Coptic Papacy and Power in a Changing Post-Mubarak Egypt

On November 4, 2012 the Coptic Orthodox Church elected a new pope, Tawadros II, to replace Pope Shenouda III who passed away in April of the same year. Shenouda III had led the church for over forty years and had firmly established his role and himself in the authority structure of the church and in an Egyptian society that had become accustomed to authoritarian state rule. Immediately prior to Shenouda III’s passing and selection of the new pope, however, Egypt experienced its greatest political and societal change since the Nasser revolution of the 1950s as the events of the “Arab Spring” unfolded. It was against this backdrop that the Coptic Church selected its new pope. This thesis explores the ways in which the power-sharing relationship between the Coptic Church as represented by its new pope, the state and the Coptic laity will change in this time of transition.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Near Eastern Languages and Cultures

Grantor dc:publisher

The Ohio State University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Smith, Julianna Kaye

Contributors dc:contributor

• Yacoubi, Youssef

• Near Eastern Studies
• Middle Eastern Studies
• Coptic pope
• Egypt
• Arab Spring
• Shenouda
• Tawadros
• post-Mubarak
• Coptic Church

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366214073

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:osu1366214073