SSCN Voumes 1-10, 1994-2004

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

challenges. In the late afternoon session, the tribute for Prof. van Moorsel was read at the beginning of the reading of the late professor's paper. The full text of this tribute is published in this Newsletter. Place: The Conference was held in the elegant Herbert Morris Seminar Room; Royce Hall #306, at the beautiful campus UCLA. Organizers: This was a cooperative effort between the Society (SSACS), the Collegiate Coptic Club of that university (CCC-UCLA), and Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. Mr. Samuel Youssef, representing CCC-

UCLA, has contributed through his tireless efforts significantly to the success of this conference. Worthy of mention is the efforts of the other members of CCC-UCLA, especially Nardine Saad, Mary Gindi, and Daniel Youssef; and of Rev. Dr. Vivian our able moderator. Publication of Proceedings: The papers presented at the Conference will be published in the 6th volume of the Society's Bulletin for the year 1999-2000. A final draft of each paper shall be submitted by the presenter no later than November 30, 1999.

The Second St. Shenouda Conference for Coptic Studies Conference Abstracts (2) (by Hany N. Takla)

symposium will include papers about Art, Archeology, Architecture, History, Literature, and Monasticism of this region. This should be a cooperative effort between the Coptic Patriarchate, the Societies represented here in the conference, and the other members of the Coptic Scholarly community around the world. It is hoped that Coptic Societies such as St. Mark Foundation and St. Shenouda Coptic Society would assume a significant role in the preparation of such symposium. ------------------------- Title: The Redaction of the Gospel of Thomas: Fact or Fiction? Presenter: Dr. Jon Ma Asgeirsson , (Claremont, CA) Abstract: Collections of sayings such as constitute the Old Testament Book of Proverbs or the Gospel of Thomas and the Synoptic Sayings Source Q, have in traditional biblical scholarship not been considered at the level of literature such as exemplified in the narrative books of the Bible or their contemporary secular literature.

The following are the remaining abstracts submitted by the Conference presenters: Title: Studies on Wadi 'N Natroun, Past, Present,

and Future Presenter:

Dr. Gawdat Gabra Abdelseyed ,

(Cairo, Egypt)

Abstract: The area of Wadi 'N Natroun is one of the most important monastic sites in Egypt. This is due to its antiquity as well as its survival and flourish to this day. Many scholars have done work at different times and in different subject matters concerning this area. A brief survey of such work will be presented. The aim now should be to establish a study curriculum specific to this site, probably in the scope found now in Nubian Studies. This will alert the government of Egypt more to the vital cultural importance of this site and encourage it to do more work toward the preservation of such national treasure in the face of the agricultural invasion of the surrounding land. The work is proposed here to be inaugurated by a major scholarly symposium on the subject, preferably at the site, around the year 2002. Such

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

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