Date: Wed, 19 Oct 94 17:30:00 -0700 Subject: Copt-Net Newsletter: Issue #10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ___ ___ /___\ ___ IHC | | nXC ______| |______ /______| |______\ | _|_ | |______ | ______| | | | ______ ______ ______ | | __ _____ _______ /_____/\ /_____/\ /_____/\ | | /\_\___ /\____\ /\______\ \ ___\/ \ __ \ \ \ __ \ \ | | / / /___\ / / ___/ \/__ __/ _\ \ \_____\ \ \ \ \_\ \_\ \ \___| |____/ / ___ /_/ / /_\___ / / / / \ \ \____ \ \ \ \ \ \ ___\/ | | / / // / / / / ___/ / / /\ / \ \/___/\ \ \_\ \ \ \ \ \ | | / / // / / / / /_\ / / / \ / \_____\/ \_____\/ \_\/ | | \/_/ \/_/ \/____/ \/_/ \ / \ /____________________________________________________________________________\ \ / \ An electronic newsletter about the Coptic Orthodox Church / \ / \ "Blessed is Egypt My people" / \____________________________________________________________________/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Table of Contents ----------------- 1. The Story of the Holy Bible. 2. The Copts and Christian Civilization (Part 3). 3. Saint John Kolobos and the "Fruits of Obedience". 4. The British Orthodox Church unites with the Coptic Church Readers' Corner --------------- 1. On interpreting prophesies and understanding Christ's teachings. 2. An announcement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- The Story of the Holy Bible --------------------------- To be considered to have come from an all-powerful God, a book must meet certain requirements. First, it must be transmitted to us accurately from the time it was originally written so that we may have an exact representation of what God said and did. Also, it must be correct when it deals with historical personages and events. A book that confuses names, dates and events has no right to claim it comes from an infallible God. Furthermore, any revelation from God should be without any scientific absurdities which would betray that it came by mere human authorship. The bible meets the above requirements and much, much more. Uniqueness of the Bible ----------------------- The Bible is unique, "different from all others", in the following ways (plus a multitude more)... The Bible is unique in its "continuity". It's a book written over a 1,500 year span; written over 40 generations; written by more than 40 authors, from every walk of life -- including kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, scholars, prophets, ... etc. It's a book written in different places ranging from the wilderness of Mount Sinai to the prison walls of Paul! It's a book written at different times of peace and war, at different moods of joy and sorrow. It's a book written on three continents (Asia, Africa, and Europe), written in three languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek). Finally, it's a book whose subject matter includes hundreds of topics. Yet, the biblical authors spoke with harmony and continuity from Genesis to Revelation about one unfolding story: "God's redemption of the human race." The Bible is unique in its "circulation". The Bible has been read by more people and published in more languages than any other book in history. More than 40 years ago, the British and Foreign Bible Society had to publish "one copy every three seconds day and night; 22 copies every minute; 1,369 copies every hour of every day; 32,876 copies every day. No other book has known anything approaching this constant circulation [1]. The Bible is unique in its "translation". It is one of the first major books translated. It has been translated and retranslated, and paraphrased, more than any other book in existence. The Encyclopedia Britanica says that "by 1966, the whole Bible has appeared in 240 languages and dialects. One or more of the Bible's books has been translated to 739 additional ones." Between 1950 and 1960, more than 3000 Bible translators were at work [2]! The Bible is unique in its "survival". Being written on material that perishes and having to be copied and recopied for hundreds of years before the invention of the printing press did not diminish the style, correctness, or existence of the Bible. Compared with other ancient writings, the Bible has more manuscript evidence than any ten pieces of classical literature combined [3]. The Bible survived not only time, but also persecution, both political and intellectual. Voltaire, the noted French writer, who died in 1778, said that in one hundred years from his time Christianity would be swept from existence. Only fifty years after Voltaire's death, the Geneva Bible Society used his press and his house to produce stacks of Bibles [4]. What an irony of history! The Bible survives every day through criticism. No other book has been so chopped, knived, sifted, scrutinized, and vilified. No other book has been subjected to such mass attacks [5]. Nevertheless, it remains the book most read and most cherished until this very day. If this criticism was ever effective in the past, it would have rendered the Bible unworthy of the critics' attention today. The fact that critics continue to target the Bible proves that their past criticism did nothing less than strengthen the belief in the Bible itself! The Bible is unique in its "influence" on surrounding literature. As we affirmed at the outset, it is the book most quoted; the book most referenced; and the book most studied. From the Apostolic Fathers dating from A.D. 95 to modern times is one great literary river inspired by the Bible --- Bible dictionaries, Bible encyclopedias, Bible lexicons, Bible atlases, and Bible geographies. This is in addition to the vast bibliographies around theology, religious education, hymnology, missions, the biblical languages, church history, religious biography, devotional works, commentaries, philosophy of religion, evidences, apologetics, and on and on [6]. The Old Testament Canon ----------------------- As prophesized by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Jewish sacrificial system was ended by the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. The Old Testament canon was settled in the Jewish mind long before that year. However, the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jewish religious authority developed a need for a canon that would be more definitive; the Jews were scattered and needed to determine which books were authoritative because of the many extra-scriptural writings and the decentralization. In particular, the need for an Old-testament canon was prompted by the increased circulation of Christian writings amongst the Jews themselves. When the destruction of the Jerusalem and the Temple was imminent, a great rabbi belonging to the school of Hillel in the Pharisaic party--Yochanan ben Zakkai by name--obtained permission from the Romans to reconstitute the Sanhedrin on a purely spiritual basis at Jabneh (Jamnia), between Joppa and Azotus (Ashdod). Some of the discussions which went on at Jamnia were handed down by oral transmission and ultimately recorded in the rabbinical writings. Their debates focussed on whether canonical recognition should be accorded to some books (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs and Esther). The upshot of the Jamnia debates was the firm acknowledgement of all these books as Holy Scripture [7]. Before the Jamnia debates and conclusions (A.D. 70-90), the canon of the Old Testament was well established in the Jewish mind. The Old Testament was broken down into three major parts: The Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. This breakdown is evident in the sayings of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament [Luke 24:44, 11:51] and [Matthew 23:35]. The Law (Torah) consists of the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). The Prophets (Nebhim) consists of books of the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings) and the Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekial, and The Twelve). The Writings (Kethubhim) consists of the Poetical Books (Psalms, Proverbs, and Job), the Five Rolls (Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Esther, and Ecclesiastes), and the Historical Books (Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Chronicles). Although the Christian church has the same Old Testament canon, the number of books differs because Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles are divided into two books each. The order of books also differs. In addition to the canonical Jewish Old Testament, the Coptic Orthodox Church as well as most Apostolic churches, including the Roman Catholic church recognize few other Jewish books as part of the inspired Old Testament. These are the Deutro-canonical books, often referred to as the "Apocrypha", from the Greek word "apokruphos", which means "concealed". The New Testament Canon ----------------------- When the Synod of Hippo in A.D. 393 listed the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, it did not confer upon them any authority which they did not already possess, but simply recorded their previously established canonicity. The ruling of the Synod of Hippo was repromulgated four years later by the Third Synod of Carthag. Long before these councils were convened, from the very early years of the church, Christians, especially local church elders, were constantly collecting, evaluating and deciding which of the many writings of their day carried the authority of the Apostles [Colossians 4:16] [2-Peter 3:15-16]. The question asked of any writing to be read in the churches was: To what extent is this book (epistle, narrative, apocalypse, or gospel) an authentic and pure representation of the life and teachings of Jesus and His apostles? The content of the canon was, therefore, determined by general usage, not by authoritarian pronouncement. First century Christians saw in the words of Lord Jesus and the writings of the Apostles an authority of divine inspiration. They venerated these writings and the tradition very much. The deaths of the Apostles by the end of the first century elevated the importance of their writings as Christians saw the need to preserve what the Apostles have reported. This preservation was done mostly through oral teaching from one generation to the next. This "oral tradition" continued for the second and third centuries. But, as time passed, an increasing circulation of books recognized as either not in accordance with the Apostle's teachings (i.e. heretical) or not written by them even though an Apostle's name may have been attached to them (i.e. pseudonymous), motivated the believers to become increasingly concerned about identifying the authentic works of the Apostles. It is this concern that eventually led to the Synod of Hippo in A.D. 393 [8]. New Testament Manuscripts ------------------------- There are now more than 5,300 known Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. Add to that over 10,000 Latin Vulgate and at least 9,300 other early versions and we have more than 24,000 manuscript copies of portions of the New Testament in existence. No other document of antiquity even begins to approach such numbers and attestation. In comparison, the "Iliad" by Homer is second with only 643 manuscripts that still survive. Other works such as the writings of Livy, Plato, and Herodotus have no more than 20 surviving manuscripts [7]! Besides the number of manuscripts that survived, the New Testament is unique in that the time span between its composition and the date of the earliest existing manuscript is incredibly short compared to other classical works. The time span between composition and earliest manuscript for most of the New Testament books range at about 100-125 years. This is to be compared with spans of 1,000-1,600 years for the classical works of Caesar, Plato, Tacitus, Herodotus, Suetonius, Horace, Sophocles, Aristotle, Euripides, Aristophanes, Catullus, and many more [9-10]! In the entire range of ancient Greek and Latin literature, the Iliad ranks next to the New Testament in possessing the greatest amount of manuscript testimony. Only 40 lines (about 400 words) of he entire New Testament are in doubt, whereas 764 lines of the Iliad are questioned. This translates to five percent for the Iliad as opposed to one-half of one percent for the New Testament! A careful study of the variants (different readings) of the various earliest manuscripts of the New Testament reveals that none of them affects a single doctrine of Scripture. The reliability of the New Testament manuscripts is also supported by the writings of the early church Fathers. Suppose that the New Testament had been destroyed, and every copy of it lost by the end of the third century (that's 100 years before the Synod of Hippo canonized the New Testament), how much of it could be collected from the writings of the Fathers of the second and third centuries? The answer is stunning! All of it except for eleven verses [9]. Old Testament Manuscripts ------------------------- Until the recent discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest complete extant Hebrew manuscript was around A.D. 900. This made a time gap of 1,300 years between when the Old Testament was completed (around 400 B.C.) and when the earliest manuscript was written (around 900 A.D.) Despite this seemingly long time span, one needs to examine the extreme care with which the copyists transcribed the Old Testament. Here are some of the rules that the Talmudists (A.D. 100 - 500) used when they transcribed the Old Testament... A synagogue roll must be written on the skins of clean animals, prepared for this particular use by a Jew. The skins must be fastened together with strings taken from clean animals. Every skin (page) must contain a certain number of columns, equal through the entire codex. The length of each column must not exceed 48 or 60 lines; and the breadth must consist of 30 letters. The whole copy must be first lined. The ink to be used must be black and prepared according to a specific recipe. An authentic copy must be the exemplar. No word or letter, not even a yod, must be written from memory. There are hundreds of such rules for every aspect of the transcription. The same care and even stricter rules were followed during the Masoteric period (A.D. 500-900) [11]. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in A.D. 1947 provided an incredible proof for the authenticity and reliability of the Old Testament manuscripts. The Dead Sea Scrolls date back to about 125 B.C. (i.e. almost two centuries before the dawn of Christianity around the end of the first century A.D.) One of the complete books found in Qumran Cave 1 near the Dead Sea were two copies of Isaiah. These books were a thousand year older than the oldest dated manuscripts previously known. Nevertheless, they proved to be word for word identical with our standard Hebrew Bible in more than 95 percent of the text [7]. The 5 percent of variation consisted chiefly of obvious slips of pen and variations in spelling. Even those Dead Sea fragments of Deuteronomy and Samuel which point to a different manuscript family from that which underlies our received Hebrew text do not indicate any differences in doctrine or teaching. They do not affect the message of revelation in the slightest. References ---------- [1] Greenslade, S. L., ed. "Cambridge History of the Bible". New York: Cambridge University Press, 1963. [2] Encyclopedia Britanica 3 (1970). [3] Montegomery, J.W. "History and Christianity", Downer's Grove, IL. InterVarsity Press, 1971. [4] Geiser, N.L. and Nix, W.E. "A General Introduction to the Bible", Chicago: Moody Press, 1968. [5] Lea, John W. "The Greatest Book in the World", Philadelphia, 1929. [6] McAfee, C.B. "The Greatest English Classic", New York, 1912. [7] Bruce, F.F. "The Books and The Parchments", Rev. ed. Westwood: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1963. [8] Gurthrie, D. "Canon of Scripture", In the New International Dictionary of the Christian Church", Rev. ed. J.D. Douglas, ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974. [9] Leach, C. "Our Bible: How We Got It", Chicago: Moody Press, 1898. [10] Kenyon, F. G. "Handbook to the textual Critisism of the New Testament", London: Macmillan and Co., 1901. [11] Davidson, S. "Hebrew Text of the Old Testament", 2nd ed. London: Samuel Bagster & Sons, 1859. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- The Copts and Christian Civilization Aziz S. Atiya Missionary Enterprise --------------------- A by-product of historic significance to the monastic movement among the Copts was their early missionary endeavour. All the aforementioned renowned names of men who spent years of their lives in the monasteries of Nitrea and the Thebaid must be regarded as unchartered ambassadors and missionaries of that Coptic Christianity which they had experienced among Coptic religious leaders. Meanwhile, the Copts themselves, at least in the first four or five centuries of our era, proved to be extremely active in the spreading of the faith beyond their frontiers in practically every direction. It is not inconceivable that Coptic relations with North Africa, notably with Cyrenaica or the Pentapolis, took place with the introduction of Christianity. In his visitations from Alexandria, Saint Mark must have been accompanied to the Pentapolis by Alexandrine helpers. Educationally, the natives of the Pentapolis looked toward Egypt. Synesius of Cyrene [25] (370-414), bishop of Ptolemais, received his instruction at Alexandria in both the Catechetical School and the Museion, and he entertained a great deal of reverence and affection for Hypatia, the last pagan Neoplatonists, whose classes he had attended. Synesius was raised to the episcopate by Theophilus, patriarch of Alexandria, in 410 A.D. Since the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., Cyrenaica had been recognized as an ecclesiastical province of the See of Alexandria, in accordance with the ruling of the Nicaean Fathers. The patriarch of the Coptic Church to his day includes the Pentapolis in his title as an area within his jurisdiction. It is doubtful, however, whether Coptic influence extended further west in North Africa, where Carthage and Rome held greater sway. The area were Egyptian Christianity had its most direct impact was probably in the upper valley of the Nile, by the southern gate of Egypt at Syene (modern Aswan). The ancient Egyptians had known those parts since the eighteenth dynasty, some fifteen hundred years before Christ, and their magnificent temples and monuments are spread all over Nubia. Two factors helped in the steady flow of Christian missionaries south of Syene. First, the persecutions gave the initial incentive to Christians to flee from their oppressors to the oases of the Western Desert and beyond the first cataract into Nubia. Secondly, the rise of ascetic monasticism furnished the new religion with pious emigrants who penetrated the southern regions as soldiers of Christ. Recent archaeological excavations in the lower Sudan prove that Christianity had struck root in those distant regions by the fourth century [26]. In the fifth century, good relations are recorded between the monastic order of the great Saint Shenute whose monasteries still stand at Suhag and the Nubian and Baga tribes of the south. At the beginning of the sixth century, there was a certain Bishop Theodore of Philae, apparently a Christian substitute to the Isis high priesthood established on that island from Roman times. IN the same century, Justinian (483-565 A.D.) issued a command that all the pagan tribes on the periphery of the Byzantine empire should be converted to Christianity. The imperial order accelerated a process already taking place in Nubia, though, as a consequence, the monophysite Copts had to combat both paganism and the Chalcedonian profession of faith at one and the same time. It would appear that the Coptic victory was completed by 559 A.D., and through the sympathy and connivance of Empress Theodora, and in defiance of court injunctions, a monophysite bishop, Longinus [27], was consecrated for the see of Napata, capital of the Nubian kingdom. The ancient temples were progressively transformed into Christian churches including the temple of Dandur (now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City), and new churches were constructed. Furthermore, monasticism was introduced among the Nubians, who founded numerous monasteries on the edge of the valley. The most outstanding example is that of Saint Simeon (Anba Hidra), which stood at short distance across the Nile from modern Aswan. Though raided by Saladin's Islamic armies in the year 1172 A.D., its imposing ruins are still a testimony to architectural, artistic, and spiritual solidity. Even more romantic than the conversion of the Nubian kingdom to Christianity in late antiquity was that of the more distant and isolated kingdom of Abyssinia. According to an apocryphal tradition, the Ethiopian court at Axum had long been acquainted with monotheism. The story of the journey of the Queen of Sheba [28] to the court of King Solomon in the tenth century B.C., their marriage, and the subsequent birth of Menelik I of Ethiopia, though probably legendary, has given the Ethiopian monarch the title "Lion of Judah" [29]. Menelik's visit to his father in Jerusalem, and his return with the Ark of Covenant, said to be enshrined in the cathedral of Axum, belongs to the same tale [30]. The next contact with monotheism occurred when the eunuch in the service of "Condace, Queen of the Ethiopians", encountered the Apostle Philip on his return from Jerusalem by way of Gaza [31]. Here, however, the Nubian queen is confused with the Ethiopian. Historic evidence shows that Ethiopia remained pagan until the fourth century A.D. when the authentic evangelization of the kingdom took place. Two brothers, Frumentius and Aedesius, residents of Tyre but originally from Alexandria, boarded a trading ship going to India and were shipwrecked on the Red Sea cost near the shores of Erythria. They were picked up by men of the Ethiopian monarch, probably King Ella Amida [32], who took them into his service. Aedesius became his cup-bearer, and Frumentius his secretary and tutor to the young crown prince, Aeizanas (Ezana), to whom he doubtless gave a Christian education. When Aeizanas became king, he and his courtiers and retainers were converted, and Christianity was declared the official religion of the state. Afterwards Aedesius was allowed to return to Tyre, while Frumentius went to Alexandria to consecrate a special bishop to watch over the spiritual welfare of those distant Christians. The meeting with Athanasius was presumably between 341 and 346 A.D. [33]. The patriarch appointed Frumentius himself under the name of Abba Salama, that is, "The father of peace" [34]. The new bishop of Axum finally returned to his see in or before 356 A.D., no doubt accompanied by presbyters to help in the process of evangelization of the kingdom and the establishment of churches in the country [35]. In 356 the Emperor Constantius, an Arian, wrote to Aeizanus to withdraw the Orthodox Frumentius, but without avail. After the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D., the Ethiopians adhered to the Coptic profession. The winning of Ethiopia for the Gospel must have been regarded as one of the most spectacular events in the century, crowning the labor of the Copts in Africa [36]. Further east, the Copts emerged in the missionary field in Asia, though of course on a more modest scale. It is very difficult to generalize here on the basis of isolated instances, but there is no doubt that the Egyptians moved freely to many parts of Palestine, Syria, Cappadocia, Caesarea, and to some extent Arabia. Origen, the great theologian, was invited to Bostra to arbitrate in doctrinal differences. Mar Augin of Clysma (the modern Suez) was the founder of monasticism in Mesopotamia and the Persian empire, making a considerable impact on both Syrian and Assyrian Christianity [37]. As early as the second century the great Pantaenus, who presided over the Catechetical School of Alexandria, was chosen by Demetrius I, the Coptic patriarch of Alexandria to preach the Gospel in India [38]. After accomplishing his mission, he visited Arabia Felix (modern Yemen) where he must have continued his missionary enterprise. Unfortunately our information on this fascinating chapter is extremely limited. In the sixth century there was a further Indian adventure by another Alexandrine, Cosmas Indicopleustes [39], who later became a monk on Sinai and left an account of his travels, now in Saint Catherine's monastery. He speaks of Christian communities with their bishops on the Persian Gulf, the existence of Christians in the island of Socotra, and the yet more numerous Christians of Saint Thomas in India. He is reputed to be one of the first travellers to Ceylon. The role of the Copts in Europe may be illustrated from the first two exiles of the great Alexandrine patriarch, Athanasius. The first exile began in Constantinople and ended in Trier, where the saint spent parts of 336 and 337 and it is difficult to believe that he did not preach during all that time in his new environment. Most of the second exile, from 339 to 346, was at the Roman curia as the guest of Julius I. Apart from establishing good relations between Alexandria and Rome, Athanasius carried out some missionary work by introducing into Roman religious life the highly developed monastic rule of the Fathers of the Egyptian deserts. This was an important event in view of the magnitude of the contributions of the rising monastic orders in the preservation of culture, and in the progress of European civilization as a whole [40]. In those days the stream of pilgrims who came from the west to visit the Egyptian wilderness with its hermits and monks included many who may well be regarded as missionaries of Coptic religious culture, since they transplanted Coptic teachings to their native countries. One of the most eminent of these was John Cassian (360-435 A.D.), a native of southern Gaul and the son of rich parents who gave him a good education. He and an older friend named Germanus decided to undertake a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and in Bethlehem they took monastic vows. Then they went to Egypt, where they spent seven years visiting the solitaries and holy men of the wilderness of Scetis in the Nitrean valley as well as the Thebaid during the fourth century. It was on that occasion that John Cassian collected the material for his two famous works, the "Institutes" [41] and the "Conferences" [42]. These books deal with the life and habits of the Egyptian monks as well as their wisdom and institutions, and both were widely read in mediaeval Europe. Saint Benedict of Nursia used them when he codified his rule in the sixth century. After spending some time with Saint John Chrysostom in Constantinople on his return journey, John Cassian was ordained priest, probably in Rome, before settling down in the neighborhood of Marseilles, where he has been accredited with the introduction of Egyptian monasticism in Gaul. At Marseilles, above the shrine of Saint Victor, who was martyred by Emperor Maximian (286-305 A.D.) in the last Christian persecution, John Cassian founded a monastery and a nunnery on the model of the Coenobia, which he had witnessed in Egypt [43]. In the catacombs below present day fort of Saint Victor will be found numerous archaeological remains, including sarcophagi with stone carvings and sculpture which betray in animal and plant motifs the direct influence of early Coptic art. On the island of Saint Honorat, off the coast of Cannes, there is an old monastery where the monks explain to visitors that they use the rule of Saint Pachomius of the Thebaid. Wherever the Roman legions went, they apparently were followed by Christian missionaries. To Switzerland a mission from Thebes, according to local legend or tradition, arrived in the year 285 A.D. with the Theban legion. It was led by Saint Mauritius (Maurice or Moritz), who seems to have earned the crown of martyrdom for refusing to sacrifice to the heathen gods. His statue stands today in one of the public squares of Saint-Moritz, and his body was enshrined in what later became the chapel of an abbey of Augustinian canons at Saint Maurice in the Valais. His companions, a legionary named Felix, his sister Regula, and a third called Exuperantius hid themselves in the dreary wastes of the land of Glarus and ultimately reached the lake of Zurich, where they baptized converts until they were seized by the emperor's men and led before Decius, the Roman governor of the region. On refusing to sacrifice to the gods, they were tortured. Tradition says that as they were beheaded a voice from heaven called to them: "Arise, for he angels shall take you to Paradise and set upon your heads the martyr's crown." The place where they sleep underneath is now the crypt of the Zurich Grossmunster. on the spot of their martyrdom arose the Wasserkirche. The Fraumunster cloister across the Limmat River has eight famous mediaeval frescoes representing every stage of their story. The three saints with heads in hand are the subject of the coat of arms of the city of Zurich. A parallel story with some variations has been recounted about the town of Solothurn, and the name of Saint Victor (the Coptic "Boktor") is mentioned as its hero and patron saint. There is little doubt that the Coptic missionaries reached as far as the British Isles on the fringe of mediaeval Europe. long before the coming of Saint Augustine of Canterbury in 597 A.D., Christianity had been introduced among the Britons. the eminent historian Stanley Lane-Poole says: "We do not yet know how much we in the British Isles owe to these remote hermits. It is more than probable that to them we are indebted for the first preaching of the Gospel in England, where, till the coming of Augustine, the Egyptian monastic rule prevailed. But more important is the belief that Irish Christianity, the great civilizing agent of the early Middle Ages among the northern nations, was the child of the Egyptian Church. Seven Egyptian monks are buried at Disert Uldith, and there is much in the ceremonies and architecture of Ireland in the earliest time that reminds one of still earlier Christian remains in Egypt. Everyone knows that the handicraft of the Irish monks in the ninth and tenth centuries far excelled anything that could be found elsewhere in Europe; and if the Byzantine-looking decoration of their splendid gold and silver work, and their unrivalled illuminations, can be traced to the influence of Egyptian missionaries, we have more to thank the Copts for than had been imagined" [45]. Even when we review Coptic heresies and heretics, it behooves us to consider how these ardent sons of the Nile, forbidden to practice the beliefs of their sects within the Pax Romana, crossed the frontiers of the empire to the unknown realms of the barbarians and there freely preached Christianity in accordance with their convictions [46]. References ---------- [25] H. L. Marrou, "Synesius of Cyrene and Alexandrian Neoplatonism", in the "Conflict between paganism and Christianity in the Fourth Century", ed. A. Momigliano (Oxford, 1963), pp. 126-50; Synesius of Cyrene, "Letters", English translation by A. Fitzgerald (Oxford, 1926); idem, "Essays and Hymns", 2 vols. (London, 1930). For biographies of Synesius, see C. Lacombrade (Paris, 1951), G. Grutzmacher (Leipzig, 1913), W.S. Crawford (London, 1901), and J.C. Pando (Washington, 1940). [26] D. Dunham, "Romano-Coptic Egypt and the Culture of Meroe," in Coptic Egypt (New York, 1944), pp. 31-33; C.P. Groves, "The Planting of Christianity in Africa", 4 vols, (London, 1948-58), I, 46-49; S. Clarke, "Christian Antiquities in the Nile Valley (Oxford, 1912). [27] He appears to be the true apostle of Nubian Christianity, though it is said that he was preceded by another Julian, who seems to have converted the king and the court of the tribe of the Nobadae. Groves, I, 49-50; Zaher Riad, "Kanisat al-Iskan-dariyah fi Ifriquiyah (the Church of Alexandria in Africa) (in Arabic; Cairo, 1962), pp. 159-65. [28] Meaning "Queen of the South". [29] The figure of the lion became the coat of arms of the kings of Ethiopia. [30] The story is derived from a fourteenth-century MS., said to have been translated from an Arabic version of an original Coptic work in Egypt and prompted by Zague dynasty, which ascended the throne in 1270 A.D., in an attempt to establish the continuity of the Solomonian line in Ethiopia. A.H.M. Jones and E. Monroe, "A History of Ethiopia (Oxford, 1960), pp. 10-21; J. Doresse, "Ethiopia", English translation by Elsa Coult (London, 1959), pp. 13ff. [31] Acts of the Apostles VIII, 26-40. [32] He reigned in about the years 320 and 325 A.D. Archaeological evidence shows his inscriptions to retain the pagan character, whereas his sons refer to a monotheistic deity. Further, numismatic evidence is decisive. Early coins of Aeizanas' reign bear the pagan symbols, later replaced by a cross. Jones and Monroe, pp. 26-31; Doresse, "Ethiopia", p. 30. [33] J. Doresse, "Ethiopia", English translation by Elsa Coult (London, 1959), p. 62. [34] Called "Abuna" (our father), also "Casate Berhan Salama" (Revealer of Light). [35] The Abyssinian tradition mentions Nine Saints. See Groves, 1, 53; J. Doresse, "Ethiopia", English translation by Elsa Coult (London, 1959), p. 81. [36] It is interesting to note that there is a growing tendency among present-day African Christians towards affiliation with the Coptic Church; see "Arab World", no. 110 (30 July 1962), p. 53. The Coptic Church has a resident bishop in Nairobi. [37] See sections on Jacobite and Nestorian monasticism in Atiya's "Eastern Christianity", pp. 184ff., 291ff. [38] The geographical situation of India was rather confused in those days with those of Southern Arabia and Abyssinia, but it is quite possible that Pantaenus reached India proper. On his return journey, Eusebius (Hist. Eccles., V., 10-11) tell us, he recovered the original Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew which had been brought to the East by the Apostle Bartholomew. [39] Critical edition of his "Christian Topography" is by E.O. Winstedt (Cambridge, 1909). [40] A.S. Atiya, "A History of Eastern Christianity" (London, 1967, reprinted Notre Dame, Ind., 1968), p. 39ff. [41] "De insitutis coenobiorum et de octo principalium vitiorum remedis libri, XII. (see reference [42] below). [42] Collationes Patrum, XXIV; both works by Cassian translated into English by E.C.S. Givson in the "Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers", ser. 2, vol XI (1894), pp. 161-641. Cassian wrote another but less important work against Nestorius entitled "De Incarnacione Domini". [43] H.I. Marrou, "Jean Cassien a Marseille", Revue du Moyen Age Latin, I(1945), 5-26; O. Chadwick, "John Cassian: A Study in Primitive Monasticism" (Cambridge, 1950); L. Cristini, "Jean Cassien, ou la spiritualite' du desert", 2 vols. (Paris, 1946); A Hoch, "Die Lehre des Johannes Cassianus von Natur und Gnabe" (Freiburg, 1896). [44] A measure of length varying in different countries but averaging approximately one yard or a little more. [45] "Cairo -- Sketches of Its History, Monuments and Social Life" (London, 1898), pp. 203-204; F.H. Henry, "Irish Art in the Christian Period", (London 1939). [46] E. A. Thompson, "Christianity and the Northern Barbarians," in A. Momigliano, "The Conflict between Paganism and Christianity in the Fourth Century", (Oxford, 1963), pp. 16-78. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- Saint John The Short (Yoannis Pi Kolobos) Introduction ------------ Saint John, surnamed Kolobos, that is ``the Little'' or the ``the Dwarf'', was among the most eminent saints that inhabited the desert of Skete. In the Divine Liturgy, he is mentioned in the Congregation of the Saints and in ``Pi nishti''. His Way to Monastic Life ------------------------ He was born about the year 339, around the Theban region in Upper Egypt in a poor but holy family. His desire for monastic life led him since his early years to remote places where he trained himself for this austere life style. It was not long before he was led by Divine inspiration to leave his town. He retired, when only eighteen years old, into the wilderness of Skete (also called the Natroun Valley) and set himself with his whole heart to put on the spirit of Christ. He went to become a disciple of the old hermit, Abba Pemouah (who was also the teacher of Saint Pishoy - the perfect man). Abba Pemouah tried to deter him from adopting this harsh monastic life. By night an angel appeared to him asking him to accept the young John as a monk. After three full days of fasting and prayers, the master and the disciple witnessed an angel blessing the new cloths John was to put on. His Obedience ------------- Saint John renounced all distraction and entertainment; and since monasteries were not built at that time, only hermits were populating the desert. He endured all the difficult tests as an experienced master rather than a bright disciple. Abba Pemouah led him to perfect watchfulness, solitude, subduing the body, meekness, silence, humility, simplicity and obedience. Abba Pemouah, who was his director for his first lesson, bade him to plant in the ground a walking-stick, and water it every day till it should bring forth fruit. Saint John did so with great simplicity, though the river was about 12 miles away from the stick. When he had continued his task, without speaking one word about it, into the third year the stick, which had taken root, pushed forth leaves and buds and produced fruit. The old hermit, gathering the fruit, carried to the church, and giving it to some of the brethren, said, ``Take, and eat the fruit of obedience''. Postumian, who was in Egypt in 402, assured that he was shown this tree which grew in the yard of the monastery and which he saw covered with shoots and green leaves. About silence he taught him saying, ``My son, be silent lest evil thoughts overtake your mind and lose your soul. Particularly in church, we ought the most to be careful in order to be worthy of the presence of Holy Mysteries." Consecration of the Mind ------------------------ Saint John believed that the perfection of a monk consists in his keeping to his cell, watching constantly over himself and having God continually present to his mind. He never discoursed on worldly affairs and never spoke of ``News'', the ordinary amusement of the superficial. He stressed the importance of ``quietness''; he says, ``The longer quietness prevails, the weaker the pains of lusts become, and the healthier the mind becomes until it reaches peace.'' His mind dwelt constantly on Divine issues; he used to take one of the commandments each day and work hard to perfect it. He was so intent on the things of God that he became very absent-minded. At his work he sometimes plaited into one basket the material which should have made two, and often went wrong through forgetting what he was doing. One day when a carrier knocked at his door to carry away his materials and tools to another place, Saint John thrice forgot what he went to fetch in returning from his door, till he repeated to himself, ``The camel, my tools. The camel, my tools. The camel, my tools.'' The same happened when someone came to him to fetch the baskets he had made, and as often as he came back from the door he sat down again to his work, till at last he called the brother to come in, and take them himself. He avoided the words of men and their discussions and so cultivated the things of peace that his words held the attention of all. A brother coming once to speak to him for a few minutes, so ardent and sweet was their conversation on spiritual things that they continued it till morning. Perceiving it was day, they went out, the one to return home, the other to go with him for a few steps, but their talk again returned to God and His Kingdom and it lasted till midday. Then Saint John took him again into his cell to eat a little; after which they really parted. A Teacher Responsible for Many Souls ------------------------------------ In 374, Abba Pemouah departed after 12 years of illness during which Saint John was ministering to him. At his last moments, Abba Pemouah called Saint John ``the angel of God on earth'' and instructed him to make his abode next to the ``Tree of Obedience''. He went with Abba Pishoy who shortly later settled two miles away. Saint John then dug a cave and worshipped in it in solitude. His virtues were spreading quickly and many monks, among which was his older brother, came to him to learn about and follow his angelic life. He was then leading by example; he surpassed all the elders in their self-control. When he had made a comment to a non-obedient brother during harvest, he begged him to forgive him and spent the whole year fasting (eating only bread and salt every third day) praying, ``Forgive me, O Lord, for I angered your creation''. Saint John's disciples were increasing in number and came from everywhere to his abode by the ``Tree of Obedience'' where a monastery was built and remained open until the 17th century. We know how he had tested the good dispositions of Saint Arsenius when he first came to Skete. He became then responsible for the salvation of many of his children. A certain charitable young woman, named Paesia, after the death of her parents opened her house to care for the needy and the strangers. She was so generous that her wealth was entirely spent and, not finding money to survive, she fell gradually into a disorderly life. The monks entreated Saint John to try to reclaim her, and he went to her house and sitting down by her he said with his accustomed sweetness, ``What reason can you have to complain about Jesus that you should thus abandon Him?'' At these words she was struck silent, and seeing the saint in tears she said to him, ``Why do you weep?'' Saint John replied, ``How can I not weep whilst I see Satan in possession of your heart?'' She was moved by his gentleness and concern for her, and grace entered into her heart and she asked him, ``Father, is the path of penitence still open to me?'' ``It is,'' he replied. ``Then show me the way.'' He rose up and she followed him without saying another word. As he was leading her to one of the nuns' monasteries, they slept in the desert. During the prayer of midnight, Saint John saw the soul of Paesia going up to Heaven carried by angels and heard a voice telling him that her penitence was perfect before God. And in the morning he found Paesia dead. His Late Life away from Skete ----------------------------- When the Berbers raided Skete around 395, Saint John went across the Nile towards the Red Sea, and there, at one day's walk from the place hallowed by Saint Anthony, he remained until his departure. His rare visit to the village (the current city of Suez), he brought most of its inhabitants to Christ and he worked several miracles. When he drew near his end, his disciples entreated him to leave them some final lesson of Christian perfection. He sighed, and that he might shun the air of a teacher alleging his own doctrine and practice, he said, ``I never followed my own will; nor did I ever teach another what I had not first practiced myself''. When he departed, his servant who was coming back from the village saw the angels carrying his soul to Heaven accompanied by the spirits of the saints. He then treated the body with honor and carried him to the village. Later, in 515, his body was taken to the desert of Skete. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- BRITISH ORTHODOX UNITE WITH COPTIC PATRIARCHATE After 128 years of independent existence the Orthodox Church of the British Isles has been reunited to the family of Oriental Orthodox Churches from which it originated with the consecration of Jules Ferrette in 1866 as Bishop of Iona. Renamed the British Orthodox Church it now constitutes a diocese of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria with jurisdiction over the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. On 6th April a joint protocol determining the relationship of the British Orthodox Church and the Coptic Patriarchate was jointly signed in Cairo by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III and Metropolitan Seraphim of Glastonbury. After consideration of their historical origins His Holiness Pope Shenouda decided that no reordination was required and Metropolitan Seraphim was received into the Coptic Church by His Holiness Pope Shenouda by anointment with the Holy Myron at the Monastery of St Pishoy in the Wadi El-Natroun on 4th June. Later that day - in consideration of his own ecclesiastical background - he was admitted as a monk of the Monastery of the Syrians and will now be known a His Grace Abba Seraphim el Souriani. On Sunday 19th June (Pentecost Sunday), Abba Seraphim was consecrated as a Metropolitan in the Coptic Patriarchate by His Holiness Pope Shenouda assisted by some seventy Metropolitans and Bishops. Abba Seraphim now ranks as a full member of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate. Under the terms of the Protocol the British Orthodox Church is recognized as 'a local church, holding to the historic faith and order of the Apostolic Church, committed to the restoration of Orthodoxy among the indigenous population and desiring to provide a powerful witness to the Orthodox Faith and Tradition in an increasingly secular society.' Although the British Orthodox Church will continue to observe the Orthodox Pascha it has been permitted to follow the Gregorian Calendar for solar festivals. His Holiness has agreed in principle to the use of the Liturgy of St James and a provisional text awaiting final approval has been in use for some months. Abba Seraphim is also appointed chairman of a permanent liturgical commission to 'consider .. the use of alternative forms of services drawn from ancient Western Orthodox sources which may be adapted to the local situation,' which may make recommendations to His Holiness the Pope. Abba Seraphim is also authorized to preside over a local Synod for the conduct of the day to day affairs of the Church. The Protocol makes a very clear distinction between the Coptic Orthodox communities in the British Isles and the British Orthodox Church. The latter remains quite distinct and is directly subject to His Holiness the Pope and the Holy Synod. There is provision, however, for a Standing Committee under the co-chairmanship of the Metropolitan of Glastonbury and a Coptic bishop 'for the exploration of ways of mutual co-operation and discussion of issues of common concern.' The Coptic community in the British Isles has churches in Lapworth (Birmingham) & Solihull in the Midlands, Kensington and Croydon in Greater London, Manchester, Brighton, Kirkcaldy (Scotland), Newport (Wales), and Dublin (Ireland). The British Orthodox have communities in South-East London, Doncaster, Huddersfield, York, Bournemouth, Trotton (Sussex), Glastonbury, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Commenting on this development Abba Seraphim has stated, 'Having maintained our independence and the integrity of our mission since 1866, we have come to understand that it is God's will for us to be used in His service by something much larger and more universal at this critical moment in the destiny of British Christianity. We therefore willingly surrender our long cherished independence in order to be at the service of others. The Coptic Patriarchate is an ancient church which has preserved the apostolic faith in the face of centuries of oppression, but it is also a very lively church facing the challenges of the late twentieth century. The evangelical fervour which has made this relationship possible comes from a common faith, vision and purpose. We believe that the entire Christian Church in the British Isles can only be strengthened by an effective Orthodox witness and we shall continue to work closely with our brethren in other Christian traditions to build up and strengthen the Christian Church against the increasing secularism of our age.' Abba Seraphim (whose secular name is William Henry Hugo Newman-Norton) is 46, and is a kinsman of his predecessor, Mar Georgius (Hugh George de Wilmott Newman), who was consecrated almost exactly fifty years ago. He became Orthodox when he was 17, served as a deacon for three and a half years, as a priest for almost seven years and was consecrated as coadjutor to Mar Georgius in 1977 when he was in his thirtieth year. He succeeded as Metropolitan on his predecessor's death in February 1979. Abba Seraphim will conduct ordinations at Glastonbury on 2nd July, Bournemouth on 3rd July and at the Coptic Church in Kirkcaldy on 16th July. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- Readers' Corner --------------- This corner of the Copt-Net Newsletter is dedicated to answering questions regarding the Christian faith and teachings in general and the Coptic Orthodox Church's beliefs and traditions in particular. As much as possible we will try to avoid using any terminology that will not be accessible to the common reader. Also, it must be noted that the opinions expressed here are those of members of Copt-Net Editorial board and do not (and should not be taken to be) the official opinion of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The Readers' Corner of this issue addresses one important question regarding the interpretation of some of the accounts in the Old/New Testament, and whether they should be taken as "facts" or as "prophesies". Question -------- Why are some accounts in the New Testament taken literally, whereas other accounts in the Old Testament are taken as prophesies? In particular, how do Christians know that Resurrection did indeed happen and was not simply a revelation (say) about afterlife? Why not consider the visions regarding resurrection as prophesies? Answer ------ Prophesies are distinguished from regular events and accounts in that they do not make any sense unless interpreted as a prophesy. Take for example the words of Isaiah speaking about [his] hands being pierced "for our transgressions" and [his] death "for our iniquities"; "the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." If we try to explain this account in the context of Isaiah's own life and the events that surrounded him or preceded his days, we will fail. Isaiah certainly was not punished so as to bring us peace; he did not die for our inequities! One is left with one conclusion, Isaiah was writing about events that *will* happen. There is no other explanation. The next question, of course, is why interpret the words of Isaiah as anything meaningful? Perhaps it was some kind of poetry or "imagination". Well, one could argue that few verses could "accidentally" be similar to what happened in the days of Christ. However, how could we explain the *hundreds* of such references in Isaiah's book alone! How could we explain the *hundreds* of similar references in David's Psalms? Practically, in every single book of the Old Testament, there is a reference to the "story of salvation". One is bound to interpret all of these references as pointing to Christ. It may be worth it to mention, that Jews (until this very day) interpret these verses as prophesies about the Messiah -- they simply don't believe that Jesus was *The* Messiah. In other words, interpreting many of these accounts as prophesies, is not a "Christian invention". We can find proofs of this in the writings of the New Testaments (Acts, in particular), in which the Apostles preach Christianity to the Jews by relating what happened to Christ to what the Jews themselves were expecting through prophesies. The second part of the question that remains to be answered is "Why take the accounts in the New Testatement literally and not as prophesies". The answer is simple, unlike the prophesies in the Old Testament where "a prophet speaks or describes a vision", the accounts in the New Testaments regarding the life of Jesus were *witnessed* by hundreds and thousands of people. In particular, regarding resurrection, the Gospels and the book of Acts iterate and reiterate the fact that Christ appeared to very many people; that they have "seen him", that he "spoke to them" and "ate with them", not to one disciple, not two, not a dozen, for hundreds. Of course, there are many accounts in the New Testament that qualify as prophesies. But these are clearly identifiable. The vision of St John is one example. Even Jesus Christ himself prophesied in front of his disciples about the destruction of Jerusalem (which, indeed, happened about 40 years later), and about the end of the World and His second coming, which is still to come. Announcement ------------ This is a reminder that Copt-Net Archives are now accessible through the WWW. The URL to access Copt-Net's Home Page on the WWW has changed. The new URL is: http://cs-www.bu.edu/faculty/best/pub/cn/Home.html To access the contents of Copt-Net's Archives, please use the URL: http://cs-www.bu.edu/faculty/best/pub/cn/Menu.html Comments and feedback are welcome. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This Newsletter has been prepared by members of Copt-Net, a forum _|_ where news, activities, and services of the Coptic Orthodox Churches | and Coptic communities outside Egypt are coordinated and exchanged. | For any questions, or comments related to this Newsletter, as well as COP|NET any topics that you would like to be addressed in the next Newsletter please send a message to Copt-Net server at: cn-request@pharos.bu.edu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (C)opyright 1994 by Copt-Net