Religious Transition in Egypt

Like many countries that succumb to battles, occupations and colonialism, Egypt went through phases of Religious change. Three majors religions had their periods in Egyptian history. In the beginning Egypt maintain a native form of a pagan religion in which they believed in various God's and engaged in practices to honor said gods. Over time events in other parts of the world, such as the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, had created a fervor of Christianity spreading through the Mediterranean at the hands of the Roman conquers. This Brought Egypt into a Christian phase, there Christian believers were and still are, referred to as Coptics. This Christian majority was fairly short lived. Eventually Islam had found it's way across the Middle East and into parts of Africa.  Today Islam remains the majority religion of Egypt.

(Unknown.The Sacred Lake of Karnak.LookLex:Encyclopaediahttp://i-cias.com/e.o/egypt.ancient.religion.htm)

The Early Egyptian religion, a pagan religion, honor various gods that had changed throughout the years both in name and importance. These Gods usually had specific purposes or things they would be in charge of. Amon Ra, was the Sun God, Isis was a Goddess who protected children and families.   Evidence of this religion is marked in nearly every bit of Archaeological evidence found today. Paintings, artwork, statues, tombs, and monuments all were erected in some way or another to honor their religion and their gods. Even Pharaoh was considered a God on Earth. Although minor pieces of this religion had changed overtime, the fundamentals always remained!

(Fairchild, Alana. Goddess Isis. March 18, 2015. The Isis Reclamation Project.http://www.laylaisis.com/category/goddess/)

In the 1st Century A.D., Christianity began to spread across the Mediterranean. As the roman Empire acquired new territories, it brought with it Christianity. This gave Birth to the Coptic Christians, that still exist today. These Coptic Christians are said to be the original descendants of Ancient Egyptians. Trouble began to breakout between the Coptic and the Holy Roman Church over practices and dogmatic beliefs. Just over a hundred years later, the Coptic Christians separated themselves from the Roman Church, functioning fully on their own. 

(Moha, Taco.Unnamed. August 26, 2010. The Holy Trip.https://plus.google.com/photos/+TacoMoha/albums/5509816435490902177)

Christianity began to be Challenged around 650A.D. when Islam started to spread throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. Not long after Muslims set foot onto Egyptian soil was the entire nation under Islamic rule, where it remains today. Christians and Jews were allowed to continue ego practice their religions, but they were required to pay taxes and occasionally barred from certain political privileges. Eventually many Coptics converted to Islam. Where today, between three and ten million Coptic Christians remain in Egypt. 

(Unknown.Unnamed.March 4, 2015. Pamela Gellar.http://pamelageller.com/2015/03/egyptian-government-closes-27000-mosques-in-move-to-fight-islamic-terrorism.html/)

Sources:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/180764/Egyptian-religion

http://cmes.arizona.edu/sites/cmes.arizona.edu/files/2c.%20History%20of%20Religion%20-%20powerpoint.pdf

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