The Copts, descendants of pre-Islamic Egyptians, have faced various challenges throughout history. A theological conflict in the 4th and 5th centuries with Greek-speaking Romans (Melchites) arose over the nature of Jesus Christ, leading to the Coptic Church rejecting the Council of Chalcedon’s doctrine of dyophysitism.
After the Arab conquest of Egypt in the 7th century, Copts faced a language barrier as they ceased speaking Greek. Although Islamic rulers generally did not interfere in the church’s internal affairs, Copts, as non-Muslims, were subject to the jizya tax until the 18th century. In modern times, reforms after the 1952 revolution under Gamal Abdel Nasser disproportionately affected upper- and middle-class Copts, causing emigration.