Two Thousand Years of Coptic Christianity (Paperback)

by Otto F. A. Meinardus (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Recommended" - Library Journal

Product Description
Christianity arrived early in Egypt, brought -- according to tradition -- by Saint Mark the Evangelist, who became the first patriarch of Alexandria. The Coptic Orthodox Church has flourished ever since, with millions of adherents both in Egypt and in Coptic communities around the world. Since it split from the Byzantine Church in 451, the Coptic Church has maintained its early traditions, and influence from the outside has been minimal: the liturgy is still sung to unique rhythms in Coptic, a late stage of the same ancient Egyptian language that is inscribed in hieroglyphs on temple walls and papyri.

Dr. Otto Meinardus, an authority on the history of the Coptic Church, has revised, updated and combined his studies, "Christian Egypt, Ancient and Modern" (AUC Press 1965 and 1977) and "Christian Egypt, Faith and Life" (AUC Press, 1970) into a new, definitive, one-volume history for the Millennium, surveying the 20 centuries of existence of one of the oldest churches in the world.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: American University in Cairo Press (January 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9774247574
• ISBN-13: 978-9774247576
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #525,121 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for All Church Scholars, June 19, 2005

By	A. E. Honigsberg (New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As the other reviewers said, this is absolutely a foundational compendium, worth much for its charts and appendices, alone, and for the fact that it's rather up to date (originally published in '99 and updated in '02).

A word of warning -- the binding is very poorly done on this trade paperback and every page falls out as you turn it, so the book will have to be rebound, probably spiral, for the repeated reference use that it will get.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Encyclopedic Review of Two Millenia of Faith, July 7, 2004

By	TheoGnostus "Encycoptic" (Sketes,Theognostic America) - See all my reviews

"This fine new compendium of Coptic history and life, from the greatly admired scholar Professor Otto Meinardus, will immediately take its place as the one essential Coptic Orthodox desktop reference book in English." Dr. J. Watson, Coptic Church Review, vol. 21, no. 2, summer 2000

Coptic Christianity:
In the second century Christianity began to spread to the rural areas, from Alexandria. The Gospel translations into Sahidic, and Buhairic Coptic, the major two local dialects, enhanced the spread of Christianity in mainland Egypt. The monastic desert movement, started in the 3rd century, during Roman persecutions, by St. Anthony in the North and St. Pachomius in upper Egypt in early 4th century, that was carried by John Cassian to the Gaul, from where monasticism spread throughout the Christian world.
The Church of Alexandria, known later as the Coptic (Egyptian) Church lead the Christians and defended Orthodoxy in theological dispute about the nature of Christ in the 4th & 5th centuries. Coptic Christians, lay and monastic, were joined by miaphysite Syrians against the decisions of the council of Chalcedon.

Author, Otto Meinardus:
Professor Meinardus is a well known member of the German Archaeological Society, and a Coptic expert. He spent over forty years in Egypt, taught at the American University in Cairo, and wrote more than ten books on various Coptic issues (hard and software). The Coptic Church Review, American Patristic Quarterly introduced him as; "The Revd. Dr. Otto Meinardus, who has contributed frequently to this journal, is an internationally known Coptologist who has written extensively on the Coptic and Oriental Churches." He was described by the eminent Coptologist John Watson (Among the Copts) as; "probably the greatest individual European contributor to Coptic studies in the last century".

Two Millenia of Faith:
In a systematic exposition, the expert author after a concise introduction elaborates on 'Coptic Software,' The Coptic church: Its history, Tradition, Theology, and Structure. He tackles Coptic traditions about the Flight of the Holy Family into Egypt, St. Mark and founding of the Church in Egypt, The Theological contribution of Alexandria, the Canons of the Coptic Church, History of Coptic theology, after Chalcedon, The Copts from 7th to 20th century. He masterfully describes 'Folk Coptic Religion,' Mulid ( Popular Festival), healing and Mystics. He end this part with the Coptic Diaspora, and African mission.

Coptic Churches and Monasteries:
Dr. Meinardus unparalleled expertise is evident in this second part, about which he wrote several books. He starts from early Christianity in Alxandria and utilizes 130 pages to take you in an amazing tour in space and time with plates of 24 photos.

Wonderful Appendices:
A. Marks of identification: Tattoos and Names
B. Patriarchs of the Coptic Church & Rulers of Egypt
C. Language, architecture, and Calendar
D. Feasts & Relics of the Coptic Saints

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 2KY of Coptic folklore, wisdom, and faith, July 20, 2002

By	Didaskalex "Eusebius Alexandrinus" (Kellia on Calvary, Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Two Thousand Years of Coptic Christianity (Hardcover)

The Book: A celestial encyclopedia
This wonderful encyclopedia of Coptic varieties was Dr. meinardus present to the Church he loved, on the eve of the third millennium, celebrating the survival of Orthodoxy of Alexandria, and piety of the Copts for two millennia, of which fifteen centuries it suffered peresecution from the Romans, Byzantines, and Moslems.
Integrating information from some of his numerous books on the Copts, their monks, monastries and life, together with numerous of his recent studies.I cannot limit this book to Dr. Watson's definition "A one volume encyclopedia", since it is celestial fun to read, with lots of Baal Shem style stories, some of which are written in the memory of Christian religious thought.

Stories of the Desert Fathers of Shehit,
Shihet (Scetis) lies south of Nitria and SE Cellia where these monasteries and those who dwelt in them; St. Macarius, and the company of the desert fathers. Their legendary wisdom and mere Christianity are amazing. Rev.Dr.Meinardus tells his version of the charming Coptic folklore, wisdom, and myth. His selection of the cover Icon of the Three Saint Macari, and back cover of St. Anthony Monastery reveals to the expert eyes how Coptic to the bones he became, after 40 years of living, studying, and writing about the Copts. I rated this fine work at a mere 4.5 only, since the photos are not colored, though it may be the intention of the publisher to reflect how colorless became "Today's Coptic Christianity"

Summary of Contents:
The Coptic Church: Its history, Tradition, Theology, Structure
Flight of the Holy Family into Egypt, St. Mark The Evangelist, Theology of Alexandria, Canons of the Coptic Church, History of Coptic theology, The ancient Copts, 20 Th. century renaissance, Folk Religion of the Copts, Coptic Diaspora.Coptic Churches and monasteries, ancient & Modern
early Christianity in Alexandria, the Lourdes in the desert: St. Menas, Cellia, Netria, Christianity in the Nile delta, churches of Old Cairo, Churches and monasteries of upper Egypt, Churches and monasteries of Arsenoi, Western & Eastern deserts
Appendices: Tattoos and Names, Coptic Patriarchs, Language, Architecture and Calendar, Relics of Coptic Saints, Bibliography

The author: Illustrative Coptologis Otto Meinardus
The Rev. Dr. Meinardus is a multitalented Anglican Church historian, theologian, he is a member of the German Archaeological society. Touring the Miditerrenian, the cradle of Christianity, fell in Knowing love with one of the most ancient Churches, the Church of Martyrs (as Copts use to call themselves) He taught at the Institute of Coptic studies, Cairo and the American U. in Cairo (AUC) that has the right to his books as of the Nobel Prize Laureate N. Mahfouz.
'A shrewd observer of the modern Coptic scene and prefers not to commit himself !? There are some carefully guarded comments which must be calculated to tickle our ribs and our minds" John Watson

Glorious synopsis of a life's study:
"This fine new compendium of Coptic history and life, from the greatly admired scholar Professor Otto Meinardus, will immediately take its place as the one essential Coptic Orthodox desktop reference book in English, whether for a scholar or for the general reader. . ., and without this volume most of the material would otherwise not be available to the English Language Coptologist.
Dr. J. Watson; "Coptic Church Rev., Summer 2000"