The Emergence of the Modern Coptic Papacy

An authoritative history of the Coptic Papacy from the Ottoman era to the present day, new in paperback

This third and final volume of The Popes of Egypt series spans the five centuries from the arrival of the Ottomans in 1517 to the present era. Hardly any scholarly work has been written about the Copts during the Ottoman period. Using court, financial, and building records, as well as archives from the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate and monasteries, Magdi Guirguis has reconstructed the authority of the popes and the organization of the Coptic community during this time. He reveals that the popes held complete authority over their flock at the beginning of the Ottoman rule, deciding over questions ranging from marriage and concubines to civil disputes. As the fortunes of Coptic notables rose, they gradually took over the pope's role and it was not until the time of Muhammad Ali that the popes regained their former authority.

In the second part of the book, Nelly van Doorn-Harder analyzes how with the dawning of the modern era in the nineteenth century, the leadership style of the Coptic popes necessarily changed drastically. As Egypt's social, political, and religious landscape underwent dramatic changes, the Coptic Church experienced a virtual renaissance, and expanded from a local to a global institution. Furthermore she addresses the political, religious, and cultural issues faced by the patriarchs while leading the Coptic community into the twenty-first century.

“Praise for The Popes of Egypt series: "Based on serious research . . . . [shows] how the Copticpapacy has survived and served the Church through many difficult periods. Inthe present uncertain times its resilience will surely help it to fulfil itsmission of leading the largest Church in the Middle East."-- Michael L.Fitzgerald, Proche-Orient Chretien "Focusing on some of the most influential leaders, the bookstrace the social, economic, political, and religious trends they negotiated."-- Nelly van Doorn-Harder, The MontrealReview "Essential reading for historians of ancientChristianity and for all scholars of Coptic Egypt." -- DavidBrakke, Ohio State University on The Early CopticPapacy "A lucid, meticulous, and highly accessible account ofpapal institutions in early Egyptian Christianity. . . . A critical read forany student of Christianity in Egypt and the Middle East." -- FebeArmanios, author of Coptic Christianity in Ottoman Egypt on The Early Coptic Papacy "An excellent introduction to its subject and the relevantliterature."-- Christopher van der Krogt, Islam andChristian-Muslim Relations on The Coptic Papacy inIslamic Egypt, 641-1517 "Reading this well-researched and beautifully producedbook is both sobering and encouraging."-- Michael L.Fitzgerald OBE, on The Coptic Papacy in Islamic Egypt,641-1517 "A comprehensive yet very readable review of the history ofthe Coptic leadership in the Middle Ages."-- David D. Grafton, International Bulletin of Missionary Research , on The Coptic Papacy in Islamic Egypt, 641-1517 "Extremely useful"-- Alastair Hamilton, Church History and Religious Culture on The Coptic Papacy in Islamic Egypt, 641-1517 "Magdi Guirguis is one of the very few scholars who has actuallytackled the archives of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate and of the Daral-Warth'iq al-Qawmiyya in Cairo and has consequently produced a series ofexcellent studies in which he breaks entirely new ground."-- AlastairHamilton, The International Journal of Middle East Studies on The Emergence of the Modern CopticPapacy "Substantiates the Coptic Church as a subject inreligious studies with its own history worthy of study."-- Midwest Book Review”

Praise for The Popes of Egypt series:

“Based on serious research . . . . [shows] how the Coptic papacy has survived and served the Church through many difficult periods. In the present uncertain times its resilience will surely help it to fulfil its mission of leading the largest Church in the Middle East.”—Michael L. Fitzgerald, Proche-Orient Chretien

“Focusing on some of the most influential leaders, the books trace the social, economic, political, and religious trends they negotiated.”— Nelly van Doorn-Harder, The Montreal Review

"Essential reading for historians of ancient Christianity and for all scholars of Coptic Egypt." —David Brakke, Ohio State University on The Early Coptic Papacy

"A lucid, meticulous, and highly accessible account of papal institutions in early Egyptian Christianity. . . . A critical read for any student of Christianity in Egypt and the Middle East." —Febe Armanios, author of Coptic Christianity in Ottoman Egypt on The Early Coptic Papacy

“An excellent introduction to its subject and the relevant literature.”— Christopher van der Krogt, Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations on The Coptic Papacy in Islamic Egypt, 641–1517

"Reading this well-researched and beautifully produced book is both sobering and encouraging."— Michael L. Fitzgerald OBE, on The Coptic Papacy in Islamic Egypt, 641–1517

“A comprehensive yet very readable review of the history of the Coptic leadership in the Middle Ages.”— David D. Grafton, International Bulletin of Missionary Research, on The Coptic Papacy in Islamic Egypt, 641–1517

“Extremely useful”— Alastair Hamilton, Church History and Religious Culture on The Coptic Papacy in Islamic Egypt, 641–1517

“Magdi Guirguis is one of the very few scholars who has actually tackled the archives of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate and of the Dar al-Warth’iq al-Qawmiyya in Cairo and has consequently produced a series of excellent studies in which he breaks entirely new ground.”— Alastair Hamilton, The International Journal of Middle East Studies on The Emergence of the Modern Coptic Papacy

"Substantiates the Coptic Church as a subject in religious studies with its own history worthy of study." —Midwest Book Review

Magdi Guirguis is a professor at Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt, and scientific collaborator at the Institut français d'archéologie orientale (IFAO). He is the author of: An Armenian Artist in Ottoman Egypt: Yuhanna al-Armani and His Coptic Icons (AUC Press, 2008).

Nelly van Doorn-Harder is professor of religious studies at Wake Forest University, North Carolina. She is the author of Contemporary Coptic Nuns (1995), editor of Copts in Context: Negotiating Tradition, Transition and Modernity (2017), and co-editor of Between Desert and City: The Coptic Orthodox Church Today (1997, 2012), and Copts in Modernity (2021).

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