In an opinion piece in CNN.faith, Ashley Makar, a Yale Divinity School graduate, writes about the amazing unity displayed during the recent semi-peaceful revolution by Coptic Christians and Egyptian Muslims.
Makar is the daughter of a Coptic-American immigrant to the States, and as such, she is astounded by scenes coming out of Egypt of Muslims forming a protective circle around Christians as they prayed in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Monday, just as Christian protesters had done for them during last Friday’s prayers.
Makar relates that her amazement comes from the fact that in all the time she has spent in Cairo and Alexandria, she has never seen Christian prayers done in public, never mind Muslims forming a protective circle around them. She has never seen a cross anywhere near a Quran, never mind seeing them carried together in the same crowd.
Coptic Christians make up around 10 percent of Egypt’s population, and relations with the majority Muslim population have often been contentious. This has been especially true in recent times with the New Year’s Eve bombing of a church in Alexandria, killing 23 Copts, an action reportedly carried out by radical Muslims. Coptic protestors retaliated by throwing stones at a nearby mosque.
Makar, however, relates widespread doubts as to the Egyptian government’s probe into the matter, and says that this is strangely one of the reasons for the “new solidarity between Egyptian Christians and Muslims.”
Makar explains: “Copts can’t trust the government to protect them. Some discern a pattern of Mubarak provoking Muslim-Christian strife to distract Egyptians from government corruption. When militant Islamists become scapegoats for violence, the Mubarak regime gains brownie points from U.S. supporters for helping the fight against terrorism.
At the same time, Copts really do feel vulnerable to Islamist attacks. Coptic churches received threatening letters not long before the Alexandria church bombing. Simply put, Copts don’t know who to trust.”
Makar says many Coptic Christians in the past have allowed this vulnerability to morph into anti-Islamic sentiment, and have been silently supportive of the oppressive Mubarak regime because they fear a radical Muslim takeover of government. Now they feel let down by the government, and are more willing to risk change.
Makar says this leaves Egyptian Christians feeling both excited and afraid. Excited to participate in making history, in working for a chance for the better, and at a chance of living in a democratic Egypt but also afraid that radical Muslims will swoop in and take over.
Makar expresses their hope, however, that the almost miraculous nature of this change, and the remarkable unity displayed between Muslims and Christians over the last few weeks, could translate into something wonderful for Egypt.
“I’m cautiously optimistic that real change is happening in Egypt, that the solidarity between Muslims and Christians, between urban elites and rural farmers, and between computer-savvy youth and illiterate workers - is sustainable,” Makar concludes.
(Image shows Crosses and Qurans were raised in Cairo’s Tahrir Square this week.)