As a Christian, We Must Love Muslims: Religious Practices, Emotions, and Boundaries in Egypt

• In Event: 1580 - Section on Sociology of Religion Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 03. Qualitative Studies of Church Culture

Abstract

This article revisits Émile Durkheim’s study on religion and emotions and expands upon his theory in relation to ethnic boundaries. Focusing on the case of Coptic Christians in Cairo, Egypt, I examine religious practices of Copts as the antecedents for the production of collective effervescences. These effervescences reinforce their group solidarity, while providing the basis for differentiation from other group members, such as Egyptian Muslims. I also discuss how the sacred sphere of Copts is extended to their daily lives beyond religious rituals by showing Copts’ strict moral obligations to Christian ethics at work. This article draws on data from my seven months’ ethnographic research in Cairo in 2014, which included participant observation at two Coptic Orthodox churches and in-depth interviews with Coptic Christians. Thus far, few studies on emotions cite Durkheim’s theories on religion and emotions have focused on the preconditions for the production of collective emotions. Therefore, this research fills a gap in the current literature while also advancing our understanding of the fluidity of notions of the sacred and the profane in daily life.

Author

• Hyun Jeong Ha