COPTS

kŏpts, the native Christian minority of Egypt; estimates of the number of Copts in Egypt range from 5% to 17% of the population. Copts are not ethnically distinct from other Egyptians; they are a cultural remnant, i.e., the Christians who have not been converted to Islam in the 14 centuries since the Muslim invasion. The Coptic language, now extinct, was the form of the ancient Egyptian language spoken in early Christian times; by the 12th cent. it was superseded by Arabic.

Most Copts belong to the Coptic Church, an autonomous Christian sect that officially adheres to Monophysitism, which was declared (451) a heresy by the Council of Chalcedon. The church is in communion with the Jacobite Church (also Monophysite), but a traditionally close relationship to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was dissolved in 1961 when it declared itself independent of the Coptic patriarch. In rites and customs the Coptic Church resembles other Asian churches; however, Copts circumcise their infants before baptism and observe certain Mosaic dietary laws. Coptic, Greek, and Arabic languages are all used ceremonially. The chief bishop, the patriarch of Alexandria, is in direct succession to the 5th-century patriarchs who embraced Monophysitism; he is entitled pope.

Among the Copts a small minority are in communion with the pope; these "Catholic Copts" have their own organization and churches but share the rites and practices of the Coptic Church. This community began to develop in the 18th cent. Protestant missionaries have established some Coptic congregations. Besides Copts there are Orthodox communities in Egypt, mainly Greek and Syrian; the Orthodox patriarch of Alexandria traces his succession to the Catholic patriarchs of the 5th cent. There are also many Catholic Syrians, mainly Melchites and Maronites. In the last decades of the 20th cent., Copts were the object of attacks by Muslim fundamentalists in Egypt.

See D. Attwater, The Christian Churches of the East (2 vol., 1947–48); E. Wakin, A Lonely Minority: The Story of Egypt's Copts (1963); M. Kāmil, Coptic Egypt (1968); O. F. A. Meindarus, Christian Egypt: Faith and Life (1970).

____________________

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright© 2004, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V. All rights reserved.

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Questia Books and Articles on: Copts
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books on: Copts  - 758 results

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1.
The Coptic Martyrdom of John of Phanijoit: Assimilation and Conversion to Islam in Thirteenth-Century Egypt
Book by Jason R. Zaborowski; Brill, 2005
Subjects: Christian Converts From Islam--Egypt--Biography, Christian Martyrs--Egypt--Biography, Copts--Biography, John--Of Phanijoit--D. Ca. 1211, Muslim Converts From Christianity--Egypt--Biography
...work at a time when, presumably, most Copts had become linguistically Arabised. Amelineau...the sense of vulnerability that haunted Copts as a subjugated religious group. In the...cidatc the identity problems faced by Copts as a subjugated Christian community in...
2.
Whose Pharaohs? Archaeology, Museums, and Egyptian National Identity from Napoleon to World War I
Book by Donald Malcolm Reid; University of California Press, 2002
Subjects: Archaeological Museums And Collections--Egypt--History, Archaeology--Egypt--History, Egypt--Antiquities, Egyptology--History, Nationalism--Egypt--History
...Reform, and Modern Identity among the Copts, 1854 1952, pp. 311 35 in Entre Reforme...Moses, Jesus and Mary, and Saint Mark. Copts traced their church back to Mark and had...fragments of the nation 21 women, Copts, Upper Egyptians, tourist guides, archaeological...
3.
Christians versus Muslims in Modern Egypt: The Century-Long Struggle for Coptic Equality
Book by S. S. Hasan; Oxford University Press, 2003
Subjects: Christianity And Other Religions--Islam, Coptic Church--Egypt--History--20th Century, Egypt--Church History--20th Century, Egypt--Politics And Government--1970-, Islam--Relations--Christianity
...with are entirely my own. I know that some Copts may disagree with my observations, others...be no doubt that the condition of the Copts steadily deteriorated, during the second...reverence of the middle- and lowerclass Copts for their local saints and martyrs and...
4.
Christian Communities in the Arab Middle East: the Challenge of the Future
Book by Andrea Pacini; Clarendon Press, 1998
Subjects: Arab Countries--Church History, Christianity And Culture--Arab Countries, Christianity And Other Religions--Islam, Christianity--Arab Countries, Islam--Relations--Christianity
...HECHAIME 8. The Political Dynamics of the Copts: Giving the Community an Active Role...The Place and the Present Role of the Copts in the Egyptian Economy: Traditions and...was strictly secular, while in Egypt the Copts played an important role in founding the...
5.
Modernity and Culture: From the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean
Book by Leila Tarazi Fawaz, C. A. Bayly, Robert Ilbert; Columbia University Press, 2002
Subjects: Cities And Towns--India--History--19th Century, Cities And Towns--India--History--20th Century, Cities And Towns--Middle East--History--19th Century, Cities And Towns--Middle East--History--20th Century, East And West, India--Civilization--1765-1947, Middle East--Civilization--19th Century, Middle East--Civilization--20th Century
...Sluglett 144 9. Representing Copts and Muhammadans: Empire, Nation, and Community in Egypt and...crucially, the papers also show how indigenous leaderships of Copts and Indian Muslims, for instance were able to manipulate and...
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journal articles on: Copts  - 81 results

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1.
Neo-millet Systems and Transnational Religious Movements: the Humayun Decrees and Church Construction in Egypt
Journal article by Paul S. Rowe; Journal of Church and State, Vol. 49, 2007
Subjects: Changes, Christianity, Christians, Iraq War-2003, Law, Political alliances, Politics, Religion, Social activism, Society, States
...of Christians in Arab countries remains. Copts are by and large members of an ancient...majority. 17 Studies reinforce a truism that Copts are largely quiescent within their own...throughout the world is currendy moving Copts into a more active phase. It is one thing...
2.
Four Guys and a Fax Machine? Diasporas, New Information Technologies, and the Internationalization of Religion in Egypt
Journal article by Paul S. Rowe; Journal of Church and State, Vol. 43, 2001
Subjects: Cultural change, Culture, Diaspora, Globalization, Impact analysis, Information technology, Islam, Media coverage, Middle East, Politics
...experience of Egyptian Christians, known as Copts,16 does not diverge from this larger trend...controversial government estimates consider Copts to make up approximately 5.8 percent of...generous 10 percent, or 6-7 million17), Copts tend to accept integration into the larger...
3.
What Do Egypt's Islamists Want? Moderate Islam and the Rise of Islamic Constitutionalism
Journal article by Bruce K. Rutherford; The Middle East Journal, Vol. 60, 2006
Subjects: Competition, Elections, Ideology, Islam, Islamic law, Political parties, Politics, Religion, Society
...on the relationship between Muslims and Copts in Egypt.66 He argues that Egypts unique...identity that embraces both Muslims and Copts. Islam is part of this Egyptian identity...does not dominate it and does not define Copts as second-class citizens.67 A strengthening...
4.
A Christian Martyr under Mamluk Justice: the Trials of Salib (D. 1512) According to Coptic and Muslim Sources
Journal article by Febe Armanios, Bogaç Ergene; The Muslim World, Vol. 96, 2006
Subjects: Christianity, Egypt, Islam, Martyrs, Middle Eastern literature, Religious history, Salib, Saint, Trials
...attempt to understand the ways in which Copts saw their place in Egyptian society, their...Analysis A. Religious-Historical Setting: Copts in Mamluk Egypt To a large extent, modern-day...this seems to be particularly the case for Copts.29 A number of researchers have referred...
5.
Fanaticism: A Major Obstacle in the Muslim Christian Dialogue. the Case of Twentieth Century Islamic Fundamentalism
Journal article by Roberto Marin-Guzman; Arab Studies Quarterly (ASQ), Vol. 25, 2003
...of these ideas, many abuses against the Copts occurred. Fanatical islamiyyun of the Tanzim al-Jihad attacked Copts and accused them of proselytizing and sending...cassettes, in which, according to them, the Copts attacked the Islamic dogmas. They also...
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magazine articles on: Copts  - 80 results

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1.
Copts & Brothers: Despite the Neocons' Efforts, Islamist Parties Are Sweeping to Power across the Muslim World. A Surprising Dialogue between the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt's Coptic Christians Suggests a New Way of Working with Them
Magazine article by William Dalrymple; New Statesman, Vol. 136, December 17, 2007
Subjects: Christian-Muslim relations, Christianity and other religions--Islam, Copts--Civil rights, Copts--Social aspects, Egypt--Religious aspects, Egypt--Social aspects, Religious discrimination, Sidhom, Youssef--Social aspects
Copts Brothers: Despite the Neocons Efforts, Islamist Parties...George W Bush used the word "crusade", it implicated the Copts, in the eyes of some Muslims, in a wider Christian assault...had to be used before the mob finally dispersed. Four more Copts were knifed as they came out of church services the following...
2.
A Christian Appeal to Islam
Magazine article by Saad Michael Saad; The Christian Century, Vol. 117, February 23, 2000
Subjects: Copts--Social aspects, Egypt--Religion, Muslims in Egypt--Social aspects
...harassment and violence, Egypts Christians, the Copts, have seen their situation improve in recent...spearheaded a campaign in which moderate Copts and Muslims led a constructive public debate...has helped improve the position of the Copts--an appeal to the human fights tradition...
3.
Egypt Causes Washington Concern
Magazine article by Andrew Hammond; The Middle East, April 2000
Subjects: Arab countries--Politics and government, Copts--Political activity, Egypt--Relations with the United States, Hezbollah--Military aspects, Mubarak, Hosni--Political activity, Presidents--Relations with the United States, Religions--Political aspects, Terrorists--Relations with the United States, United States--Relations with Middle East
...Rights (EOHR) reported that over 1,000 Copts had been detained by police in an attempt...international media attention, while ordinary Copts and their families kept a lid on their...explicit link between the two events. "Some Copts had a residue of bitterness inside them...
4.
Remembrance of Things Forgotten: Egypt's Valuable Coptic Architecture Has until Recently Been Overlooked but Interest Is Reviving. Maria Golia Writes from Cairo
Magazine article by Maria Golia; The Middle East, May 2007
Subjects: Architecture, Egyptian--Forecasts and trends, Copts--Religious aspects, Copts--Social aspects, Egyptian architecture--Forecasts and trends, Historic sites--Protection and preservation
...Cairo. by Maria Golia EGYPTS COPTS ARE proud of their place in the early history...Despite Egypts ten-to-one ratio of Muslims to Copts, the latter do not see themselves as a...celebrated by hundreds of thousands of Copts annually. Receiving such large numbers...
5.
Coptic Art in Egypt
Magazine article by Rhona Wells; The Middle East, September 2000
Subjects: Arab World Institute--Exhibitions, Christianity--Egypt, Copts--Art, Egypt--Antiquities, Languages, Mixed--History, Religions--Egypt
...step came from the need to develop a form of communication to spread the Christian word as far and as widely as possible. The Copts used the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet to which they added seven consonnants brought from the demotic; it was the understanding...
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newspaper articles on: Copts  - 32 results

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1.
Top Mubarak Aide Says Copts Have Full Rights
Newspaper article by Richard Engel; The Washington Times, April 8, 1998
Subjects: Egypt, Mubarak, Hosni
Top Mubarak aide says Copts have full rights by Richard Engel...that the U.S. Congress will "leave the Copts alone." In statements directed at members...domestic affairs such as the treatment of Copts. "It gives the U.S. a bad image. Copts...
2.
Egypt Denies Persecuting Christians
Newspaper article by Richard Engel; The Washington Times, April 8, 1998
Subjects: Egypt
...proof that groups lobbying on behalf of the Copts misrepresent the situation of the Christian...society in which they make it clear that Copts in Egypt are part of the fabric of the...programming in the media and a shortage of Copts in senior government and military jobs...
3.
Being Christian No Easy Feat in Muslim Egypt: Discrimination Is Condoned by the Government
Newspaper article by Julia Duin; The Washington Times, October 13, 1999
Subjects: Egypt
...sitting at wooden desks in a sparse room. COPTS RESENT PROSELYTIZERS Like other pastors...each other. Mr. Shenouda says certain Copts conspire with police against them, especially...We could really use a revival among the Copts," he said wistfully. "We all want to paint...
4.
The Forgotten Victims
Newspaper article; The Washington Times, April 14, 2002
...These nationalities includes 12 million Copts in Egypt, 7 million Africans in South Sudan...rights perhaps? Egypt: Twelve million Copts are represented by four members in the...the entire Palestinian population, the Copts have fewer rights then the Arabs citizens...
5.
State Department Meets the Public: Goal Is to Monitor Religious Liberty
Newspaper article by Larry Witham; The Washington Times, October 2, 1998
...Christians, who are nearly all Coptic, and that Copts may discriminate in return. "Im not sure...police turn a blind eye to persecution of Copts. Mr. Meunier said Congress effort to...Schlicher is effective for the larger plight of Copts, who he said make up 12 percent of Egypts...
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encyclopedia articles on: Copts  - 12 results

       More encyclopedia Results: 1-10 11-12 >>  
 
1.
Copts
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
COPTS kopts, the native Christian minority of Egypt; estimates of the number of Copts in Egypt range from 5% to 17% of the population. Copts are not ethnically distinct from other Egyptians; they are a cultural remnant, i.e., the Christians...
2.
Arabs
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
...not usually include Arabic-speaking Jews (found chiefly in North Africa and formerly also in Yemen and Iraq), Kurds, Berbers, Copts, and Druze, but it does include Arabic-speaking Christians (chiefly found in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan). Socially...
3.
Islamic Art and Architecture
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
...heritage of the Arabian Peninsula, the Muslims derived their unique style from synthesizing the arts of the Byzantines, the Copts, the Romans, and the Sassanids. The great strength of Islamic art as a whole lies in its ability to synthesize native design...
4.
Roman Catholic Church
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
...Maronites , the Syrian Catholics, and the Malankarese of Malabar; the Alexandrian, to which belong the Catholic Copts and Ethiopians (see Copts ); the Chaldaean (also the rite of the autonomous Nestorian Church ), to which belong Chaldaean Catholics...
5.
Holy Sepulcher
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
...of it from the Turks, but there are partitioned areas for the use of Roman Catholics (in the custody of the Franciscans), the Copts, the Syrian Jacobites, and the Gregorian Armenians. See study by C. Couasnon (1974). ____________________ Copyright 2009...
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