Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Coptic'

El presente trabajo concierne las estelas funerarias del Egipto copto y nace de la necesidad que a menudo se observa en el ámbito de los estudios del arte copto, es decir, la organización y la estructuración de un ingente material de proveniencia arqueológica que, siendo casi del todo fuera de contexto, es de difícil encuadramiento cronológico y no más trazable proveniencia. De hecho, las estelas coptas, hacen parte de la gran cantidad de material arqueológico que ha sido penalizado por la moderna investigación arqueológica que, en el caso de Egipto, se había concentrado prevalentemente y/o exclusivamente en los hallazgos de época faraónica, dejando de lado, casi por completo, los testigos de la antigua tradición cristiana. La tradición de las estelas coptas se da, en Egipto, con epitafios en lengua griega y copta. El objeto príncipe de nuestra investigación es el estudio del fenómeno del arte figurativo. En efecto, en muchas estelas, aparecen figuraciones que, en su conjunto, nunca han sido sometidas a una sistemática indagación. Los datos procedentes del estudio de las representaciones, han sido aquí puestos en relación con las epígrafes para una evaluación completa de las piezas y, finalmente, el intento más ambicioso ha sido, el de colocar una producción tan dispersada y fuera de contexto, en un marco cronológico coherente con el fin de clasificar algunas macro áreas de atribución. Los argumentos tratados se desarrollan a lo largo de tres distintos capítulos. El primer capítulo se abre con un párrafo dedicado a la historia de los estudios. El párrafo sucesivo trata de los caracteres generales de la producción: materiales utilizados; marco temporal de atestación; difusión espacial; naturaleza de la documentación; aparato iconográfico, leguas utilizadas y características principales de los epitafios funerarios; peculiaridades de las estelas documentadas en Egipto. Sigue un párrafo de carácter exclusivamente arqueológico. Se examinan aquí pues las estelas funerarias halladas en situ y las estelas utilizadas en contextos secundarios. La primera parte del capítulo se concluye con una descripción de algunas de las principales colecciones de estelas coptas, con una mirada especial a las colecciones italianas. El primer capítulo sigue con el análisis de aquellos conjuntos de estelas que, fechadas antes del siglo IV, pueden ser consideradas como los antecedentes de las estelas coptas: las así dichas estelas de “de los palmireños” de Coptos, de Alejandría, de Therenouthis/Kom Abu Billou, de Oxirinco/Bahnasa, de Antinoe/Sheikh Abada y de Akoris. El capítulo se concluye con un párrafo dedicado a las nuevas concepciones funerarias introducidas por el Cristianismo en Egipto, subrayando, sin embargo, también aquellos factores de continuidad con la tradición que se quedarán visibles también en la producción de las estelas coptas. También en este caso, el análisis procede de la particular atención reservada al estudio de la documentación arqueológica. El segundo capítulo atañe los aspectos propiamente arqueológicos y vuelve a recorrer la historia de las actividades arqueológicas en los diferentes sitios, con relación al hallazgo de las estelas. En orden geográfico, desde el Delta hasta Asuan, se relatan los descubrimientos de las estelas efectuados en los diferentes sitios. En el tercer capítulo se analizan las figuraciones presentes en las estelas. Este es un aspecto totalmente inédito en el panorama de los estudios de la figuración copta, puesto que, nunca hasta ahora, ha sido tratado en detalle con respecto a la entera documentación de las estelas coptas. Aquí, ha sido posible analizar también todas aquellas estelas – numerosísimas -, privas de la indicación geográfica de procedencia (y por esto excluidas del capítulo precedente), caracterizadas, sin embargo, por un rico y abigarrado repertorio iconográfico. Los elementos figurativos han sido aquí divididos en distintos párrafos y agrupados por tipologías: elementos arquitectónicos; figuras humanas; símbolos; pájaros; mamíferos; elementos acuáticos y marinos; elementos vegetales; diferentes objetos. El tercer capítulo, incluye las conclusiones divididas en tres párrafos principales. En el primer párrafo, se interpretan y analizan las estelas dentro del marco histórico. En el segundo párrafo se examinan las estelas sobre la base del análisis integrado de epitafios e imágenes. En el último párrafo se individúan las principales macro-áreas en las que es posible dividir la documentación copta. Estas, se localizan en el Delta, en el Sinai, en el Fayum, en el Medio y el Alto Egipto. De todas, se ponen en evidencia los caracteres principales y se proporcionan hipótesis de motivaciones históricas.
Il presente lavoro concerne le stele funerarie dell’Egitto copto e prende avvio dalla necessità che spesso si osserva nell’ambito degli studi di arte copta di organizzare e strutturare un ingente materiale di provenienza archeologica, che, essendo quasi del tutto decontestualizzato, appare di difficile inquadramento cronologico, nonché di provenienza non più rintracciabile. Le stele copte sono, infatti, tra i materiali archeologici che sono stati penalizzati dai metodi della moderna ricerca archeologica, che in passato si era prevalentemente concentrata sul materiale di epoca faraonica, tralasciando quasi del tutto le testimonianze di epoca copta. La produzione delle stele si realizza in Egitto con epitaffi sia in greco, sia in copto. Oggetto principale di questa ricerca è lo studio del fenomeno figurativo. In molte stele infatti compaiono raffigurazioni che nel loro insieme non sono mai stati sottoposti a indagine sistematica. I dati provenienti dallo studio delle rappresentazioni sono stati posti in rapporto con le epigrafi in modo da effettuare una valutazione completa dei pezzi. Il tentativo più ambizioso è stato infine quello di collocare una produzione così dispersa e decontestualizzata in un quadro cronologico coerente e di disegnare alcune macroaree di attribuzione. Lo sviluppo degli argomenti è organizzato in tre distinti capitoli. Il primo capitolo si apre con un paragrafo dedicato alla storia degli studi. Il paragrafo successivo tratta dei caratteri generali della produzione: materiali utilizzati, arco temporale di attestazione, diffusione spaziale, natura della documentazione, apparato iconografico, lingue utilizzate e caratteristiche principali degli epitaffi funebri, particolarità delle stele documentate in Egitto. Segue un paragrafo incentrato su dati esclusivamente di natura archeologica. Vengono così trattate le stele funerarie ritrovate in situ e le stele riutilizzate in contesti secondari. La prima parte del capitolo si conclude con una descrizione di alcune delle principali raccolte di stele copte, con particolare attenzione alle raccolte italiane. Il primo capitolo prosegue con l’analisi di quegli insiemi di stele che, datate prima del IV secolo, possiamo considerare come gli antecedenti delle stele copte: le stele dette “dei palmireni” di Coptos, di Alessandria, di Therenouthis/Kom Abu Billou, di Ossirinco/Bahnasa, di Antinoe/Sheikh Abada e di Akoris. Il capitolo si chiude con paragrafo dedicato alle nuove concezioni funerarie introdotte dal Cristianesimo in Egitto, sottolineando però anche quei fattori di continuità con la tradizione che rimarranno visibili anche nella produzione delle stele copte. Anche in questo caso l’analisi si basa con particolare attenzione sulla documentazione archeologica. Il secondo capitolo è rivolto agli aspetti più propriamente archeologici e ripercorre la storia delle attività archeologiche nei diversi siti collegata al rinvenimento di stele. In ordine geografico, dal Delta sino a Assuan, sono descritti i ritrovamenti di stele effettuati nei diversi siti. Nel terzo capitolo viene affrontata l’analisi delle raffigurazioni che compaiono sulle stele. Si tratta di una tematica mai affrontata in dettaglio per tutta la documentazione delle stele copte. Si sono potute qui trattare anche tutte quelle stele, numerosissime, prive del tutto di indicazione geografica di provenienza, e per questo escluse nel capitolo precedente, ma caratterizzate da un apparto iconografico ricco e variegato. Gli elementi figurativi sono stati divisi in diversi paragrafi raggruppandoli per tipologie: elementi architettonici, figure umane, simboli, uccelli, mammiferi, elementi acquatici e marini, elementi vegetali, oggetti diversi. Il terzo capitolo racchiude le conclusioni, che sono raccolte in tre paragrafi principali. Nel primo paragrafo si interpretano le stele all’interno del quadro storico. Nel secondo paragrafo si interpretano le stele sulla base dell’analisi integrata degli epitaffi e delle immagini. Nell’ultimo paragrafo si individuano le principali macroaree in cui è possibile dividere la documentazione copta. Queste aree vengono individuate nel Delta, nel Sinai, nel Fayum, nel Medio e nell’Alto Egitto. Di tutte vengono evidenziati i caratteri principali e vengono proposte anche delle motivazioni storiche.
This work concerns Egyptian Coptic funeral stelae and arose from the frequently observed need in the field of Coptic art studies for the huge amount of material to be organised and structured for archaeological provenance. Almost all of it is now found out of context, making it difficult to frame chronologically, as well as it being impossible to trace the provenance. Coptic stelae are, in fact, among the archaeological material which has been penalised by modern archaeological research methods, which, ever since the end of the 19th century, have been mainly concentrated on material from the Pharaonic age, omitting almost all evidence of the Coptic period, considered to be less valuable artistically, and, therefore, also historically. The production of stelae in Egypt involved epitaphs in both Greek and Coptic. The principal objective of this investigation was a study of the figurative phenomena, until now rather neglected. In fact, on many stelae there are images of humans, animals, plants, symbols, architectural motifs and various objects which, taken together, have never been systematically studied. The data coming from the study of the representations have been painstakingly placed in relation to the epigraphy in such a way as to effect a complete valuation of the pieces. Finally, the most ambitious attempt has been that of bringing together such a dispersed and decontextualized production into a coherent chronological framework and outlining some macro-areas of attribution. The development of the arguments in this study has been organised into three distinct chapters, structured by paragraph. The first chapter opens with a paragraph dedicated to the history of these studies. The following paragraph deals with the general characteristics of production: materials used, time arc for attestation, spatial diffusion, nature of the documentation, iconographic apparatus, languages used and principal characteristics of the funerary epitaphs, particularity of stelae documented in Egypt. There follows a paragraph centred upon data of a purely archaeological nature. In this way, funerary stelae are dealt with by reference to their burial context, that is seen as an element of the funerary apparatus provided for the burial. The next paragraph is also centred on archaeological themes and deals singly with stelae found in situ and with stelae reused in a secondary context. The first part of this chapter concludes with a description of the principal collections of Coptic stelae, paying particular attention to the stelae conserved in the Italian collections, for which an overview has never been provided. The first chapter follows with an analysis of all the stela which, dated before the IVth century, we can consider to be the antecedents of the Coptic stelae: the ‘Palmyrene’ stelae from Coptos, the Alexandrian stelae, and the stelae from Therenouthis/Kom Abu Billou, Oxyrhynchus/el-Bahnasa, Antinoe/Sheikh Abada and Akoris. The chapter closes with a paragraph dedicated to the new funerary ideas introduced into Egypt by Christianity, but underlining those factors of continuity with tradition which will also remain visible in the production of Coptic stelae. In this case the analysis pays particular attention to the archaeological documentation. The second chapter is devoted to the more properly archaeological aspects and recounts the history of archaeological activity at the different sites where stelae have been found and these findings of stelae at the different sites have been organised in geographical order, from the Delta as far as Aswan. The third chapter deals with an analysis of the representations which appear on the stelae. This is a subject which has never before been dealt with in detail for all the documentation of Coptic stelae. The numerous stelae without any geographic indication of provenance, but characterised by a rich and variegated iconography, have also been dealt with here – and hence their exclusion in the preceding chapter. The figurative elements have been divided into different paragraphs grouped together by typology: architectural elements, human figures, symbols, birds, mammals, aquatic and marine elements, plant elements, other subjects. The third chapter contains the conclusions, which are collected together in three main paragraphs. In the first paragraph, the stelae are interpreted within the historic frame. In the second paragraph the stelae are interpreted on the basis an integrated analysis of epitaphs and images. In the last paragraph the principal macro-areas into which it is possible to divide Coptic documentation are identified. These areas are in the Delta, in Sinai, in Fayum, and in Middle and Upper Egypt. The principal characteristics of all of them are highlighted and historical motivations are proposed.

Malgré le regain d'intérêt qu'ont connu ces dernières années les archives de Dioscore d’Aphroditê (Moyenne-Égypte, VIe s. après J.-C.), les documents coptes qu'elles contenaient sont restés curieusement sous-étudiés : en apportant des données nouvelles par rapport à la composante grecque, mieux étudiée, ils concourent à une meilleure compréhension historique de ces archives bilingues. Par ailleurs, faisant partie d'un ensemble majoritairement grec, ils posent le problème de l'usage et de la fonction du copte face au grec, langue de l'administration, autrement dit des rapports entre la langue nationale des Égyptiens et celle du pouvoir byzantin. Cette thèse constitue l’édition commentée d’un corpus de lettres coptes en grande partie inédit des archives de Dioscore. Il s’agit en effet du genre documentaire le mieux représenté du versant copte de cet ensemble archivistique. Le premier volume est constitué d’une synthèse qui pose le problème du rapport entre grec et copte dans un milieu villageois du VIe s. comme celui d'Aphroditê, qui traite des traits dialectaux, paléographiques et formulaires du copte en usage dans cette région et qui étudie les données historiques susceptibles de compléter celles livrées par les archives grecques. Le volume II contient les éditions commentées de ces vingt-et-une lettres, alors que le volume III contient les annexes (textes complémentaires, index, bibliographie et planches)
Despite the renewed interest in recent years in Dioscorus’ archives from Aphrodito (Middle Egypt, sixth century AD), the Coptic documents they contained have remained curiously understudied: by providing new data to that provided by the Greek texts, the best studied part of this archive, they contribute to a better historical understanding of these bilingual archives. Moreover, as part of a predominantly Greek dossier, they raise the issue of the use and function of Coptic in relation to Greek, the language of the administration, i.e., the relationship between the national language of the Egyptians and the one of Byzantine power. This thesis is the annotated edition of a corpus of Coptic letters, most of which have not previously been published, from Dioscorus’ archives. This text type is the documentary genre best represented in the Coptic component of this archival dossier. The first volume consists of a synthesis, which emphasizes the problem of the relationship between Greek and Coptic in a village like Aphrodito in the middle of the sixth century. It also deals with dialectal features, palaeographic and Coptic grammatical forms in use in the area, and studies historical data that complement those delivered by the Greek archives. Volume II contains the editions of twenty-one letters, with commentary, while volume III contains the appendices (complementary texts, indices, bibliography and plates)

Woman monks are not uncommon to find in Coptic and other hagiographic literature. They were described to dress into male attire and travel to anchoritic monasteries where they would get a single cell to devote their lives to God through seclusion, prayers, fasting, meditation, studies, and other daily chores, all the while not being known as women by most of the men in their brethren. It was a tough life for a man and it would have been a tough life for a woman. In this study, five hagiographies about woman monks will be examined: three Coptic, one Christian, and one found in both traditions. These women performed miracles and went through changes in both body and mind. The woman Hilaria is one of the most popular saints in Coptic belief and her story is the corner stone of this thesis. Her legend is also considered to be one of the oldest and might be the origin of these kinds of stories, which makes it remarkable on its own. Nonetheless, four other female saints will be examined to find what this essay seeks to answer: What are these women, as women, doing and why? What is the meaning of these stories? Why do they go to anchoritic monasteries? Are we dealing with portraying ideals on Coptic and Christian women? These are some of the questions that this essay is based upon. It combines Egyptological, Christian, literary, as well as gender research for a relevant and fresh view on these texts and their meaning.
Kvinnliga munkar är inte ovanliga att hitta i koptisk och annan hagiografisk litteratur. De klädde sig i manliga kläder och reste till anakoretiska kloster där de fick en cell för att viga sitt liv åt Gud genom avskildhet, böner, fastande, meditation, studier och andra vardagliga sysslor, allt medan de flesta av männen i deras brödraskap inte visste att de var kvinnor. Det var ett hårt liv för en man och det var ett hårt liv för en kvinna. I den här studien kommer fem hagiografier om kvinnomunkar att undersökas: tre koptiska, en kristen och en som återfinns i både traditioner. Dessa kvinnor utfärdade mirakel och gick igenom förändringar i både kropp och sinne. Kvinnan Hilaria är ett av de mest populära helgonen inom koptiskt trosväsende, och hennes historia är hörnpelaren i denna uppsats. Hennes legend anses också vara en av de äldsta och kanske ursprunget till dessa sorts historier, vilket gör den enastående i sig själv. Trots det kommer fyra andra kvinnliga helgon att undersökas för att hitta de svar som denna uppsats söker: Vad gör dessa kvinnor som kvinnor, och varför? Vad betyder dessa historier? Varför går de till anakoretiska kloster? Har vi att göra med porträtterande av ideal för koptiska och kristna kvinnor? Dessa är några av de frågor som denna uppsats bygger på. Den kombinerar egyptologiska, kristna, litteratur- och genusstudier för ett relevant och färskt perspektiv på dessa texter och deras betydelse.

Coptic is the latest stage of the indigenous Egyptian language written in the Greek alphabet with some additional characters taken from the Demotic script. Due to climatic conditions many manuscripts have survived from Egypt. The bulk of Coptic manuscripts of the 1st millenium A. D. is preserved in fragmentary condition and the remains are scattered – often as single leaves or small groups of leaves – over collections on three continents. So a major aim of scholarly work is the virtual reconstruction of codices. Assigning a fragment to a specific manuscript is often not easy. It’s not only necessary to compare the script for similarities but also to take into account the contents in order to identify the manuscript of origin and the position of the leave therein. In the case of known texts which have been recorded in a manuscript as full texts a mathematical approach can be used to estimate the position of a fragment. Special problems arise with manuscripts of uncertain arrangement, e.g. liturgical codices that do not have one continuous text. They combine texts from the scriptures, hymns, prayers, or lifes of saints. In these cases reliable estimates can only be given by comparing the identified text / texts on a single leave with a representative amount of data: this means collecting and indexing as much known material as possible and arranging it according to liturgical usage. The lecture presents ways of assigning fragments by use of palaeography to known codices. An important tool is the “palaeography data base” developed in the Institut für Neutestamentliche Textforschung at Münster (INTF) as a base instrument for virtual reconstructions in the Virtual Manuscript Room (VMR) of the INTF. Furthermore, electronic tools will be shown that are a by-product of the lecturer’s PhD for identifying texts, the order of manuscripts as well as for further research.

This qualitative study sought to examine the experience of second-generation Middle Eastern Coptic Americans managing their multicultural identity and its impact on their relationships. Semi-structured interviews regarding how participants defined themselves, how they represented their identity to others, how they balanced the values, beliefs, and traditions came to take care of their parents, as well as its impact on their relationships, including family, friends, and significant others. The study addressed both challenges and advantages of multiculturalism. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis and themes were organized around the areas of inquiry. Participants spoke about highlighting their religious identity to avoid assumptions, the limitations of the Middle Eastern label for Copts, people's lack of understanding about the Coptic faith, the overlap between cultures. They also discussed their identity in terms of internal conflict, external conflict with parents over values and cultural distance, as well as their preferences in relationship choices. Participants addressed advantages in multiculturalism in their ability to relate to others, feeling a strong sense of community, as well as feeling uniqueness and pride in their identity. Limitations, clinical implications, and directions for future research are discussed.
Master of Science

This thesis is concerned with the interpretation of Coptic and Greek documents from the two Coptic monasteries founded by Apa Apollo at Bawit and Titicooh in the Hermopolite nome in Egypt. It uses Coptic and Greek sources to illustrate the workings of these monasteries in the VI-IXth Centuries C.E. One hundred and six Coptic and two Greek documents are edited, twenty-one of which have been published previously. None of the documents is dated and all but a few are unprovenanced; they comprise legal texts, orders, tax demands, accounts, lists and letters which are currently in the possession of libraries, museums and private collections around the world. Many of the documents mention a monastery of Apa Apollo which is, or may be, located in the Hermopolite nome; most of them are written by or addressed to monks from that institution. One of the main aims of the thesis is to ascertain which texts relate to the Bawit and which to the Titkooh monastery of Apa Apollo. The existence of other, unconnected Egyptian monasteries named after other Apollos complicates the process of identifying the Hermopolite monasteries of Apa Apollo. I include in the thesis texts which do not mention a monastery of Apa Apollo but which appear to be related to an Hermopolite one from external evidence, such as the circumstances of their acquisition, or from internal evidence, particularly linguistic, palaeographical, prosopographical, and toponomastic data. One chapter examines documents concerned with the collection of aparchê chiefly by monks of a monastery of Apa Apollo. Other chapters investigate documents which contain two epistolary formulae which I have identified as peculiar to documents relating to the Hermopolite monasteries of Apa Apollo: "I, brother (pason) NN am writing", and "Our father is the one who writes".

This thesis is an investigation into self-definition during two contrasting periods in Egypt's past. It consists of five chapters, plus a conclusion. Chapter I introduces the thesis, putting the topic into its historiographical background, and gives it a theoretical framework. The thesis then falls into two sections, which mirror each other, using the same types of source material. First, the New Kingdom (1550-1070 BCE) is investigated, and then the Coptic period (fourth to ninth centuries CE). Chapter2 assesses New Kingdom textual sources, in particular letters. Statements of self made by different members of the literate society are examined. The inconsistencies within the source material are highlighted, as is a high degree of conformity. In Chapter 3, New Kingdom Memphis is investigated. The impact of official ideologies on the Memphite population is assessed, as witnessed by the temple complexes, a royal palace, the harbour areas, a residential location( Kom el Rabi'a) and the pyramid fields. In Chapter 4, it is seen that a variety of foci could be appealed to by a literate Egyptian seeking to define her/himself in Coptic Egypt. As in Chapter 2, letters are the focus of study, revealing a range of opinions. Chapter 5 tests the rigid self-definition seen in the writings of the Christian hierarchy against the urban site of Coptic Thebes. An analysis is made of the intensive occupation which occurred in the floodplain and the surrounding desert. In conclusion, a comparison is drawn between New Kingdom and Coptic Egypt, and the validity of ideological statements concerning self-definition is considered.

Egypt in the early Byzantine period was a bilingual country where Greek and Egyptian (Coptic) were used alongside each other. Historical studies as well as linguistic studies of the phonology and lexicon of early Byzantine Greek in Egypt testify to this situation. In order to describe the linguistic traces the language-contact situation left behind in individuals' linguistic output, this thesis analyses the syntax of early Byzantine Greek texts from Egypt. The primary object of interest is bilingual interference in the syntax of verbs, adverbial phrases, discourse organising devices and formulaic sections. The thesis is based on a corpus of Greek and Coptic private letters on papyrus, all of which date from the fourth to mid-seventh centuries, originate from Egypt and belong to bilingual, Greek-Coptic, papyrus archives. The data is analysed with a particular focus on three interrelated questions: (1) What kinds of deviations from the standard pattern appear and to what extent can language-internal confusion account for them? (2) How are instances of language-internal confusion and bilingual interference distributed over the selected syntactic domains? (3) Do deviations from the standard accumulate in certain letters or archives belonging to the corpus and do they correlate with additional indicators of bilingualism such as code-switching or circumstantial information about writers? In addition to answering these questions, the thesis seeks to explain the observed distributions. The results obtained from this study suggest that bilingual interference is linked to the way writers assimilated structures. In fact, there is a marked difference between deviating syntactic structures in non-formulaic and formulaic contexts. The study further suggests that bilingual interference does not affect every domain of syntax to the same degree. The degree of complexity of the syntactic structure in question as well as the degree of divergence from the corresponding Coptic structure seem to play a role.

The Göttingen Virtual Manuscript Room (VMR); The Göttingen Virtual Manuscript Room (VMR) offers both an online based digital repository for Coptic Biblical manuscripts (ideally, high resolution images of every manuscript page, all metadata etc.) and a digital edition of their texts, finally even a critical edition of every biblical book of the Coptic Old Testament based on all available manuscripts. All text data will also be transferred into XML and linguistically annotated. In this way the VMR offers a full physical description of each manuscript and, at the same time, a full edition of its text and language data. Of course, the VMR can be used for manuscripts and texts other than Coptic too.

This thesis reveals, describes, and critically analyses the complex and little-studied lifeworld of elite Coptic Orthodox Christians living in Kuwait. As a sociotheological study, it contributes towards a greater understanding of the Coptic Orthodox Church's lived theology and diasporic situation on the Arabian Peninsula. Following a grounded theory, qualitative approach using interdisciplinary methods, the aim of the thesis was to describe Coptic Orthodoxy in Kuwait and then rescript the data to contest, complicate, and construct various sociological and theological theories. Material was gathered from St Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church through participant observation, interviews, and literature analysis. The material was situated within the backdrop of the current literature, Coptic history, and the Kuwaiti context described as restrictive clientelism. Selected data were analysed sociologically and theologically. Randall Collins' Interaction Ritual theory was a primary tool. Data on prayer were analysed using a model based on a sociotheological reformulation of the theory of theosis grounded in the experienced activity of the Holy Spirit or pneumatic piety. The results of these analyses were placed in conversation with Pentecostalism for contextual, comparative, and dialogical purposes. The manuscript concludes with the contributions of this thesis while noting the future challenges and possibilities for continuing research.

Cette thèse porte sur le Codex V de Nag Hammadi en tant que produit d’une compilation copte dans l’Antiquité tardive. Nous le comparons à un autre groupe de textes qui circulaient à la même époque en copte, les hagiographies. Cette comparaison démontre l’existence de plusieurs thèmes et motifs littéraires communs aux deux corpora. Cela illustre qu’un lecteur copte connaissant les hagiographies en question pouvait également avoir de l’intérêt pour les textes du Codex V, étant donné que ce dernier contenait plusieurs thèmes et motifs en commun avec ce corpus. Ainsi, loin d’être un livre à saveur gnostique et hétérodoxe, étranger à la culture copte chrétienne – comme généralement suggéré par la recherche – le Codex V était un livre bien intégré à l’ambiance littéraire de l’Égypte de l’Antiquité tardive. De plus, suivant la théorie de la réception telle que théorisée par Jauss – en particulier son concept de « horizon of expectations » – nous utilisons ces thèmes et ces motifs littéraires pour interpréter les textes du Codex V à la lumière de leur contexte copte. Autrement dit, nous offrons une lecture copte du Codex V, et non pas une lecture « gnostique ».
The present dissertation deals with Nag Hammadi Codex V as the product of a late antique Coptic compilation. We compare it to another group of late antique Coptic texts, the hagiographies. This comparison shows the existence of many points of contact concerning literary themes and motifs between both of the corpora in question here. This demonstrates that a given Coptic reader – who knew the hagiographies in question – could also be interested in Codex V, since it displays many literary themes and motifs to which he was accustomed when reading Coptic hagiographies. Consequently, far from being a volume with a Gnostic and heterodox taste and alien to a Coptic context – as generally pictured by scholars – Codex V was very well placed in the literary environment of late antique Egypt. Moreover, following the theory of reception as it was theorized by Jauss – in particular the concept of “horizon of expectations” – we make use of these literary themes and motifs to interpret Codex V in the light of its Coptic context. In other words, we offer a Coptic reading of Codex V, instead of a “Gnostic” one.

The Christian cultural heritage of north Africa is ancient and rich, but at risk after recent political events. Many Christian minority communities living in Islamic environments feel at risk of persecution. This is a topical and timely PhD. The Christian, Coptic heritage of Egypt remains poorly studied from the perspective of heritage management and is also at risk from a number of factors. Using first-hand study and analysis based upon original fieldwork, the thesis offers a state of the art assessment to risks facing Coptic monuments in Egypt today. It does this by situating Egyptian heritage policy within the English framework, and it establishes theoretical approaches to value, significance, meaning, and interpretation in Egyptian heritage within a wider global framework. It is based on the analysis of three markedly different Egyptian Christian Coptic sites, each with their own unique management issues and it offers a series of solutions and ideas to preserve, manage and interpret this unique material culture and to emphasise community solutions as being the most viable and sustainable approaches, whilst taking into account the varied levels of significance of these monuments.

La thèse présente l’édition, la traduction et le commentaire de quatre testaments écrits sur papyrus, datés du VIIe siècle ap. J.-C., et émanant des supérieurs d’un monastère de Haute-Égypte, le monastère de Saint-Phoibammôn, situé sur la rive gauche de Thèbes. Utilisant la forme du testament de droit privé, les supérieurs lèguent à leur successeur la direction spirituelle du monastère en même temps que la propriété de ses biens et son administration. Les implications de ce dossier sont à la fois juridiques – dans quelle mesure ces documents sont-ils conformes au modèle offert par le droit byzantin ? –, historiques – les testaments apportent des éclairages nouveaux sur l’histoire du monastère de Saint-Phoibammôn, qui fut un important centre de vie ascétique au VIIe siècle et la résidence de l’évêque Abraham d’Hermonthis, son fondateur –, et linguistiques – il s’agit d’un dossier bilingue, le premier testament étant en grec et les trois suivants en copte, ce qui permet d’étudier les processus de traduction d’une langue à l’autre, et de s’interroger sur le statut du copte comme langue juridique. Cet ensemble est unique car il offre la possibilité d’étudier le même type de documents, provenant du même endroit, rédigés dans deux langues différentes, et condensés sur une période chronologique relativement courte (moins d’un siècle)
The dissertation contains the edition, traduction and commentary of four wills written on papyrus, dated from the 7th century CE, and drawn up by the superiors of a monastery in Upper Egypt, the monastery of Saint Phoibammon, located on the left bank in Thebes. Through the form of a private will, the superiors bequeath to their successor the spiritual direction of the monastery as well as the property of its goods and its administration. This dossier has implications of various sorts: legal – to what extent are these documents in accordance with the model of Byzantine law? –, historical – the wills bring new elements on the story of the Saint Phoibammon monastery which was an important centre of ascetic life in the 7th century and where lived bishop Abraham of Hermonthis, its founder –, linguistic – it is a bilingual dossier, as the first will is written in Greek, the three following in Coptic, allowing to study the translation process and to ponder about the legal status of the Coptic language. This group of documents is unique because it allows to study the same kind of document, coming from the same place, written in two different languages, and dating from a relatively short period of time (less than a century)

El diaconat és una institució abundosament representada en el corpus de la papirologia documental que, tanmateix, no havia estat fins ara objecte d’un estudi específic. Els documents que ens han pervingut, procedents bàsicament d’Egipte, ens permeten tenir una visió de l’evolució del lema διακi de la institució del diaconat durant més d’un mil∙leni. En primer lloc, ens il∙lustren sobre l’ús quotidià del mot διάκονος i les corresponents formes verbals i variants en el context del grec precristià o no cristià. Una de les constatacions més evidents és que, si literàriament convivien des del segle I un ús general i un tecnicisme cristià utilitzat per indicar un grau de la jerarquia eclesiàstica, a partir del segle IV i de la cristianització de l’Imperi Romà l’ús cristià esdevé hegemònic i bandeja, en els textos documentals, qualsevol altra utilització del mot. Esment a part mereix el seu ús en els papirs màgics, on la seva utilització està marcada pel caràcter fortament transgressor d’aquestes pràctiques. Pel que fa al diaconat cristià, el corpus documental ens ofereix un gruix important de textos que comencen el segle IV, amb algun cas anterior discutit, i s’incrementen de manera important en el període següent. A través d’aquests documents podem reconstruir en part aspectes relatius a la pràctica de l’ordenació diaconal i la seva evolució al llarg del temps, així com de la participació dels diaques en la vida litúrgica de l’Església. Igualment, reflecteixen la seva participació en el fenomen del monaquisme, que precisament tingué el seu bressol a Egipte. Els documents també ens permeten comprovar quin era el grau de participació dels diaques en l’administració eclesiàstica, especialment en el seu vessant econòmic, així com funcions de caràcter civil que assoliren gradualment, especialment en les poblacions petites i en matèria fiscal. També podem resseguir l’activitat privada dels diaques: la seva participació en la vida econòmica a través de l’exercici de l’activitat agrícola i el de diverses professions artesanals o liberals. És especialment significativa l’una especialització en la redacció de documents i l’assumpció de funcions notarials, que implica també l’exercici de potestats públiques. Aquesta activitat en el món econòmic es manifesta també en la participació en diversos negocis jurídics recollits en diferents tipologies contractuals, així com en les seves relacions amb l’administració de justícia per diverses causes penals. Els documents examinats permeten igualment tenir una visió de la vida familiar dels diaques que hi són representats, especialment pel que fa a les relacions de filiació. Finalment, la documentació ens confronta amb una institució diferent del diaconat, malgrat que amb una relació etimològica, la dels diaconetes. Aquest mot, tot i que molt menys documentat, també sofrirà un procés d’especialització semblant al del mot “diaca” per esdevenir un mot tècnic cristià.
Diaconate is a wide represented institution in the corpus of documental papyri. Nontheless it had not been object of specific study until now. Documents we have, most of them coming from Egypt, allow us to have a vision of the evolution of lemma διακand of diaconate for more than a millenium. First of all, they give us a glance over the everyday use of the word διάκονος and its related verbal and variant forms in preChristian or noChristian context. In literary texts a general and a specialised Christian meaning were developing aside from the 1st century, but in the 4th century the Christian meaning overwhealmed the other one. The case of the magical papyri deserves a special reference as it is deeply marked by its transgressive nature. As for Christian diaconate, documental corpus offers us an important number of texts growing from the 4th century onwards. These documents help us reconstructing some details about diaconal ordinations and their evolution all over time, and also about deacons’ liturgical life in the Church. They reflect too their involvement whith monasticism. Documents also give us the chance to check responsabilities assumed by deacons in Church adminsitration, especially in aspects regarding economy. They also inform us about their assumption of leading functions in civil administration, in villages and in tax collecting. Thanks to papyri we can also consider deacons’ private activity. They took part in economic life as farmers, craftmen or professionals. They show special skills in document writing, and they also worked as notaries. All these business were documented through various types of contracts, and some documents witness their relationship with justice courts. We can also have a vision of deacons’ family life. Finally, documents show us some diaconetes, an institution other than the diaconate. This word, much less documented, endured an evolution parallel to that of the word “deacon” to become a Christian specialized term.

In laudem sancti Michaelis (ILSM) is a heretical Old English homily on the Archangel Michael copied in the margins of an exemplar of Bede's Ecclesiastical History. The Introduction surveys the previous researches on ILSM. Chapter 1 analyzes it as a case of heterodoxy, discussing how it deformed the etymology of "Mi-cha-el?". Chapters 2 and 3 consider its Irish and Coptic analogues, then situate it in 11th-century England. Refining the insights of other scholars, I argue that a theme having to do with supernatural protection links ILSM to some of its companion marginalia, and that an archival intent motivated its preservation. The Conclusion addresses the question of its being an esoteric text. A new edition and translation of ILSM is offered in Appendix 1. Appendix 2 provides the very first edition and translation of its Irish analogue, the Liber Flavus Fergusiorum tract on Saint Michael. Budge's translation of the Coptic analogue attributed to Theodosius (AD 535-567) makes up Appendix 3. Appendices 4 and 5 compile documents relevant to my analysis of the context.

La présente thèse de doctorat est consacrée à l'étude d'un lot de papyrus conservés aux Musées Royaux d'Art et d'Histoire de Bruxelles. La plupart de ces textes proviennent du monastère d'apa Apollô de Baouît en Moyenne-Égypte.

L'introduction s'attache à retracer la genèse du lot et se conclut par un inventaire des papyrus qui peuvent lui être attribués.

Un premier chapitre présente le monastère de Baouît (sources, le fondateur, le site monastique et son histoire, les moines, l'organisation, la place du monastère dans le contexte régional).

Le deuxième chapitre est consacré aux textes documentaires du monastère de Baouît. Différents thèmes sont ensuite abordés: les supports de l'écriture, la paléographie, l'usage des langues (grec et copte), les particularités linguistiques et l'apport des textes édités.

Les 100 papyrus publiés sont répartis dans les sections suivantes: 1. ordres de l'administration monastique, 2. ordres de paiements; 3. comptes et listes; 4. reçus; 5. contrats de prêt; 6. autres contrats; 7. lettres; 8. protocoles; 9. varia; 10. annexe. Divers tableaux et annexes complètent les éditions.

Un dernier chapitre traite des activités économiques du monastère de Baouît (sources, patrimoine, productions, revenus et dépenses).

Doctorat en philosophie et lettres, Orientation langue et littérature
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

This thesis analyzes the narratological structure of the Life of Aaron, a hagiographical text from Late Antique Egypt. Such an analysis has not yet been performed on this text, and the method is still rarely applied to hagiographical literature. In the short term, I intend for this thesis to expose the complex yet consistent structure of this fascinating text. In the long term, I see this thesis as part of a broader movement to incorporate Coptology into the mainstream study of Late Antique literature. My general introduction discusses the Life of Aaron, its manuscript and archaeological evidence, and the state of scholarship on it. Following this, my first chapter compares the text to five significant Late Antique hagiographical works from Egypt: the Life of Antony, the Life of Pachomius, the Historia Monachorum in Aegypto, the Life of Onnophrius, and the Life of Shenoute. My second chapter surveys the ancient (Aristotelian) and modern (structuralist) narratological methods employed in this thesis. Finally, my third chapter contrasts the Life of Aaron’s literal structure with its underlying chronology - what narratologists call the fabula - and exposes the story’s narrator hierarchy. An epilogue then proposes avenues for future research, and the thesis closes with two short appendix graphs which summarize my analysis.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Sydney, 2002.
Title from title screen (viewed Apr. 24, 2008). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy to the Dept. of Studies in Religion, Faculty of Arts. Includes bibliography. Also available in print form.

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A comprehensive study has been undertaken into a 13th century Coptic-Byzantine icon from the St. Mercurius Church, St. Mercurius monastery, Old Cairo, Egypt. The layered structure, pigment composition and varnish identification were revealed by means of optical and Raman microscopy and gas chromatography¿mass spectrometry (GC¿MS). The structure of the icon comprised six layers; wooden panel, canvas, white ground, two bole layers and a single paint layer. Azurite (2CuCO3·Cu(OH)2), cinnabar (mercuric (II) sulfide ¿-HgS), yellow ochre (Fe2O3·H2O), hydromagnesite Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O and lamp black (carbon, C) are the pigments identified in the icon. The green paint area is of interest as it is applied neither with a green pigment nor with a mixture of a blue and yellow pigment. Instead, a yellow layer of dammar resin was applied on top of blue azurite to obtain the green colour. Pinaceae sp. resin mixed with drying oil was used as a protective varnish.

Thesis (Th. M.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1995.
Map not included on fiche. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-109). "The books and booklets issued by Father Matta el-Meskeen": leaves 102-107.

My thesis examines the function and development of the cult of saints in Coptic Egypt. For this purpose I focus primarily on the material provided by the texts forming the Coptic hagiographical tradition of the early Christian martyr Philotheus of Antioch, and more specifically - the Martyrdom of St Philotheus of Antioch (Pierpont Morgan M583). This Martyrdom is a reflection of a once flourishing cult which is attested in Egypt by rich textual and material evidence. This text enjoyed great popularity not only in Egypt, but also in other countries of the Christian East, since his dossier includes texts in Coptic, Georgian, Ethiopic, and Arabic. This thesis examines the literary and historical background of the Martyrdom of Philotheus and similar hagiographical texts. It also explores the goals and concerns of the authors and editors of Coptic martyr passions and their intended audience. I am arguing that these texts were produced in order to perform multiple functions: to justify and promote the cult of a particular saint, as an educational tool, and as an important structural element of liturgical celebrations in honour of the saint. Another aim of this work is to stress the entertainment value of such texts. I explore the sources used by Coptic hagiographers for creating such entertaining stories, as well as the methods they used to re-work certain theological concepts and make them more accessible to the audience. The thesis begins with description of the manuscript tradition of Philotheus and a brief outline and comparison of its main versions. The second chapter discusses the place of the Martyrdom of Philotheus in Coptic hagiography and its connection to the so-called cycles. The next two chapters explore the motifs and topoi characteristic of Coptic martyr passions, especially the legend of Diocletian the Persecutor and the image of Antioch as the Holy City in Coptic hagiography, as these two motifs appear in one way or another in the majority of the martyr passions. Chapter 5 is dedicated to one of the focal points in the Martyrdom - the miracle of resurrection and the tour of hell – and its literary and theological background. Chapter 6 discusses representations of magic and paganism in Coptic hagiography and some of the concerns of Coptic hagiographers. In the last chapter I explore the geography of the cult, its iconographic and hymnographic dimensions and the transformation of the perception of the saint; the second part of this chapter discusses the questions of performance, authorship and audience.

The objective of this study is to analyse the contemporary political role of Christianity in the Middle East. This will be achieved by focusing on the office of the patriarch. In most of the Eastern Christian churches, the patriarch is widely accepted as the spiritual head of the community and, throughout the centuries, this authority has often been translated into temporal power. Although other communal actors have challenged the dominant position of the patriarch, this dual role as spiritual and civil leader provides resources which can be used to strengthen the claim to be the political representative at the expense of lay rivals. The case studies selected for this project - the Coptic Orthodox and the Maronite churches - share several key characteristics. Firstly, both evoke a distinct identity on the basis of faith yet are directly linked to a specific homeland - Egypt and Lebanon respectively. In contrast to spiritual leaders of communities which are not concentrated in one particular country, the Coptic Orthodox and Maronite patriarchs have the potential to become involved in national affairs if desired. Secondly, both communities have pressing if different concerns as indigenous Christians in a turbulent regional environment dominated by another religion - Islam. The vast majority of these relate to the position of the community in the homeland. Thirdly, both communities have recently experienced widespread expansion outside the traditional territory in the Middle East. This allows an examination of the impact this growth has had on both the church and community at home and abroad. Fourthly, since becoming the head of each church, Patriarch Shenouda III, Coptic Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa and Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East of the Maronites, have proven to be charismatic and influential figures in church and national affairs. They have clearly played significant parts in relations between the community and state in the decades since their election to office. Finally, the two case studies have been selected as they best represent the potential of Christian communities to have a political role in this region. While the Copts constitute only a small proportion (5-10% depending on the identity of the source) of the Egyptian population, they are still the largest Christian community in the Middle East, numbering around 5-6 million. In contrast, the Maronites are a small community in terms of size. It is estimated that there are no more than 600,000 Maronites in Lebanon. Yet within Lebanon, they still make up over 20% of the population, offering them a chance to have a significant impact on national affairs. This study proposes that the patriarch exercises a political role because of his position as the head of the community. The authority and tradition of the office is constantly invoked to reinforce this position. In the contemporary period, this can be attributed to the desire to fill the leadership vacuum which exists amongst Christians in the Middle East.

The icon represents a great part of the heritage of Christian arts in Egypt. In this thesis the early stages of iconic art are studied to find out the influential factors leading to the formation of the icon as it is now. The Coptic icon in particular is studied, both the icon itself and how it differs from the Byzantine icon. The religious factor is focussed on as an effective and modelling element in defining the icon, and the symbols are studied in order to go back to their historical roots. This study also aims at tracing the phenomenon of iconic art, by studying its characteristics and the works themselves and by clarifiying the iconic symbols as part of the cultural and creative activity. The important artworks in iconic art are analysed, and the effect of iconic art on human and social life is shown
Master of Arts (Hons)

La thèse aborde les processus de politisation de la minorité copte orthodoxe en Égypte. Ce cas illustre la question du communautarisme comme mode d'énonciation du politique, autrement dit, comme un bouclier de défense auquel les coptes ont eu recours pour lutter et survivre dans le cadre de l'autoritarisme républicain en Égypte. Dans cette perspective, nous proposons d'observer les différentes formes que prend le communautarisme copte, étroitement liées aux bouleversements qui marquent le champ politique égyptien. Elles sont conçues comme une réaction de la communauté à l'autoritarisme égyptien. Elles sont conçues comme une construction provenant des dynamiques des rapports entre le clergé et le pouvoir et une résultante des dynamiques intra-communautaires et inter- communautaires. Il s'agit de noter le souci d'une hiérarchie cléricale visant à répondre aux aspirations des fidèles marginalisés au niveau national, et dominés par son clergé au niveau communautaire. Cette thèse étudie la fragmentation communautaire, résultante des failles des équilibres entre l'Église et les autorités publiques, ce qui a permis l'émergence d'autres voies de mobilisation des acteurs coptes politisés. L'attention est portée sur les coptes profanes, longtemps ignorés et qui font leur entrée sur scène avec le Printemps Arabe. Ils proviennent des univers sociaux strictement contrôlés par l'Église et le régime en place et c'est l'imbrication de leurs divers processus de socialisation qui nous permet d'appréhender leur engagement différencié, ainsi que les bouleversements intra-communautaires provoqués par ces nouveaux entrants dans l'espace communautaire et l'espace public égyptien
The thesis addresses the process of politicization of the Coptic Orthodox minority in Egypt. This case illustrates the issue of communitarianism as a mode of enunciation of politics, in other words, as a shield of defense to which the Copts resorted to struggle and survive within the framework of republican authoritarianism in Egypt. ln this perspective, we propose to observe the different forms taken by the Coptic community, closely related to the upheavals that mark the Egyptian political field. They are conceived as a reaction of the community to Egyptian authoritarianism. They are conceived as a construction resulting from the dynamics of the relations between the clergy and the political regime and a resultant of intra-community and inter-community dynamics. It is important to note the concern of a clerical hierarchy to respond to the aspirations of the marginalized Copts at the national level, and dominated by its clergy at the community level. This thesis studies community fragmentation, resulting from the flaws in the equilibrium between the Church and the public authorities, which allowed the emergence of other Coptic politicized paths and actors. Attention is paid to the secular Copts, who seem to launch their engagement with the Arab Spring. They come from social worlds strictly controlled by the Church and the State and it is the interweaving of their various processes of socialization that allows us to understand their engagement and activism as well as the intra-community upheavals caused by these new entrants in the community space as well as the Egyptian public space

This study takes as case studies the traditions of three major Christian communities, the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox church, the Korean Protestant church and the Western Christianity (including Western scholars from both Protestant and Roman Catholic backgrounds.) In doing so I examine the marked discrepancies in their interpretation of Scripture and the likely factors that might have influenced their various readings and subsequent applications regarding four issues – singleness, marriage, divorce and remarriage. I will begin by exploring the relevant scholarly literature, namely: previous studies of reception in general and of the Bible in particular, previous studies of reception of the New Testament texts (especially 1 Corinthians 7); previous studies of Korean and Coptic churches concerning the Bible in general and biblical texts on these four topics. I will examine how the contemporary reading of Coptic Orthodox Christianity about divorce and remarriage issues is likely to be affected by various aspects including the biblical interpretation of the Church Fathers as well as the unique social, religious and political circumstances of the Coptic Church as a minority group in a Muslim country. I will also look into elements of influence in Korean scholarship, where the interpretation of modern Korean Protestant scholars of biblical texts on divorce and remarriage might be influenced by the long-standing cultural influence of Confucianism, fundamentalism and liberal theology. Likewise, I plan to inspect the factors that may possibly affect the reading of modern biblical scholars of Western Christianity about the related biblical passages on singleness and divorce, including the individual circumstances, religious and social background, denominational situation, theological approach (e.g. evangelical, liberal or feminist), cultural view and gender of various scholars. I will also argue that the factors which might affect the ways that modern biblical scholars of Western Christianity read the related biblical texts on singleness and divorce include the views of two Greek philosophical groups (Cynics and Stoics), two Jewish sects (Philo’s group and the Essenes), Church Fathers and apocalyptical literature, as well as Roman cults. Such a different approach of Western scholars is due to their scholarly discussion with an attempt to understand the original text through historical and critical method, unlike the approach of the two previous church groups. A final chapter will draw conclusions by evaluating each tradition in terms of their understanding and practice of these issues. In addition, the way that Paul honoured the rights of women in those areas in the first century will be briefly mentioned.

Tanken med denna uppsats är att utifrån ett idéhistoriskt perspektiv försöka belysa fundamentet och framväxten av den kristna koptiska kyrkan i Egypten. Med hänsyn tagen till såväl den sociokulturella och teologiska som politiska historien är mitt syfte att framgent kunna presentera vilka komponenter det är som kan ha bidragit till dess ecclesiala institution vars uttryck manifesteras genom liturgiska riter, symbola samt trosföreställning.

Som uppsats betraktat är den deskriptiv med inslag av argumenterande karaktär. Det innebär att det förekommer komparabla reflektioner i syftet att teologiskt kunna presentera om det ur ett koptiskt inifrånperspektiv finns någon icke-kristen faktor i trosföreställningen vars dignitet i så fall skulle kunna vara den sammanhållande länken för deras syn på den egna tron. På grund av detta är det nödgat att dels göra några historiska nedslag i den fornegyptiska religionen för att utröna vilka element det är som kan ha fått en kristen överbyggnad, och dels om den egyptiska mytologiska samt kosmologiska världen ligger till grund för delar av den koptisk kristna filosofin.

Slutsatsen jag kom fram till är att det fornegyptiska arvet spelar som förväntat en stor roll. Kopterna är stolta över sitt ursprung och lever i en miljö vilken i allra högsta grad fortfarande vittnar om det forntida egyptiska imperiets storhet. Det förefaller också som så att den östra kyrkan, Alexandrinska kyrkan, uppbar en ledande funktion i framväxten av kristendomen. Problematiken som sedermera uppstod handlade om Kristi natur och substans vilket ledde till att koptiska kyrkan ställde sig utanför mötet i Kalcedon 451. Främsta orsaken till detta är i mina ögon den polemiska synen på begreppet ”The Mother of God” – Theotokos visavi Christotokos. Den Koptiska kyrkans största bidrag till kristenheten är kloster och munkväsendet samt tidegärden.

The aim of this work is to take the methodology developed by Ernest Cowell, and further refined by James R. Royse, of cataloging singular readings of Greek scribes and seek to apply it to Coptic scribes. This study focuses on the text of John found in P. Mich Inv. 3521 and the singular readings of that manuscript. In order to have a basis of comparison, singular readings from two other Coptic versions of John are cataloged as well.1 In total 1619 singular readings have been identified in the three manuscripts. Following Colwell and Royse, the readings have been further divided into orthographic, sensible and nonsense readings. The sensible and nonsense readings have been further divided and categorized into additions, omissions, substitutions, transpositions and verbal prefixes. All of these entries are then noted in the accompanying database with appropriate commentary so that the reader may format and use the information in a variety of ways. In addition to the database, detailed commentary has been provided on the singular readings of P. Mich. Inv. 3521 with the following conclusions: Like Greek scribes, Coptic scribes are more likely to omit something than to add something; The category of "transpositions as corrected leaps" which James Royse found useful in his work, has proved unhelpful when dealing with this papyrus; and finally some preliminary analysis about the scribe of P. Mich. Inv. 351 is given. 1 Elinor Husselman, The Gospel of John in Fayumic Coptic (P. Mich. Inv. 3521), The University of Michigan Kelsey Museum of Archaeology Studies (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 1962); Rodolphe Kasser, Papyrus Bodmer III: Évangile de Jean et Genèse I-IV, 2 en Bohaïrique (Louvain: Secrétariat du CorpusSCO, 1958); Herbert Thompson, The Gospel of St. John According to the Earliest Coptic Manuscript (London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt, 1924).

The icon represents a great part of the heritage of Christian arts in Egypt. In this thesis the early stages of iconic art are studied to find out the influential factors leading to the formation of the icon as it is now. The Coptic icon in particular is studied, both the icon itself and how it differs from the Byzantine icon. The religious factor is focussed on as an effective and modelling element in defining the icon, and the symbols are studied in order to go back to their historical roots. This study also aims at tracing the phenomenon of iconic art, by studying its characteristics and the works themselves and by clarifiying the iconic symbols as part of the cultural and creative activity. The important artworks in iconic art are analysed, and the effect of iconic art on human and social life is shown