They [Coptic Christians] are the successors of the Monophysites, although some of them claim in modern times that their ancestors in the 400's were misunderstood by the Greeks and the Latins. In 451, at the Council of Chalcedon, the assembled Fathers (except the Monophysites, who dissented) decreed that Christ was one person in two natures; the Copts' ancestors avowed that Christ was one person and only had one nature. (Some unfortunate--in retrospect--turns of phrase by the great St. Athanasius against the Arians in the 300's gave their theory plausibility.) The Catholic summaries that are taught in high school and college classes in my experience say that the Copts believe that Christ only has a human nature. I think the modern Copts say that is incorrect; what they believe is that Christ has a mixed nature, both divine and human but mixed together. They call it, “miaphysite.” Still, I think they object even now to the formula of Pope Leo's Tome that was adopted at Chalcedon, especially the phrases, “two natures . . . without confusion . . .”.
The Copts are referred to, along with a few other old, old objectors to the councils, as “Oriental Orthodox.” The regular Orthodox use the term “Chalcedonian Orthodox” when needed to clarify that they follow Chalcedon unlike the heretical Oriental Orthodox.
In the modern world, the Copts have been holding conferences with the Orthodox to see if the differences can be bridged, similar to Catholic conferences with other churches. It's interesting that some Orthodox and Copts say the Copts were misunderstood, that their understanding of “miaphysitism” may actually be faithful to the truth, and that the Orthodox and Copts may re-unite. It appears that the Copts and Orthodox are closer in liturgy and ethos than are the Catholics and Orthodox, so who knows? And the Blessed Mother seems to appear visibly to the Copts in apparitions just as she does to Orthodox and Catholics. See these sites: http://www.zeitun-eg.org/ and http://egypt.suite101.com/
Thanks Dad!
This is an excellent summarization. Please note that Coptics have a tradition of the route taken by Jesus, Mary and Joseph during their exile (their only trip abroad from Palestine, if you will), that might also elucidate one's understanding of the followers of the apostolic church started by St. Mark in Alexandria.
ReplyDelete+ I am a Copt, we are no heretics, we kept the faith in its purest form since the days of Holy Apostles, We worship the Lord Jesus Christ who is a full Human and a full God in one nature which is the nature of God incarnate which has both human and divine characteristics.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a new teaching this is what was taught in the Economical Counsel of Ephesus in 431 AD.
The Coptic Church is one of the oldest Apostolic churches in the world, we were founded by St. Mark the Evangelist in year 41 A.D.
Here what Catholic Answers says about Miaphysitism
http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=217403
According to the Catholic Church miaphysitism is the same as the Catholic Faith. We've had Papal-level Joint-Declarations that say as much.
http://syriacchristianity.org/PZakka...eclaration.htm
Miaphysitism, which is the traditional and proper understanding of the Oriental Orthodox, simply implies a different use of the term "nature", rather than a break with Catholic teaching. The fact that they immediately condemned Eutyches on their own after Chalcedon is evidence of the fact that they never subscribed to the heresy of Monophysitism, or that Christ only had a Divine Nature. In fact, the Coptic Divine Liturgy is explicit in its teaching:
Quote:
Amen. Amen. Amen. I believe, I believe, I believe and confess to the last breath, that this is the life-giving body that your only-begotten Son, our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ took from our lady, the lady of us all, the holy Theotokos Saint May. He made it one with his divinity without mingling, without confusion and without alteration. He witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate. He gave it up for us upon the holy wood of the cross, of his own will, for us all. Truly I believe that his divinity parted not from his humanity for a single moment nor a twinkling of an eye.
Here are some links that might help you understand better our church:
http://www.copticchurch.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coptic_Orthodox_Church_of_Alexandria
Love in person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Maged Salama
I appreciate the value of your father's input and the link to an article I wrote at Suite101. In the interest of further information from a Westerner's perspective, I will post a link to another article, Coptic Christianity, Virgin Mary's Tree in Egypt so you and others can learn a bit of the Coptic tradition wherein the sites they visited are known and celebrated http://egypt-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/egyptian_christianity_virgin_marys_tree
ReplyDeleteAt that article there is a link to another regarding their first stop near Zaqaziq where inhabitants were devoted to the cat goddess Bastet which also is now making big news since they found the original temple in downtown Alexandria.
I worked for more than 10 years in Egypt, plus 18 months in Libya and 18 months in Botswana. Therefore, I tend to write about other cultures.
Anyway, keep the blog going as it makes for interesting reading - your chatting style is terrific!
I thank the first Anonymous for the kind remarks and Mased Salama and William Anderson for the references and explanation. Mased Salama has validated my understanding of current Coptic beliefs that came from reading materials on the Internet. I look forward to reading the sources that have been provided. The 21st century is wonderful, isn't it, in allowing people to have a conversation who would otherwise have no occasion to contact each other?
ReplyDeleteIn using the term "heretical" in the last part of my message to Caroline, I was speaking in terms of the historical characterization of Coptic beliefs by the Catholic Church as part of my description of how close the Coptic Church may be to the Catholic Church. I wonder if the label is accurate in the present day, as I hope the rest of my message made clear. In my reading of Eastern Orthodox materials, I have become inured to the label of "heretic" often applied to the Catholic Church, but I do recall how that label felt like a slap in the face when I first encountered it. I'll be more careful, even in private communications, about using the term. It's a little less awkward than "un-orthodox" or "heterodox," but it packs an emotional punch that should be avoided.
And Caroline does write very well. She makes her dad very proud.
Jim Cole