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THE HISTORY OF THE COPTIC CHURCH #3

THE HISTORY OF THE COPTIC CHURCH #3. From Last Week *Some Examples Of Monastic Leaders *Egyptians Monasticism And The Christian World. Egyptian Monasticism and the Christian World

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THE HISTORY OF THE COPTIC CHURCH #3

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  1. THE HISTORY OF THE COPTIC CHURCH #3

  2. From Last Week *Some Examples Of Monastic Leaders *Egyptians Monasticism And The Christian World

  3. Egyptian Monasticism and the Christian World • The Coptic Monasticism is the most profound spiritual revival that ever happened in all the history of the Church. • It attracted people such as the Romans, Greeks, Cappadocians, Libyans, Syrians, Nubians, Ethiopians, etc. To practice angelic life in Egypt. • The effect of the Coptic Monasticism on the Whole Christian World • Pope Athanasius introduced the monastic movement in Roman religious life and rote the book “Vita Antonii” (in A.D. 357) outlining the life of St. Anthony. • The Pachomian rules were translated into Greek (by Palladius)(Synaxarium) and Latin (by Jerome). St. Basil visited the Pachomian monasteries and was impressed.

  4. Egyptian Monasticism and the Christian World • 3. St. John Cassian,(360 – 399 AD) stayed 7 years in Egypt, wrote his famous books “the Institutes” and “the Conferences” • 4. Evagrius Ponticus (346 – 399 AD) lived as a monk for two years in Nitria anthen fourteen years in the “Cells” • 5. S. Jerome and St. Rufinus paid a visit to Egypt • 6. Palladius, bishop of Helenopolis and historian of early monasticism, spend several yaers with monks of Egypt, where he was a disciple of Evagrius Ponticus, and composed his book “Lausaic History” • 7. Mar Eugenius became a disciple of St. Pachomius and established a monastery in Nisibus Persia and translated the Pachomian Rules into Persian and Syrian.

  5. Egyptian Monasticism and the Christian World • 8. St. Hilarious of Palestine became a disciple of St. Anthony and returned to his own land to practice asceticism. • 9. St. Epiphanius bishop of Salamis in Cyprus was instructed in monastic Coptic thought. • 10. Etheria, a Spanish abbess or nun visited Egypt. • 11. St. Melania the elder, a Roman lady, visited the desert of Egypt. • 12. St. John Chrystostom stayed in one of the Pachomian monasteries in Upper Egypt.

  6. Introduction • * Aristopolous ( 4 B.C) tried to relate the five books of Moses to Philosophy. • * Philo (20 B.C. – 55 A.D) explained logic and inspiration of the Holy Spirit . • * The pagan philosophers studied the Bible in order to attack Christianity. • Christians studies philosophy in order to answer the pagan philosophers. • * The philosophers created other gospels and characters in imitation of The Bible and Christ. • Division leads to Weakness • Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. • (Matthew 12:25)

  7. Introduction • * The philosophers attach Christianity with their dogma. • (Pain from within the church weakened it) • Persecution against the church . • (Pain from outside it strengthened it ) • Heresies arose from pagan philosophers who embraced Christianity but tried to preach other pagans and in the process fell into heresies of interpretation. • (e.g. the Passover was on 16th of Nissan, crucifixion on 14th)

  8. The School of Alexandria • * Before Christianity was established in Alexandria this city was famous for its various schools. • * The largest of these schools is called the “Museum” . It was founded by Ptolemy and it contained 200 to 500 thousand books and Manuscripts. • *The Museum became the most famous school in the East. • *Other schools were the Serapeum and Jewish schools. • A Christian Institution was established in Alexandria to enable the church to face the battle of these other powerful schools. • The Christian School of Alexandria is said to have been founded by St. Mark (as St. Jerome records).

  9. The School of Alexandria • * St. Mark was inspired by the Holy Spirit to establish this school in order to give Christianity a firm foundation. • This school became the oldest centre for sacred sciences in the history of Christianity. The first system of Christian theology was formed and allegorical method of Biblical exegesis • * The Main goal of the School of Alexandria was to discover everywhere the spiritual sense underlying the written word of the Scripture.

  10. The Development of the School of Alexandria + The school began as a Catechetical School (i.e. oral instruction of those learning the principles of Christianity) admitting candidates to learn the Christian faith and some Biblical studies to qualify for baptism. + Admittance was open for all people regardless of their culture, age or background. + By the second century the school became very influential in the life of the church.

  11. The Development of the School of Alexandria • Characteristics • It quenched the thirst of Alexandrian Christians for religious knowledge and encouraged higher studies and created research work in a variety of fields. • It gave birth to many church leaders. • It won many souls to Christianity from Egypt and abroad through its missionary zeal • It attracted students from other nations who became leaders and bishops in their churches.

  12. The Development of the School of Alexandria • Characteristics • It established common awareness of the importance of education as a basic element the religious structure. Therefore every church in Egypt benefited from it in one way or another. • It contributed to the world the first systematic theological studies. • 7. It used philosophy as a weapon for maneuvering pagan philosophers.

  13. The Program of the School of Alexandria • The school’s teaching was encyclopedic: presenting at first the whole series of profane sciences, then rising to moral and religious philosophy, and finally Christian theology. • Three courses were available (as outlined by St. Clement in his three books) • A special course to non-Christians which introduced them to the principles of Christianity • A course on Christian morals • And advanced course on Divine wisdom and sufficient knowledge for the spiritual Christian • In this school worship went side by side with study. Teachers and students practiced praying, fasting and diverse ways of asceticism.

  14. Why the Heresies? Simplicity in faith - Why dogma? The first church was nourished through dogma (The law of the faith of the Apostles) (Which is a shorter version of today’s Orthodox Creed) The early creed had to be memorized before baptism. (Rufitous (345 – 410) explained the creed)

  15. Dogma 1 Cor. 11-2 Rom. 6:17 Acts 2:42 2 Tim 1-13 Jude 1:3 If anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. Rom. 16:17-18 Gal. 1-6-9 Tit 3:10 Heb. 13:9 2 Pet 2:1 1 Jn. 4:1 3 Jn. 1:10

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