In an attempt to approach freedom of expression in Egypt within religious spheres, this paper sheds light on the attitudes of the Coptic Orthodox Church toward censorship inside and outside the ecclesiastic community. Motivated by its interest to protect the right Orthodox faith of the Coptic community, a number of censorship cases were reported inside the ecclesiastic community. On the other hand, the Coptic Orthodox Church has recently started to express an opposition voice to some artworks or books which it considers as threatening to the Coptic community or the true Orthodox faith. Such a phenomenon has raised the fears of a number of intellectuals regarding the Coptic Orthodox Church attitude toward freedom of expression. In addition it has raised the concern of a number of clergy and laymen on the future of the Coptic Orthodox Church if new or different perceptions keep being rejected or opposed. As a result of this trend freedom of thought, expression, and creation could all be in danger.

Due to the lack of available information, limited time and resources, in addition to the wide scope of the topic, the paper cannot be considered by any mean a comprehensive research study. However, it does open a window to understand how the religious institution in Egypt, focusing on the Coptic Orthodox Church, perceives freedom of expression by displaying its attitude toward censorship, acting under the umbrella of protecting religion or defending its holiness.

The paper is divided into two parts. The first part is more theoretical and presents the concept of religious censorship, highlighting censorship in Egypt within a legal framework with a special focus on religious censorship from a legal perspective. Then it presents a background of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt and the nature of its relations with the state particularly since Nāsir's era. It also presents an analytical argumentation for the change in the role of the church from a spiritual institute to a spiritual, social and political entity. Such background information helps to understand the general attitude of the church when later on presenting a number of censorship cases in the second part of the paper. The second part highlights the most dialectical censorship case; the censorship of books by Father Mattá al Miskīn, it also presents other censorship cases that have occurred in relation to Father Mattá al Miskīn.

The paper is followed by a very interesting review by Dr. Amin Makram Ubayd who commented on the paper. Dr. Ubayd gave his theological remarks on issues that came up in the paper, which provide an in depth understanding of the church's stand when treating such censorship cases. The paper was also reviewed by Father Basilius, a disciple of Father Mattá al Miskīn who reviewed the section regarding Father Mattá's thoughts and perceptions, and who had interesting arguments which gave a better insight into the censorship case of Father Mattá al Miskīn's books.