SSCN Voumes 1-10, 1994-2004

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

Within sayings collections some scholars have even attempted at identifying some sayings as more crude and others as more elaborated all according to their alleged origin within Jewish and Greek cultures. In his presentation Asgeirsson demonstrates how wrong an assumption this has been within the circles of biblical scholarship and how even the most concise sayings in the Gospel of Thomas follow learned patterns of argumentation as exemplified in the Hellenistic schools of rhetoric. In the same vain, it has traditionally been considered impossible to talk about a redaction of the Gospel of Thomas as such whereas individual sayings have been the subject of redactional scrutiny. Asgeirsson argues, on the contrary, that the Gospel of Thomas not consist of a random collection of sayings but sayings that gradually show an increased direction towards a complete text (gospel) with not only typical redactional features of individual sayings but larger additions that moved the collection towards a complete text as it is known in its fourth century translation in Coptic from the Nag Hammadi Library in Upper- Egypt. ------------------------- Title: Christian Coptic Family Abroad, Challenges that it meets Presenter: Mr. Maged Attia, (Sydney, Australia) Abstract: The Coptic church community begins with the family. It is patterned on it and extends outward from it. Loyalty to the family is considered paramount and family welfare and prestige are often placed before personal desires and ambitions. Great is the sacramental bond that forms the foundation of the Christian Coptic family. The service in the Coptic Orthodox Church is rich in ritual and symbolism, each of which has a special meaning and significance. Examples of these will be briefly discussed. The Coptic family has been traditionally the center of religious life in collaboration with the Church.

Parents has nurtured their children in the Christian faith and nourished them in the love of God. Examples of this will be discussed further. In the West, the Coptic family is exposed to a number of problems such as defacto relationships, expedient divorce, dating, and mixed marriages. As family ties among the Copts are the product of their culture which is deeply immersed in a well established tradition, it is quite easy that the parents are whole heartedly devoted to certain cultural elements, whereas their children are attracted to the secular Western culture. This results in some friction within the family unit. Through the wisdom of the parents and the spiritual influence of the church, both the parents and the children are able to strike a happy medium. ------------------------- Title: Uncovering Early Christian Natrun Monasticism at Faw Qibli (Upper Egypt) and Wadi Presenter: Dr. Bastiaan Van Elderen , (Grand Haven, MI.) Monasticism in the Christian church arose in Egypt in the fourth century in two major centers: in the Nag Hammadi area in Upper Egypt and in the Wadi Natrun area in Lower Egypt. Interest in Pachomian monasticism in Upper Egypt resulted from the discovery in the late 1940's of the Nag Hammadi Papyri and the Bodmer Papyri near the monastic center in ancient Pabau (modern Faw Qibli). These important finds will be interpreted in the light of archaeological work conducted in the area by Van Elderen. More recently Van Elderen has directed archaeological work at the Monastery of John the Little in Wadi Natrun, one of four monasteries founded in the fourth century but abandoned in the Middle Ages. The work of three seasons will be reviewed, the most recent season occurring in late January and February 1999. In addition, plans for future work at the site and the preservation of the ruins will be discussed. ------------------------- Title: St. Mark Foundation for Coptic History (Progress Report)

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

-8-