-Analysis-
CAIRO — At first glance, the notion of “Christian Salafism” seems contradictory, especially since Salafism is historically a religious interpretation specific to Sunni Islam. It also raises eyebrows because Salafi Muslims are often linked to extremists and terrorist groups, even if there has also been the emergence of Salafism as a reform movement in Islam.
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And yet certain Christian and Muslims Salafi clerics do have the same reaction to anything that contradicts their conservative religious and social visions. Such reaction too often turn into incitement of violence and the imposition of guardianship over society and individuals.
The launch in May of Taqueen, an organization of many well-known Arab writers, aims at building bridges and cooperation between different faiths and cultures. Yet even if most members come from a Muslim background, those leading the charge to denounce the organization were Bishop Ermia, head of the Coptic (Christian) Cultural Center, and Bishop Agathon, Bishop of Maghagha, as each issued statements supporting those attacking the organization and its founders, and called for its closure.
Bishop Agathon released a statement denouncing the organization’s founders for spreading views attacking the Christian faith, and seeking to establish “the unified Abrahamic religion” that accepts homosexuality, female priesthood, atheism, and moral deviation.”
The question now is: What prompts two bishops responsible for the Christian Orthodox Church to focus on a Muslim organization that has nothing to do with their institution?
Imposing force, suppressing dissent
It’s notable that Bishop Ermia defended the Muslim Prophet Muhammed, whose hadiths (the Prophet’s sayings) are critical to Christianity as a religion, whether at the level of theology or practice. Bishop Agathon instead resorted to populist rhetoric to attack the center’s supports of atheism and homosexuality.
Of course, all people and groups should have the right to express their opinions on any issue and engage in discussion to attract supporters, and that includes religious issues, as long as there are no calls for discrimination or incitement to violence.
Christian Salafism is more than just intellectual extremism.
But it is also true that the bishops’ statements indicate that there is indeed a Christian Salafism that — like its Islamic counterpart — has its own conservative vision that it attempts to impose by force, while suppressing any religious views that contradict that vision.
Literal interpretation
Both the Christian Salafism and the Islamic Salafism consider that they possess an exclusive mandate to talk about and interpret their respective religions.
Christian Salafism is more than just intellectual extremism for some, because it represents a respected, semi-organized current within Egypt’s Coptic church.
Christian Salafists believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible, and sanctify the Apostles and Church fathers. They treat their words as if they were religious texts that cannot be touched. In their view, the text is more important than the person, his life, or well-being.
Christian and Islamic Salafist currents rely on two sources of power: their ability to intimidate, silence or exclude, and their political and social influence.
Intimidation and Influence
If takfir (excommunication of apostates) is the most powerful weapon of Islamic Salafism against their opponents, Christian Salafism has something similar called: heresy.
The heretical in this view are doomed to a fate of misery on earth and the afterlife, and those accused include Pope Tawadros, the head of the Coptic Church, because he tried to get closer to other churches and showed flexibility on some doctrinal issues.
They blame women’s clothing for sexual harassment.
Of course, this is not limited to the Orthodox Coptic church alone, but extends to some members of the Catholic and Evangelical churches. These people also start from a baseless belief that they alone are responsible for protecting the religion, its constants, and defending it — and that the existence of opposing opinions threatens the cohesion of the faith and exposes it to division and dissolution.
The second source of power is their ties with the political authority (the government). The leaders of these currents usually have influence and interests that go beyond their religious and theological roles. They play expanded economic and social roles, which explain their presence in the public arena, and the spaces the government gives to them to express their extremist views.
The government sometimes exploits them to mobilize their followers in political events or to escape from confronting some social issues.
Women as a source of sin and transgression
Anba Ermia, for example, is the assistant secretary-general of the Egyptian Family House, which has a bad reputation in dealing with sectarian tensions and attacks on Christians. He regularly attends Islamic and public events, writes weekly essays in newspapers about the history and glories of the Islamic state, its caliphs and rulers.
The positions of Christian and Islamic Salafism supporters are almost identical on cultural, social and legal issues, such as their position on private and public freedoms, especially women’s freedoms.
Both view women as a source of sin and transgression, with a particular focus on women’s clothing, behaviors, and the man’s responsibility for them.
They blame women’s clothing for sexual harassment. They urge women to be conservative in their clothing. There is a bishop who monitors women entering his church to determine whether this clothing meets his code. If not, the church gives women long sleeve-clothing to wear before entering.
Women’s clothing was also addressed by well-known Christian cleric, Father Daoud Lamei. “Women and girls enter the church in inappropriate clothing… Indecent or inappropriate clothing confirms that there is no fear of God,” he said. “Any man who allows his wife to wear such clothing will be questioned before God.”
Science skepticism
Their position on science is also identical, where religious texts take precedence over proven scientific discovery.
Christian Salafism derives benefits from its Islamic counterpart, and vice versa; both reinforce religious identity at the expense of national identity.
But what makes it difficult to confront Christian Salafism is that it is hidden. The followers of this ideology do not admit that they are extremists in their views or that what they do violates the rights of others.
They talk about respecting other opinions and the right to disagree, and even attack Islamic intellectual extremism. But when it comes to threatening the authority of the religious establishment, they pounce on those who disagree with them, just like a good Salafi would.
