The head of the Egyptian Coptic church has called for the creation of an interreligious commission, comprising representatives of Cairo's al-Azhar University - the most authoritative institution in Sunni Islam - and the Coptic Church to confront problems related to religious intolerance. "Theologians and philosophers of both faiths should be part of the committee to discuss the problems arising from religious discrimination, cases of defamation and offence to any religion, be it inside or outside Egypt" said Archbishop Anba Marcos
Copts make up between six and 10 percent of Egypt's 73 million population and are the largest Christian community in the Middle East. They have been the target of periodic attacks by Muslim hardliners in recent years.
Marcos went on to say that "Western Christians have a different sensibility from ours and do not shy away from tackling any issues, even the most intimate ones, linked to religious themes. Think of the controversy surrounding "The Da Vinci Code", with its thesis that the Messiah married and had children - contrary to what Christians and Muslims believe.
The archbishop underlined the differences between Western and Eastern-rite Christians, in dogma and doctrine saying the former "offend the dogma of their own religion in the name of freedom of expression and they do not understand other peoples' feelings".
Marcos invited Christians and Muslims to dialogue more "in a country like Egypt which for 15 centuries has welcomed various religious faiths in a climate of peaceful cohabitation, which no external or internal pressure can compromise."
The Coptic Church was founded in Egypt in the first century AD. The liturgy is similar to the Orthodox church and claims it has maintained the beliefs and doctrine of the oldest form of Christianity, passing them down from generation to generation without radical changes and conforming to the doctrine and apostolic rites of the origin.
The Copts recognise the sole divine nature of Christ and unlike Roman Catholics do not recognise the doctrine of papal infallibilty. They have their own leader, also called Pope, Shenouda III.
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