In the light of last week’s sad murder of Coptic Bishop Epiphanius, here is a fascinating collection of tweets discussing the delicate crisis within Egypt’s Coptic Church, mainly by Samual Taros, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institute, with contribution from Maged Atiya (@salamamoussa).
After its early centuries, when the Church of Alexandria was the leading center of Christian thought and theology, the church went through a period of decline for several reasons:
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
The move to Cairo and slow embrace of Arabic further separated the church from its own tradition and fathers. The Theological School’s replacement by the monasteries contributed to this development and so did the later destruction of the monasteries at the hands of Berbers.
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
A vision of Revival and Reform emerged at hands of Pope Kyrillos IV which focused on education and reform of church administration, but was short lived.
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
One light in the dark was Saint Habib Guirguis who attempted to revive the church through his writings and establishment of Sunday school. (Read @BishopSuriel book on him)
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
However, unable to access the writings of the Fathers, such efforts often relied on Catholic criticism of Protestantism and Protestant criticism of Catholicism to counter both sides. Some of these idea continue to shape current Coptic understandings.
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
In the 50’s and 60’s fights were mainly between Giza & Shubra. Between a vision that emphasized social work & one focused on spiritual revival. Ultimately however fights became the fiercest between Nazir Gayed (later Bishop/Pope Shenouda) & Yousef Iskandar (Fr. Matthew the Poor)
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
Pope Shenouda had been a disciple of Fr. Matthew and abandoned his group in late 50’s. The feud started on personal grounds but soon took a theological grounding.
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
On one hand was Fr. Matthew, with a vision that rejected church involvement in both social work & state affairs. Only mission of Church is to lead sinners to Christ. Moreover, his writings driven by a rediscovery of Fathers took a sharp turn away from contemp Coptic teaching
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
On the other side was Pope Shenouda who rejected Deification and emphasized Substitution theories of Salvation. Part of the clash took a political form with the role Fr. Matthew played in the conflict between Pope Shenouda and President Sadat.
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
There remained Fr. Matthew. His books were banned, his followers persecuted. He remained in his monastery where disciples gathered around him. By early 2000’s Pope Shenouda devoted his sermons to attacking Fr. Matthew. Bishop Bishoy was his enforcer in this.
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
The translation of the Fathers’ writings into Arabic by people like Noshy Abdel Shahid & Dr. Joseph Faltas revolutionized the conversation. Young Copts began accessing the Fathers and making their own judgments, often in opposition to Pope Shenouda's views.
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
@PopeTawadros views on ecumenicism, willingness to cancel rebaptism of Catholics, change dates of Christmas and Easter, and other steps angered the old guard.
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
The old guard went nuts. For them this was pure heresy. Utilizing social media they launched groups like Defenders of the Faith to attack their opponents such as Bishop Epiphanius, Bishop Angelous, Fr. Seraphim El Baramousy.
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
These groups are directly backed by the Bishopric of Youth and used to counter what they deem as heresies among clergy and among new generation of scholars emerging in church such @amgd_beshara, Ashraf Bashir & @DonnaMRizk (everyone should follow her)
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
Let me add in case my own views are unclear. I was a student of Pope Shenouda in Theological Seminary in early 2000's, my father was a friend of Bishop Samuel (named me after him). I am no theology expert, but my own views align with Fr. Matthew
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
For those interested in Father Matthew the Poor's writings, I would start by reading the Orthodox Prayer Life https://t.co/4LuSSXLmuM
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) July 30, 2018
Today the Monasticism Committee of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Church issued a number of decisions https://t.co/fu3SpFKoON
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) August 2, 2018
4. No ordination of monks into priesthood for 3 years
5. Laity is not allowed to attend monastic ordinations
6. Monasteries welcome visitors only during 3 days of week & no visitors during Fasting before Christmas & Easter
7. Focus on monks' spiritual life— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) August 2, 2018
11. Monks with social media accounts given a period of one month to close their accounts.
12. Application of Monastic Guidelines issued by Holy Synod in June 2013— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) August 2, 2018
At same time, old guard must be very happy with the social media part as they were going nuts with the success Fr. Seraphim El Baramousy was having on social media.
— Samuel Tadros (@Samueltadros) August 2, 2018
The increased interest in Abouna Matta El Meskeen by young well-educated #Copts born or raised in the West is understandable. He is a very seductive figure. But we could benefit from a fuller understanding on the ultimate impact of his message
— salamamoussa (@salamamoussa) August 5, 2018
The surprising thing is the absence of interest in an equally towering figure from the same era as Abouna Matta – Bishop Gregorious. An educated, urbane, devout & thoroughly modern man who shied away from mystical wanderings.
— salamamoussa (@salamamoussa) August 5, 2018
The "theological crisis" is a proxy for a deeper identity problem- 2 questions face today's #Copts without easy answers
1- Can one be a Copt without any connection to even vesitigal #Egyptian identity?
2- Can one be a Copt without being religiously observant?— salamamoussa (@salamamoussa) August 5, 2018
Matta El Meskeen offers young educatd #Copts an authentic hermeneutics that bypass these difficult questions – for the moment. But answered they must be- and a reckoning with the #Coptic identity is inevitable
— salamamoussa (@salamamoussa) August 5, 2018
Bishop Gregorious (1919-2001) offers an entirely different model for a church leader – away from Shenouda's political activism or Matta's mysticisim. A vision of being a #Copt as an intellectual pursuit with moderation & tolerance
— salamamoussa (@salamamoussa) August 5, 2018
As a layman (Wahib Attallah) Bishop Gregorious ran a series of lectures in the Tawfiqia school in Shoubra for young #Copts. His message was that the study of modern Western philosophy is essential to the humane & moral life
— salamamoussa (@salamamoussa) August 5, 2018
Gregorious' interest in philology & history ultimately placed him on the same side as Western scholars whose interest in the Copts stemmed from these pursuits. His spiritual life was inseparable from his intellectual pursuits.
— salamamoussa (@salamamoussa) August 5, 2018
This fascinating snippet from Gregorious August 1954 letter to Pope Yus'ab hoping for creation of #Coptic churches in the West is perhaps the moment of conception for the current growth pic.twitter.com/IRry54WbCE
— salamamoussa (@salamamoussa) August 5, 2018
Nervana 