Stephen J. DavisThe Early Coptic Papacy: The Egyptian Church and Its Leadership in Late Antiquity (The Popes of Egypt)

Amazing historical perspective which is critical and sympathetic to the subject of the study. The author takes a very balanced and non biased approach to the Egyptian patriarchs who are too often dismissed as brutes or tyrants. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next to books in this 3 part series.

I enjoyed reading this book to gain a perspective as to how outside academic circles view the Coptic Orthodox Church, but after finishing it, I must disagree with several of its premises. I believe the author took some liberties in inferences, especially when discussing Saint Mark's founding of the Coptic Church in Egypt and the Coptic papacy under persecution. I would read this book with a critical eye, remembering at all times that the author has his own view of things, which, of course, is perfectly okay, but not definitive when studying this ancient church.

Most in the West have no idea that there is a Coptic Papacy (the papacy begun by Saint Mark as opposed to Saint Peter). This Egyptian papacy predates the Roman papacy. And the Coptic Papacy is unique in that a pre-requisite to becoming a Coptic Pope is monastic experience. From inception the Coptic church has valued the experience of the monk in silent prayer above the hierarchy of the clergy. This is an illuminating book!It is no coincidence that Christian monasticism flowered in the Egyptian Desert more so than anywhere else. It all started with the monastic apostle and first Coptic Pope: Saint Mark!-Amos Smith (author of Healing The Divide: Recovering Christianity's Mystic Roots)

Great read

"... Specifically, I want to explore late antique Coptic Christian understandings of the incarnation, and I propose to do so from a new theoretical perspective." Stephen J. Davis, in Coptic Christology and Ritualized DressHistory of the Coptic Church:When the late distinguished Professor Aziz Atiya wrote his classic "The History of Eastern Christianity, 1968, with one chapter on the Copts in his book, he intended to view the Coptic Church within its original milieu, and admitted that writing a detailed history of his own people, need time and resources beyond what those raised for his 8 volumes Coptic encyclopedia, that have become a landmark.Since then, two distinguished books were written, from the greatly admired Coptologist, late Professor Otto Meinardus, on Coptic history and life, while the second, "Christ in Christian Tradition, The Church of Alexandria With Nubia and Ethiopia" treats Coptic theology, above all Christology, by the eminent scholars Grillmeier and Hainthaler.New Historiography perspective:Stephen Davis, an accomplished linguist with a commanding knowledge of both Coptic and Arabic and a trained theologian who has lived and taught in Egypt and is thoroughly at home with Bible interpretation by the Alexandrian Church Fathers. Quoting Athanasius of Alexandria famous statement (On the Incarnation), "He became human in order that we might become divine" Stephen J. Davis's outstanding "Coptic Christology in Practice," not only explores how Coptic Christians have appropriated, explained, defended, and performed the Christology that they inherited from Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria, but proves he earned the tools of a genuine perspective.Viewing a Church through its Bishops:In this first volume laid the grounds for the survival of the Church of the Martyrs, down to our times, in defiance with roman and Islamic discrimination. Davis study of the Coptic History, as explained by Didaskalex review utilized Coptic papacy, which was three centuries ahead of Catholic papacy to reflect on their influence on the pre Chalcedon Church established on four pillars, "apostolicity, martyrdom, monastic patronage, and theological resistance," Davis substantiates that the Coptic Church is a cornerstone subject in Church studies, worthy of revisiting and study.Dr. Stephen DavisStephen Davis is A. Professor of Religious Studies; history of Christianity in late antiquity, its social and theological history from its beginnings to the seventh century. His areas of expertise includes pilgrimage and the cult of the saints, the history of biblical interpretation and canon formation, Egyptian Christianity, the Arabic Christian theological tradition, early Christian art and material culture, and the application of anthropological, sociological, and literary methods in the study of historical texts. He is author of The Cult of St. Thecla: (Oxford University Press, 2001.Expert Review:The author describes the history of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate from its beginnings through to the Arab invasion. The text is well annotated and there is an extensive bibliography to assist further study. Peter Farrington, Secretary, British Orthodox Church Two Thousand Years of Coptic Christianity Christ in Christian Tradition: From the Council of Chalcedon (451) to Gregory the Great (590-604) : The Church of Alexandria With Nubia and Ethiopia After ... in Christian Tradition 2nd Revised Edition)

The history by an assistant professor of religious studies at Yale follows the Coptic Church from its origins to the coming of Islam about the seventh century mostly through the men heading it. Volumes Two and Three of this series by other authors deal with different stages of this Egyptian Christian Church. This first clearly definable period of this volume laid the grounds for the survival of the Coptic Church down to today even though with the coming of Islam, it was marginalized and its members often discriminated against. In many ways, the study of the Coptic papacy resembles the study of the Catholic papacy and the first years of the Catholic Church. There were similar decisions important in establishing the Coptic Church; the personalities of the early Coptic popes were especially important in creating the internal nature and public image of the Church; and there were theological controversies over basic doctrines and beliefs. "Apostolicity, martyrdom, monastic patronage, and theological resistance" are the four major themes during this formative period for the Coptic Church. "The Early Coptic Papacy" along with the companion volumes substantiates the Coptic Church as a subject in religious studies with its own history worthy of study.