Political Islam, Citizenship, and Minorities: The Future of Arab Christians in the Islamic Middle East

by Andrea Zaki Stephanous

Publisher:

University Press of America

, 2012

Overview

Political Islam, Citizenship, and Minorities discusses the relationship between religion and politics in the Middle East and the future of political Christianity. The emergence of political Islam and the recent changes in political Christianity in the region have both contributed to a new perception of the role of Arab Christians. Political Christianity is a part of the political discourse in the Middle East; it makes a major contribution to the political life of the region. This book explores Arab political participation in general and particularly examines the role of minorities. The author considers both the impact of political Islam on politics and the concept of a political system based on religious principles. The Copts of Egypt and the Maronites of Lebanon are compared in order to examine the nature of political participation by Arab Christians, and to consider the political theologies behind both communities. Arabism, as a broad concept that includes Islam and other faiths, is our concern. A new vocabulary and fresh concepts for the effective political participation of Arab Christians are introduced in this book, and a new concept of dynamic citizenship that is based on the development of civil society and learns from the problems of the past is developed.

Contents

Chapter 1 List of Figures
Chapter 2 Preface
Chapter 3 Acknowledgements
Chapter 4 Chapter 1: Introduction
Part 5 Part One
Chapter 6 Chapter 2: Major Political Trends in the Middle East
Chapter 7 Chapter 3: The Development of Political Islam as Ideology
Chapter 8 Chapter 4: Political Islam in Egypt
Chapter 9 Chapter 5: Critical Reception of Political Islam
Part 10 Part Two
Chapter 11 Chapter 6: Arab Christians and Political Participation
Chapter 12 Chapter 7: Citizenship, Nationalism, and Identity Formation
Chapter 13 Chapter 8: Dynamic Citizenship
Chapter 14 Chapter 9: Conclusion
Chapter 15 Appendix 1
Chapter 16 Appendix 2

Product Details

• Title : Political Islam, Citizenship, and Minorities: The Future of Arab Christians in the Islamic Middle East
• Author: Stephanous, Andrea Zaki
• Publisher: UPA
• Publication Date: 2012
• ISBN: 9780761852148

About Andrea Zaki Stephanous

Andrea Zaki Stephanous is the vice general director for program affairs of the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services in Cairo, Egypt. He is also the president of Evangelical Churches of the Middle East and the vice president of the Protestant Churches of Egypt. Rev. Dr. Stephanous is a professor of religion and politics in the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo.