Samuel Tadros Profile picture
Middle East Scholar, Author of Motherland Lost & Reflection on the Revolution in Egypt, Numismatist
Oct 11 39 tweets 7 min read
Many have asked about Dhimmitude and what Copts went through during those 1200 years, so let me articulate for both the those genuinely inquiring and those attempting to diminish our suffering, what Dhimmitude entailed and it was like living as a Copt during those centuries: First let me say that while what I will describe was applied to all non-Muslims living in the Abode of Islam, circumstances were slightly different for each community as a result of geography, the rise of various Islamic dynasties & their policies, & a multitude of other reasons
Jan 7, 2021 24 tweets 4 min read
Yesterday’s attack on the Capitol building was beyond troubling. Thought I probably have little to add to what million of others have already written, I feel the need to express my thoughts and worries. First, though I am not an American citizen, I feel and have fully felt for many years, that I am an American, by heart, by mind, by choice. I believe in this nation’s founding principles and vision, and share in its future as a resident and as a father to American children.
Jun 18, 2020 20 tweets 4 min read
Two days ago I was asked why Copts support Trump. Well, the obvious answer is because they agree with his policies. Of course, which policies and why deserve some elaboration. First let me state the obvious, of course not all American Copts support Trump. The Coptic American community like all others is a diverse one, but there is no denial, whether we agree with them or not, that a majority does. The question is why?
May 30, 2020 23 tweets 5 min read
The horrific murder of George Floyd, and the Arab angle of the story has begun a conversation regarding Middle Easterners and racism. It is an important discussion, and one that we discussed in an episode of @SamAndAmmar, but here I would like to discuss the Coptic angle. Today, the Coptic Church has more than half a million sub-Saharan Africans among its followers, and it has done so by embracing African cultures while maintaining the Coptic faith. But the history of Copts and racism is long.
Jun 7, 2019 21 tweets 3 min read
I am asked what is the cause of all of this. This question deserves a separate thread: Here is my thought: Dhimmitude was both a legal code and a social framework. As a legal code it involved things like restrictions on church building, prohibition on riding horses or carrying arms, forcing Copts to wear special colored cloths.
Jun 7, 2019 13 tweets 2 min read
A few thoughts regarding the recent attack on Copts in a village in Samalout Minya. There is a tendency to describe it as similar to previous attacks, as part of the pattern we have seen for years now. It isn't
Jun 1, 2019 15 tweets 4 min read
A few thoughts on the Global Coptic Day @GlobalCopticDay 1. The initiative was the work of one man: Nader Anise. He deserves the credit for coming up with the idea and moving it forward. But it has deeply resonated with the Coptic community outside of Egypt. Everywhere I see Coptic churches and individuals celebrating
Jan 10, 2019 13 tweets 3 min read
A few thoughts on Secretary Pompeo's Speech in Cairo today state.gov/secretary/rema… The overall theme of truth telling is important and one that many shy away from in Washington. It is important to tell the audience what America thinks and believes and not what we think they want to hear.
Jul 30, 2018 25 tweets 5 min read
As some have asked me to write about the current theological crisis in the Coptic Church, here is a thread summarizing the issue: After its early centuries, when the Church of Alexandria was the leading center of Christian thought and theology, the church went through a period of decline for several reasons: