The Coptic Christians of Egypt have traditionally been portrayed as a 'beleaguered minority', persecuted in a Muslim majority state and by the threat of political Islam. Vivian Ibrahim presents a vivid and alternative image of the community, examining Coptic agency in the twentieth century through newly discovered Coptic archival sources. She reveals a strong Coptic response to the emergence of political Islam from the 1940s, one that continues to resonate today, and examines how Copts negotiated a role for themselves during the colonial period and in Nasser's Egypt. Dismissing the monolithic portrayal of the community, she highlights the varied Coptic factions and groups that contributed to the identity of the Coptic community in the first half of the twentieth century. The findings of this book retain great relevance today, to understanding identity politics and the place of the Coptic community in Egypt's changing landscapes.