks to profit rather than serve the poor.
In its concluding chapter, Era of the Martyrs, the book provides a brief background of contemporary militant Islam and terrorism, and the resurgence of their violence against the Copts, non-Muslims in general, moderate Muslims, and intellectuals in Egypt. The book lists many of the violent episodes of violence against the Copts. It recounts the murder of Raafat Khalil at the age of 32, a Coptic priest who was shot in November 1988 by the Egyptian militant Islamic groups at the doorsteps of church, leaving a young widow and a one-year old baby. The book also notes that the government of Egypt policy and actions seem to have failed its Coptic citizens.
The book is a good and critical review for the contemporary history and status of the Copts in the late 20th century. It reviews how an ancient Christian community is facing a rising tide of intolerance and violence by Islamic militancy and terrorism, and its attempts to cope with the daily pressures of discrimination and persecution.
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