Section 21

Shores of Africa and Near East

The Christian Churches which had flourished had gradually disappeared under Moslem rule.

Between 1815 and 1914 most of the North shore West Egypt was occupied by Western European powers.

Here were ancient churches which had never died out.

The chief strength of the Coptic Church was in the cities and Upper Egypt.

Orthodox Churches in Europe

The Ecumenical Patriarchs were under the control of the Turkish rulers.

Under Turkish rule the Orthodox Church had been subjected to the Administration of Greeks.

In 1856, as result of Crimean War, the Turkish government decreed the freedom of the Christians.

In much of the Balkan Peninsula the ecclesiastical picture was further complicated by roman Catholics and in some places by Protestants.

The Reemergence of Christianity

Eastern Churches, regional branches of Catholic Churches had a chequered course in the 19^th century.

Turkish tide retreated, some reemerged and became national bodies and rallying centers of nationalism.

Others suffered from the attrition which had been their lot since the Moslem-Arab conquest.

These impelled and empowered by the awakenings of the nineteenth century.

Complexity of the Russian scene

Socialism, including that of Marx, won followers, and Anarchism, and Nihilism had their devotees.

Much of the social radicalism was anti-religious.

Tsar Alexander I (reigned 1801-1825) moved towards liberalism, but later became fearful of it.

The formula Orthodoxy, autocracy, nationalism became the Tsars policy and entailed the reciprocal support of church and state.