Copts

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – A new article in the journal Science gives evidence for a prolonged dry spell in the kingdom of Himyar (which now would comprise Yemen, southern Saudi Arabia and Oman) in the 500s. Since the Prophet Muhammad is traditionally said to have been born in 567 or 570, any new information […]

Assyrians

Middle East Christians, with the population of Sweden, Celebrate Christmas

Juan Cole

The Shadow of ISIL has Receded for Most Christians in the Region

Copts

Egypt: Armed attack on Church south of Cairo leaves 10 Dead

contributors

Middle East Monitor | – – Egyptian media sources have reported that the Mar Mina Church in Helwan, south of Cairo, was attacked this morning, resulting in the death of several people, including the attacker. The sources reported that an armed gunman tried to raid the church and an exchange of fire occurred between him […]

Copts

Who are Egypt’s Coptic Christians, ISIL’s latest Victims?

contributors

By Paul Rowe | (The Conversation) | – – Coptic Christians in Egypt have been attacked while traveling on pilgrimages and bombed while praying on Palm Sunday, amid an accelerating series of attacks over the last decade. The interrelated challenges of violence, economics and discrimination have led to the increasing departure of Christians from the […]

Copts

Sharpening Contradictions: ISIL Strikes Egyptian Christians on Palm Sunday

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) claimed responsibility Sunday for two suicide bombings at Christian churches in Lower Egypt on Palm Sunday, which left over 40 dead and over 100 wounded. The death toll would have been higher except that an Egyptian policeman stopped the suicide bomber in Alexandria […]

Copts

Sectarian Tensions Flare in Egypt as Christians flee ISIL in Sinai

contributors

By Brian Whitaker | (Al-Bab.com) | – – Several hundred Egyptian Christians have fled their homes in North Sinai over the last few days following a series of murders attributed to supporters of the so-called Islamic State. Since the end of January at least seven people have been attacked and killed in the provincial capital, […]

Authoritarianism

Life under the Junta: Deadly Explosion at Cairo’s Coptic Christian Cathedral Kills 25

contributors

TeleSur | – – The Coptic cathedral explosion has reportedly killed 25 people and injured dozens more. A crowd gathered outside Cairo city’s biggest Coptic Christian cathedral Sunday morning chanting, “Tell the sheikh, tell the priest, Egyptians’ blood is not cheap!” after a deadly bombing killed at least 25 people in the worst attack on […]

Copts

Egypt: New Church Law Discriminates Against Christians

contributors

By Human Rights Watch | – – Authorities Fail to Prevent, Punish Violent Attacks (Tunis) – A long-awaited new law maintains restrictions over the construction and renovation of churches and discriminates against the Christian minority in Egypt. The law, passed by Egypt’s parliament on August 30, 2016, applies only to Christian houses of worship. Recent […]

Alawites

Is Religion really Driving Middle East Violence?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Pew Research has released a report saying that “As a whole, the region continued to have the highest levels of religious hostilities in the world. In 2014, the median level of religious hostilities in the Middle East and North Africa reached a level four times that […]