Abstract:

This paper analysed the impact of the Egyptian revolution on Muslim-Christian relations given the sizeable Egyptian Christian population and Islamist success in the first democratic elections. To identify what changes may have occurred, it is necessary to characterise Muslim-Christian relations under the Mubarak regime. These will be divided into two categories – official ties and areas of tension. On the official level, national unity was emphasised to reinforce the notion that Christians were equal citizens. There were also underlying tensions relating to the public role of Islam which impacted upon equality such as conversion and the construction of places of worship. Sporadic but recurring communal violence occurred in Egypt. The impact of the uprisings on these three categories will be analysed, especially during the period of the Morsi presidency. This paper argued that under an Islamist presidency, there has been little significant difference towards non-Muslims regarding legislation and policies. While this may suggest that concerns about the implications of the political influence of Islamist actors have been overstated, Christian perceptions of insecurity regarding their situation have accentuated due to a rise in communal clashes since the revolution. The Coptic Question would still appear to be used as a political game rather than represent serious efforts to resolve the underlying issues.