ReviewMonasticism

Total Consecration is Biblical Truth

Forms and WhereLeaders: Men and

Women

CouncilsThe Three Ecumenical

CouncilsThe Schism

Apostolic Church in EgyptSt MarkSchool of AlexandriaSuccessors of St Mark

MartyrdomPersecution is Biblical

TruthThe Ten Waves of

Roman PersecutionThe Change Over

Ecumenical Councils (4th to mid 5th Century)Nicea Arius: Denied the Abba Alexandros 318

June 325 Divinity of the Son Abba Athanasius The Creed

Apollinarius: The Logos Abba Athanasius 3 volume bookreplaced the human spirit

Constantinople Macedonius: Denied Abba Timotheos 150March 381 the Divinity of the Spirit Creed extended

Ephesus Nestorius: Separation Abba Cyril 200June 431 in the Nature of Christ (Pillar of Faith) Union; Theotokos

Ephesus II Eutyches: Denied the Abba Dioscorus 130August 449 humanity of Christ Affirming the faith

Chalcedon To reconsider the Abba Dioscorus ?October 451 outcome of Ephesus II Schism

Problems from Chalcedon 451 A.D.• New formula of the faith concerning the nature of Christ

(Christology): “In Two Natures” (Tome of Leo) instead of “Of Two Natures”

• Two groups: Monophysites = one nature, and Diophysites = two natures

• Political wish to bring down Alexandria and set-up Constantinople in its place as the leader of the Eastern Churches

• The desire of Leo, Archbishop of Rome, to realize his Papal Supreme Authority over the Universal Church

• St. Dioscorus, Archbishop of Alexandria, was exiled to the island of Gangara and a Patriarch, Proterius, supported by the rulers, was appointed in his place

Several attempts to reconcile the differences; e.g. “Henoticon” = the instrument of unity, by Emperor Zeno; and “Monothelitism” = the one-will formula, by Emperor Heraclius.

Egypt fell to the hands of the Persians from 617 to 627 A.D. - another form of suffering; then it was restored to the Byzantine Rule.

The Coptic Church which carried the Cross and suffered oppression, even at the hands of Sister Churches, experienced the invisible hand of God supporting Her.

Church History

of Englandtinople SchismChurchSchism

Non Chalcedon

Jerusalem in EgyptConstan- Chalcedon1529Great

Apostolic Ch.

49 Arabs381 4511054

Chalcedon

64195 ThesesPentecost Nicea Ephesus

Luther's33 325 4311517

1300 1400 1500 1600900 1000 1100 1200500 600 700 800100 200 300 400

Roman Catholic

Orthodox

Protestant Churches

Ch of Eng

Arab Rule (mid 7th to mid 9th Century)Arab Conquest 641 A.D.• Appointment of Cyrus Patriarch and Ruler over Egypt; persecution

of the Copts and the escape of Abba Benyameen (Benjamin), the 38th Pope.

• Factors that helped the success of the invasion– Religious dispute between the Copts and the Byzantine rulers– The religious and economics motives of the Arabs

• Conditions imposed– Adopting the Islamic faith– Death by the sword– Paying tributes

• Burning the Library of Alexandria• Persecution under the Arab rule

– Financial burdens: taxes and penalties– Loss of job and social status– Restricting building and renewing of churches– Dress and language pressures

• The number of Copts at that time was estimated at 25-30 million

Arab Rule (mid 7th to mid 9th Century)

Egypt as a Colony under the Arab Rulers (642 - 868 A.D.)

• Caliphs 642 – 661Saudi Arabia (Mecca,

Medina)

• Umayyads (Omayyads) 661 - 750Syria (Damascus)

• Abbassids 750 - 868Iraq (Baghdad)

Arab Rule (mid 9th to mid 16th Century)Egypt as an Independent State under the Arab Rulers (868 - 1517 A.D.)

Important Reference: Stanley Lane-Poole, History of Egypt in the Middle Ages.

• Tulunids & Ikhshids 868 - 969– Ahmad Ibn Tulun - killed 18,000; severe financial penalties for the Copts– Said Ibn-Kateb Al-Faraghani: architect (saved the churches) and martyr

• Fatimids 972 - 1171– Al-Muizz and Pope Abraam Ibn-Zaraa: moving the mountain– St. Sawiris (Severus) Ibn-Al-Moqaffaa: great historian– Al-Hakem: severe persecutions - fighting the Coptic language

• Ayyubids 1171 - 1250– Crusades (1096 - 1292)– Salah Al-Din Al-Ayyubi: persecution from both Muslims & Crusaders

• Mamluks 1250 - 1517– Worst era of Islamic persecution; e.g. the year 1320 was worst in church

destruction and Christian killing; all energies in the country were directed towards humiliating the Copts (the Muslim historian, El-Maqrizy)

– Unity attempt between Rome and the Copts in 1438/39– St. Barsoum El-Erian - the serpent in the cave of St. Mercerius’s Church

Arab Rule (mid 16th to end 18th Century)

Egypt under the Turkish rule – Ottoman Empire (1517 - 1801 A.D.)– El-Muallem Ibrahim El-Gawhary

The French Expedition (1798- 1801 A.D.)