SSCN Voumes 1-10, 1994-2004

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

Tel: (216) 921-4748, Fax: (216) 921-3637 e-mail: jestodad@aol.com

sponsor will be acknowledged in the first page of the publication. Pray for this project." In a subsequent communication, Dr. Youssef forwarded the following Internet Address for those that want to keep track of the project progress: http://www.thestrix.net/stjohnkame 15. Coptic Chair at the American University in Cairo (AUC): During the Coptic Congress, the IACS president Prof. Dr. Stephen Emmel, announced the plan of the AUC to establish a chair in Coptic Studies, subject to the fundraising of one million dollars. The Society did know about the project a few months earlier from Dr. Estafanous of the St. Mark Foundation and from our member in Chicago, Dr. Kamal N. Ibrahim. Dr. Ibrahim was one of main proponent of establishing such a chair since the inception of the idea in every way imaginable. In May of this year, he sent us updated documents on the project. According to the March 2002 Newsletter from AUC, sent to us by Dr. Ibrahim, the University has reached its financial goal for this project, pending receipt of pledges. The AUC planned at the beginning of this project to invite visiting professors for a period of one semester a year for the first few years before selecting a permanent professor. On this basis, AUC announced that its appointed Search Committee have selected three prominent Coptologist over the next three academic years, and they are: Dr. Gawdat Gabra, Spring 2003, Monasticism in Egypt Dr. Karel Innemée, Fall 2003, Coptic Art ? Prof Roger Bagnall, Fall 2004, Documentary Sources ? Dr. Gabra and Prof. Bagnall are Associate members of the Society and Dr. Innemée is on the Editorial Board of Coptica. We wish the AUC the best in this historic endeavor, the first of its kind in an Egyptian University and we look forward to the creation of a Coptology Department after this test period! 16. Generous Book Gift: During this quarter, the Society received a generous gift from our colleague, Prof. Dwight W. Young, in the form of 24 copies of the Festschrift that he edited for Prof. Polotsky. The title of this 1981 publication is: Studies Presented to Hans Jakob Polotsky . The work has approximately 600 pages, containing 29 articles written by very prominent scholars from nine countries around the globe along with a 69-work bibliography for Prof. Polotsky by his faithful Student, Prof. A. Shisha-Halevy of Israel. Articles are arranged in three sections, with the majority of them related to Coptic and the Egyptian Language. The majority of the articles are in English but several

Website: www.stmarkfoundation.coptic-history.org 13. Coptic Studies Summer Program in Oregon: We have received a communication from our colleague Dr. Gawat Gabra, regarding a new summer program in Coptic Studies being offered in Oregon. The program is sponsored jointly by the American Coptic Studies Association (ACSA) and Portland State University (PSU). The program, which began on June 24, 2002, includes two 4-unit courses with each having 40 hours of instructions spread over a 4-week period. The first dealing with the Cultural History of Egypt's Copts, including the development of the Coptic Language and its relationship to ancient Egyptian. The second deals with Coptic Fine Arts, including Art and Architecture and the influence of ancient Egyptian, Roman, and Byzantine art on it as well as its relationship to Islamic Art. Both courses are part of the PSU summer program and will be taught by Dr. Gabra. This is a pioneering program and it is established on a matching funds basis. The organizers would appreciate very much your contributions. For further information as well as contributions, please contact Prof. Sami A. Hanna, Dept of Sociology, Portland State University, Portland OR 97207. ACSA has offered three $500 scholarships for students enrolled in both courses. According to the PSU website, the tuition cost is between $500 and $900 for each course. A more detailed report about this pioneering efforts in Coptic Studies will follow in the next issue of this Newsletter. 14. New Excavation Project at Wadi al-Natrun: We have received the following communication from our colleague Dr. Youhanna Nessim Youssef from Melbourne, Australia: "I am happy to announce, as a first fruit of the Symposium of Wadi Natrun, that we got the concession of excavating the site of the monastery of John Kame. The first mission will start, by the will of God, on September. It will be composed of Dr. Geoffrey Jenkins (director) specialized in Greek, Syriac; Dr. Youhanna Nessim Youssef (deputy Director) Coptic, Arabic, Public relation; Dr. Ian Smith, Archaeological material, mainly Terracotta; Dr. Chris Davy, Architect, and metals; Dr Matthe Martin, Archaeologist, Syriac; and Ms. Simone Riccerby, Archaeologist, Photographer. We are looking for sponsors, the budget of the University is very limited. A website will be developed which will give a daily report on the excavations. If you have somebody interested to attend, he will be the most welcome to come. Any

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

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