The political role of the patriarch in the contemporary Middle East: an examination of the Coptic Orthodox and Maronite traditions
Abstract
The objective of this study is to analyse the contemporary political role of Christianity in the
Middle East. This will be achieved by focusing on the office of the patriarch. In most of the
Eastern Christian churches, the patriarch is widely accepted as the spiritual head of the
community and, throughout the centuries, this authority has often been translated into
temporal power. Although other communal actors have challenged the dominant position of
the patriarch, this dual role as spiritual and civil leader provides resources which can be used
to strengthen the claim to be the political representative at the expense of lay rivals. The case
studies selected for this project - the Coptic Orthodox and the Maronite churches - share
several key characteristics. Firstly, both evoke a distinct identity on the basis of faith yet are
directly linked to a specific homeland - Egypt and Lebanon respectively. In contrast to
spiritual leaders of communities which are not concentrated in one particular country, the
Coptic Orthodox and Maronite patriarchs have the potential to become involved in national
affairs if desired. Secondly, both communities have pressing if different concerns as
indigenous Christians in a turbulent regional environment dominated by another religion -
Islam. The vast majority of these relate to the position of the community in the homeland.
Thirdly, both communities have recently experienced widespread expansion outside the
traditional territory in the Middle East. This allows an examination of the impact this growth
has had on both the church and community at home and abroad. Fourthly, since becoming
the head of each church, Patriarch Shenouda III, Coptic Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria and
all Africa and Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East of the
Maronites, have proven to be charismatic and influential figures in church and national
affairs. They have clearly played significant parts in relations between the community and
state in the decades since their election to office. Finally, the two case studies have been
selected as they best represent the potential of Christian communities to have a political role
in this region. While the Copts constitute only a small proportion (5-10% depending on the
identity of the source) of the Egyptian population, they are still the largest Christian
community in the Middle East, numbering around 5-6 million. In contrast, the Maronites
are a small community in terms of size. It is estimated that there are no more than 600,000
Maronites in Lebanon. Yet within Lebanon, they still make up over 20% of the population,
offering them a chance to have a significant impact on national affairs. This study proposes
that the patriarch exercises a political role because of his position as the head of the
community. The authority and tradition of the office is constantly invoked to reinforce this
position. In the contemporary period, this can be attributed to the desire to fill the leadership
vacuum which exists amongst Christians in the Middle East.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
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