How Coptic Christians are (or aren’t) counted is a politically charged question in Egypt.

Distinguishing between intentional persecution and national malfeasance is difficult for Egyptian Copts.

Here lies the main problem with the article by Candace Lukasik: outside of its wrong claims, the article shows a clear lack of knowledge of anything resembling Coptic culture or history.

For those worried about the Coptic Church’s future, the question is not that of a Christmas date or necessary adjustments for pastoral needs, but rather whether years from now we may look back at this decision as the first step in a painful schism that separates the Church in Egypt from its churches in the West, a separation of the daughter from the mother.