Coptic Culture

Christian Teachings and Thought, Part XI

by Ed Rizkalla

“Iycouc Pi,rictoc `ncaf nem voou @ `ncof `ncov pe@ nem sa `eneh”

Sabatino Moscati, the Italian archeologist, in a comparative study of ancient civilizations (1) notes that                 “In this oasis (ancient Egypt) we witness the flowering of the longest cultural period in human history: three thousand years in history, following an incalculable period of pre-history; a continuous cultural tradition uninterrupted by changes and stratifications that are characteristic of the other civilizations of the ancient orient. Perhaps that is why ancient Egypt represents a human experience more serene, more joyful, and more vivacious than any other …

everything is colored by a sense of freedom from fear, a positive and confident outlook upon life.” In previous articles, the writer illustrated that the ancient Egyptians who embraced the Christian faith, the Copts, continued many of their ancestors’ cultural predispositions, including their tendency for “a sunny disposition and joy of life”. For example the behavioral patterns of both Saint Anthony the Great and Saint Pachomius showed a sunny disposition and joy of life.

In antiquity, a large portion of any population acquired their knowledge not through reading in as much as through listening and seeing. In this article, the writer, with the grace of Christ the Lord, will continue to explore Coptic cultural attributes based on reviewing other media than the written word. The last article provided a homily as an example of Christian teaching usually intended for a listening congregation. This article will review an example for Christian teaching from the visual arts intended to be seen by congregations and or onlookers.

Edith L. Butcher, the British historian, in her book “The History of the Church of Egypt” (2) included some commentary on Coptic cultural attributes, though she did not recognize them as such. In her chronicle for the persecution of the Christians under the Roman emperor Decius (201-251AD), she briefly outlined a comparison between the churches of Egypt and Carthage. Butler noted “The story of the Church of Carthage has nothing to do with our subject, yet it is worthwhile to pause for a moment and contrast briefly the two Churches in Africa…both Churches were planted on the African soil, but the Church of Alexandria was Egyptian by descent and Greek in language; the Church of Carthage was Phoenician by descent and Latin in language. If we try the spirits of the two Churches, we are struck by the extraordinary difference in their temper and their teaching. Both held to the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, but like the pillar of cloud, which seemed to some a shaft of fire, the Creed was to the Church of Alexandria a radiant beacon; to the Church of Carthage a mystery of clouds and darkness…The ancient religion of the founders of Carthage consisted of fierce rites and bloody sacrifices, and gloried in oaths binding men to lifelong vengeance…The fierce Church of Carthage has passed away from earth, the Egyptian Church is but a shadow of her former self; as a sympathetic student has pointed out, her art, even in its decline, is till honorably distinguished by an absence of ghastly images. Though the Church of Egypt has suffered more from persecution, and the terrible tortures too often consequent thereon, than any other Church in the world, they have not destroyed the tender hopefulness of her religious life. Go where you will in the poverty-stricken Egyptian Churches, you will not find one representation of hell or torture, no grinning skull or ghastly skeleton. Her martyrs smile calmly down from the walls, as if the memory of their sufferings were long forgotten. Warrior saints there are, indeed, who slay in fair fight a dragon or a crowned apostate; but their own sufferings are never represented, or those of any sinner after death. They are content to leave not only themselves, but their enemies and oppressors to the mercy of God.”

These excerpts taken from Butler’s chronicle illustrate that though both churches shared the same Christian beliefs, past history and cultural heritage helped establish somewhat different outlooks. Butler alludes to the pillar of cloud in Exodus 13.21-22 and notes that the optimistic nature and sunny disposition of the Copts led them to view the pillar as a beacon of light. Furthermore she notes regardless of the persecutions they endured, the Copts maintained a hopeful, joyful and optimistic outlook at life, evidenced by their visual arts, as the paintings and icons of the martyrs smile serenely at the onlookers.

In our modern times, David Landes, the American Economist, in an essay titled “Culture Makes almost all the Difference” comments (3) “In this world, the optimists have it, not because they are always right but because they are positive. Even when wrong, they are positive, and that is the way of achievement, correction, improvement, and success. Educated, eyes-open optimism pays; pessimism can only offer the empty consolation of being right.”  Perhaps Landes’ comments, in part, help explain why the Coptic culture remains viable in our day and age. The Coptic culture is forward-looking culture, which continues to enhance the Copts prospects for growth and success.

The peace of the Lord be with you all. Irene Passe.

References:

(1) Face of the Ancient Orient: Near Eastern Civilizations in Pre-Classical Time, by Sabatino Moscati, Dover Publications Inc, Mineola, NY, 2001.

(2) The Story of the Church of Egypt, Being an outline of the Egyptians under successive masters from the Roman conquest until now, by Edith L. Butcher, Smith, Elder & Co, London, Great Britain, 1887, reprinted by AMS Press, New York, NY, 1975.

(3) Culture Matters, How Values Shape Human Progress, edited by Lawrence P. Harrison and Samuel P. Huntington, Basic Books, New York, NY, 2000.

Acknowledgement: The writer would like to acknowledge and thank the staff of the Library of Congress, Washington, DC, for their assistance with research for background material for this article.

Ed Rizkalla is a management consultant and freelance writer. He is the founder of Pharos on the Potomac Group (POPG), a non-profit organization at Annandale, VA.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzes76jv/pharosonthepotomacgroup