Christian-Muslim dialogue in post-revolutionary Egypt: the influence of the humanist discourse

This study brings to light grassroots interfaith meetings between Christians and Muslims in post-revolutionary Egypt using grounded theory methodology. The theoretical framework combines Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory from political science with the intergroup theory from social psychology. This framework helps reveal details of the interfaith dynamics. This research argues that: Firstly, there has been a stronger discursive struggle among people taking top-down and bottom-up approaches in inter-religious dialogue since the 2011 revolution. It has been also against a backdrop of occasionally aggressive religious discourse. Secondly, today’s interfaith activity reflects Egyptian humanism. Egyptians, especially the ‘revolutionary youth’, advocate the social solidarity movement in general and interfaith relations building in particular as an alternative way to continue the ‘unfinished revolution’ in their society. Thirdly although the traditional national discourse remains dominant in Egypt, the humanist discourse has helped shape interfaith relations building since the 2011 revolution and has grown since the chaotic period around 2013 under the Muslim Brotherhood-friendly regime. The weakening of Islamist discourse gave more room for the humanist rationale in Egyptian society. Egyptian humanism directly and indirectly shapes interfaith relations after the revolutions, and it has left a trail in social discourses: nationalist, religious as well as atheist/agnostic. Adding to the existing body of literature, this study sheds light on the contemporary interfaith relations in Egypt under the influence of the humanist discourse after the 2011 revolution.