Is There Some Good News for Coptic Christians in Egypt?

For the first time since the revolution dubbed the "Arab Spring," it seems that a breath of fresh air is blowing across the Coptic Christian community in Egypt. While they participated in the January demonstrations that forced President Mubarak out of office, much of the news covering the Copts in the aftermath has been bleak. But now it seems they are on the verge of an important breakthrough.

P>KNOXVILLE, TN (Catholic Online) - Based on a Catholic News Agency article, for the first time since the revolution dubbed the "Arab Spring," it seems that a breath of fresh air is blowing across the Coptic Christian community in Egypt. While they participated in the January demonstrations that forced President Mubarak out of office, much of the news covering the Copts in the aftermath has been bleak. Many reports have given us the perception that the Copts might not participate in the benefits from the revolution, or worse, that they would become victims and driven from their homes and lands. But now it seems they are on the verge of an important breakthrough.

This breakthrough has to do with the burdensome regulations on the construction of Christian churches in Egypt. These regulations are considered by many to be one of the most serious forms of oppression against Christians. Present law requires presidential permission to build churches, but it is not just new construction, it also includes remodeling and church repairs. The approval process can take years or even decades. Thus, some Christian communities do not have a church.

Now there is a proposal in the government to remove many of these discriminatory and oppressive regulations. It is being hailed as a "major step forward for the citizenship of Christians," the "first fruits" and a "vindication" of the public protest that began in January. This is one of the Copts' most basic requests. Final approval will take about three months, but Coptic Catholic Bishop Kyrillos Kamal William Samaan of Assiut is optimistic because he sees signs that the Egyptian government is already easing some restrictions. In his diocese alone, three church applications have recently been approved.

Of course, this proposal is not without controversy among certain Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, which Mubarak tightly controlled when he was the President of Egypt, and the Salafists. The Salafists are the group that attacked the Coptic community in Soul and burned their church to the ground. They are also the group that attacked Coptic Orthodox churches in the Cairo area, which left about fifteen people dead and about 230 injured.

However, Bishop William thinks that these incidents may have represented the peak of Salafist power. He believes that Islamists may be losing support in the run-up to the elections scheduled in the fall. He said some governors, including the governor of Assiut, seem more open to Christians and more resistant to "extremists' demands to shift the nation towards an Islamic theocracy." We can only hope.

Since the onset, we have wondered if Egypt's 10 million Christians would benefit from the revolution.  After Mubarak stepped down, threats and violence against the Copts escalated to the point that some voiced concern about civil war. And it does not help the Copts that Christians are being persecuted throughout the Muslim world. The persecution against Christians in Iraq is especially worrisome. It has been compared to genocide.

Furthermore, it is not clear who will benefit from the revolution. Is the revolution sweeping throughout the Muslim world really an "Arab Spring"; will it produce good fruit or bad; is it the beginning of true democratic reform or just the transfer of power among oppressors? There is no doubt that the people want greater freedom. But there is also no doubt that Islamists want greater power. 

At the present time, we do not know if this revolution is a true springtime for the Arab world or not. And if it is, whether Christians will share in the benefits or experience greater persecution. Only time will tell for sure. But for now, we can share the joy that the Coptic community must be feeling over the proposal to remove many of the oppressive and discriminatory regulations on their churches. We can also share Bishop Kamal William's hope that Islamists are losing support in Egypt. Today, at least, the news is good and there is a hint of hope in the air.
 
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Michael Terheyden was born into a Catholic family, but that is not why he is a Catholic. He is a Catholic because he believes that truth is real, that it is beautiful and good, and that the fullness of truth is in the Catholic Church. However, he knows that God's grace operating throughout his life is the main reason he is a Catholic. He is greatly blessed to share his faith and his life with his beautiful wife, Dorothy. They have four grown children and three grandchildren.

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