Online Coptic Theology: A Comparison between French and British Websites

Copts have known a vibrant religious revival since the 1970s accompanied by a wave of publications of all kinds. These texts were circulated all around the diaspora and some were even produced there. They helped perpetuate religious practices and a sense of belonging. Since the 2000s internet has caused crucial evolutions in the way religious traditions are circulated and maintained, as texts are increasingly digitized, and some are directly written for computer screens and websites. This chapter compares Coptic internet sites in France and the UK and reflect on the role of digitalization in textual practices of Copts living in Europe. The lens of online religious texts give interesting insights on how communal bonds are nurtured, not only by ideas and discourses, but also materially by objects such as books, pdfs, PowerPoints, and websites.