Diakonische Autorität als Widerstand und Ordnungskraft in charismatischen Bewegungen der koptischen Kirche

Abstract

This article examines the role of symbolic violence in relation to authority by drawing on a recent case study from the charismatic renewal movement within the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt. Using Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic violence, the article offers a detailed analysis of how Abuna Samaan—who devoted his priestly ministry primarily to the Zabbaleen (garbage collectors) in Manshiyat Nasser, a district of Cairo—acquired a distinctive form of authority through exorcisms, healing rituals, and charitable practices. This authority extended beyond the Coptic Church itself and posed challenges to its hierarchical structures. The analysis is based on the author’s own observations and spontaneous narratives, as well as on previous ethnographic studies. The article demonstrates that charismatic leaders such as Abuna Samaan act not only as spiritual renewers but also possess the capacity to transform existing power structures through the mode of authority characteristic of a “diaconal leader.” Furthermore, it explores the dynamics of intra-church conflicts that arise from tensions between charismatic movements and the Coptic Orthodox hierarchy, as well as from processes of (de-)territorialization, digitalization, and internationalization. In doing so, the article provides new insights into contemporary negotiations of religious authority and the transformative power of symbolic violence within the Coptic Church.