이슬람 사회 속의 이집트 기독교도의 상황과 미래

The Egyptian Christian's situation & future in the Islamic Society - Focused on Copts -

The Egyptian Christianity has been begun by St. Mark during the first century. The Egyptian Christians are called the Copts. They have a history of long suffering and vibrant persistence. They espoused the Monophysite doctrine which teaches that Christ had a single nature, wholly divine. It was declared heretical by the Orthodox Christian Council of Chalcedon in 451. Arab conquered Egypt during the 7th century with Islam. Arab Muslim demoted the Copts dhimmis as inferior social beings. The Copts were fated to a history of defiant self-reliance as veritable aliens in their own land. Some Copts joined the Arab governmental apparatus as accountants and translators, others engaged in revolt to secure Christian self-expression. Their revolt was no avail. Islam became the majority religion in Egypt by the end of the 10th century. The Modern Egypt was opened with the invasion of French. Egypt has been begun to change by Muhammad 'Ali. The Egyptian Christians could grasp the new opportunities until the Free Officers' revolution of 1952. The Copts entered the Assembly and filled the civil service. They could join the army. They advanced in filling high offices in the Egyptian administration. Some of them could be the ministers and prime minister. They have long provided something of an educated elite in Egypt, and they became an economically powerful minority. After the Free Officer's revolution Christians suffered from a military leader, Nasser's nationalization & Arab Nationalism. They also faced the president Sadat's pro-Islamic policy. And he oppressed the Coptic Community. Mubarak became the president of Egypt after Sadat's assassination. Mubarak has been more open to Christians than Sadat. Christians have benefited from the government's fight against the extreme Islamists. Egyptian Christians hoped equality among Egyptian people without discrimination during 1.25 revolution. However, they are not sure their future in the political confliction & the appearance of the Muslim Brother's government.