A “Golden Age” Revisited: Conflict and Inter-religious Relations in Egypt's Inter-war Years (1919-1939)

The article discusses the development of inter-communal relations between Christians and Muslims in Egypt during the inter-war years (1919-1939), chal- lenging the notion that this period was a “golden age” of religious tolerance. By focusing on well-known incidents involving foreign missionaries and the bac- klash that followed, the paper shows how all Christian communities – including the local Coptic Orthodox Church – were directly affected by this climate of in- ter-communal strife. It then expands on the relation between Christian communi- ties and party politics during this so-called “liberal era”, arguing that the nationa- listic zeal of the anti-colonial movement, and the hegemonic yet ambiguous role of the Wafd in Egypt’s political landscape, led to the grievances of non-Muslim minorities still being voiced repeatedly even by senior members of the communi- ties, but also being handled informally and confidentially rather than in the pu- blic. The paper concludes by presenting some significant instances of institutio- nalized coordination, involving all the major foreign and local Christian denomi- nations, that emerged towards the end of this period.