Chapter 10

     In Chapter 10, The Worlds of Christendom: Contraction, Expansion, and Division, I think that one of the most interesting sections was on African Christianity. The churches of Africa, like many in the Middle East, found themselves "on the defensive and declining in the face of an expanding Islam" (467). Christianity was, however, thriving quite nicely in Egypt, and had become the most common religion by the time of the Muslim conquest around 640. Many people found that the Arab governments were less oppressive than their former Byzantine 'overlords.' In Africa, there was no separation of church and state and many kings served as priests and Christian bishops held state offices. The Nubian armies defeated Arab attacks multiple times before entering into an agreement with Muslim Egypt in order to protect the outpost of Christianity.