The Real Origins of Maronites and Copts
As a Maronite Catholic (Recovering) myslef as well as a Philosophy/History Double major who spent a great deeal of time studyign teh Middle East and Its religions:
Genrally, None fo the major Christian Sects in teh Middle East are the Results of the Crusades. Under the Byzantine Empire at its height, nearly the whole fo the Modern Middle East, North of Modern Saudi Arabia, As throughly Christianized Before, and well into, The Moslem Conquest. IN fact, there are estimates that the general Population of the Area was still majority Christian at the time fo teh first Crusades--at the time, Islam was a much more tolerant Religion than Christinatinty, and generally allowed locals to keep their religion (provided they were "people of the book" Christian or Jewish worshipping the God of Abraham), provided they pay a special Tax
The Splintering of the Churches was th product of the Byzantine Policy of establishing a recognized Orthodoxy--and hence unifying the Empire under a single Christina Sect. THsi was done trhough the 7 Great, or Ecumenical, COunsels of the Early Church. By far the msot devisive (as far as splitting off "non-orthadox" sects) was teh Counsel fo Chalcedon (the first I belive, I also forget the year--but I think it was late 6th Century CE--but before the rise of Islam). That was the Point where Jesus was declared Both Human and Divine--in the same body/form. Baisically, that split off both Extreems--the Copts in Egypt, who only accepted the divine aspect; and the Nestorians in Mesopotamia, who only accepted the Human Aspect (at leas tI believe that is the Nestorians, but I know I have the Copts right). Hence--these groups Became persecuted as religious minorites in the Byzantine Empire, despite bing teh vast majority in their respective Provinces. As such, they came to resent their "foreign occupiers," the Greeks, and led them to welcome the more tolerant Arabs as liberators--teh famous story of the Christians in Alexadria opening the Gates to the Invading Arab Armies.
The Maronites have a less doctrinal, adn more accidental History. Generally, they are the decedents of teh followers of a 4th Centure CE Hermit who lived in teh deserts of Modern Syria named Maron. During the Byzantine/Arab struggle for Antioch in teh 10th Centurey (I think I have the date right) the Patriarchal Trhone became vacant, tand the local Christians, the Maronites, Placed their own canidate on the throne--who was recognized by Rome (the Pope) but not Constantinople (the Emporer). As the fighitng continued--the Maronites were forced fled Antioch, but took their Patriach of Antioch with them, to the Mountans of Lebanon where it was much easier to defend themselves. Wehn teh Crusaders arrived, they found a christina people who had fled to the mountains to avoid persecution by both Greeks (for supporting and being recognized by Rome) and Arabs, much less tolerent followign the Wars w/ the Byzantines.
In conclusion--the various Christian Sects are organic--they are not the results of the Crusades, but the decednets of the dominat religion, and its varoius sects, that predated the Arab Conquest.
