With the Muslim Brotherhood\u2019s Mohamed Morsi elected president of Egypt, many people are asking what this says about how average Egyptians see the role of religion in public life. The United States especially is watching Egypt with interest right now because of the historically strong relationship between the two countries.<\/p>\n
But to understand religion\u2019s role in Egypt, it is crucial to understand that Egypt contains powerful non-partisan religious voices that preclude religious scholars siding with Islamic parties, as occurred in Iran. No doubt, Egypt is still a profoundly religious culture and it is generally socially unacceptable to oppose religion. If Jeffersonian-style democracy \u2013 the notion that believers should leave religion at home when publically discussing political questions \u2013 is impossible in the Egyptian context, the question is not whether or not religion will manifest itself in the public square, but how.<\/p>\n