The issue of the relationship between secular and religious authorities has always been tough in the Christian state, and the relationship between Christians and the Islamic state is even more complicated. Nevertheless, Copts, being in minority though, have been an influential part of a Muslim society for more than a millennium now. The Coptic Church has always kept its original attitude towards the world and the state. Copts have always built their relations with the authorities based on the gospel doctrine and solved their problems not resorting to violence. In relation to the Muslim authorities, they sought mutually beneficial cooperation where it was possible.

Krivets Elena Аlekseevna, Candidate of Sciences (History), Department of Comparative Culturology, Institute of Oriental Studies RAS, 12, Rozhdestvenka st., Moscow, 107031, Russian Federation, tel.: 8(495)6283543, e-mail: vhelena2016@yandex.ru

Krivets E.А. The Attitude of Egyptian Christians (Copts) to the State: Theory and Practice. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Political Science and Religion Studies, 2019, vol. 30, pp. 85-94. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2019.30.85 (in Russian)

1. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices -2000. Egypt. US Department of State, February 23, 2001. Available at: https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/nea/784.htm (date of access: 16.10.2019). 
2. Hassan S. Christians versus Muslims in Modern Egypt. London, Oxford University Press, 2003, 320 p.
3. Kårtveit Bård Helge. Egyptian Copts Under Attack: The Frailty of a National Unity Discourse. Middle East Institute, July 13, 2017. Available at: https://www.mei.edu/ publications/egyptian-copts-under-attack-frailty-national-unity-discourse (date of access: 27.09.2019). 
4. Meinardus Otto F.A. Christians in Egypt. Cairo : The American University in Cairo Press, 2006, 177 p.
5. Sahas D.J. John of Damascus on Islam. Leiden : Brill, 1972, 171 p.
6. Salama Sara. No country for Copts. The Hill, August 4, 2019. Available at: https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/437667-no-country-for-copts (date of access: 16.10.2019).
7. Sawiris ibn Muqaffa. History of the Patriarchs of the Egyptian Church. Transl. by Yassa Abd al-Masih and O.H.E. Burmester. Cairo, American University in Cairo Press, 1943, vol. 1, 497 p.
8. Shenouda III, Pope. Experiences in life, 1997, 144 p. Available at: http://tasbeha.org/content/hh_books/Exprncs/index.html (date of access: 16.10.2019). 
9. Tadros, Maris. Copts at the Crossroad. Cairo, American University in Cairo Press, 2013, 282 p.
10. `Abd al-Sadek, A. Hitafat 25 Yanayir. In A. Rabi’, ed., 25 Yanayir: qira’a awaliya wa ru’ya mustaqbaliya. Cairo, Markaz al-Ahram li-l-Dirasat al-Siyasiya wa-l-Stratijiya, 2011. (in Arabic)
11. Gouba, B. al-Sadat wa-l-aqbat, USA, American Coptic Association Chapter of Southern California Publ., 1981. (in Arabic)