DOCSLIB.ORG

Heaven and Humanity in Unity: Theosis, Sino-Christian Theology and the Second Chinese Enlightenment

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Heaven and Humanity in Unity: Theosis, Sino-Christian Theology and the Second Chinese Enlightenment View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by OpenGrey Repository HEAVEN AND HUMANITY IN UNITY: THEOSIS, SINO-CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY AND THE SECOND CHINESE ENLIGHTENMENT 天 人 合 一 by ALEXANDER CHOW 曹榮錦 MAT (Biblical Studies and Theology), Fuller Theological Seminary, 2006 ThM (Theology), Regent College, 2008 A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Theology and Religion School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion College of Arts and Law University of Birmingham October 2011 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT This thesis explores various trajectories of contextual theology as they have developed in the two Chinese enlightenments of twentieth and twenty-first century China. Drawing methodologically from the typological works of historian Justo González and the missiologists Stephen Bevans and Roger Schroeder, one of the main aims of this study is to map and evaluate the various types of Chinese theology. An analysis of three major Chinese Protestant representatives will identify the tendencies of each type, highlight the importance of a contextual theology in dealing with a context’s socio-political concerns and religio- philosophical tradition, and show a bias in Chinese theology towards Latin Christianity. This leads to the second major aim of the study to explore the usefulness of Eastern Orthodox category of theosis and related subjects in the Second Chinese Enlightenment. It will highlight the tendencies of Chinese philosophy and religion, inclusive of Chinese Protestantism, to exhibit many themes from Byzantine Christianity. It will also call attention to the potential usefulness of this other “Eastern” theology in China’s socio-political concerns. This study will conclude by discussing the possibilities of Eastern Orthodoxy in playing an important role in complementing and supplementing future developments of a Chinese contextual theology. ii To my Betty. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There were many instances when I believed the work on this thesis would not continue. Yet it is because of the academic prowess and paternal support of Professor Edmond Tang that it has now seen the light of day. True to his own hybridity, as my doktorvater, Professor Tang oversaw my research as a strict Chinese father, demanding precision and excellence, but also as a gentle Western father, extending his friendship and interests in my work and my well-being. I am also grateful for his support and encouragement to travel to China several times in order to have a real-world grounding in my thinking. I am also indebted to those who have read versions of this thesis in part or in whole. Both my examiners, Professors Werner Ustorf (University of Birmingham) and Peter C. Phan (Georgetown University), early on offered important feedback for my introductory chapter. Much later, during my viva voce, I was greatly humbled by the encouraging words these accomplished scholars had for my completed work. I am also thankful for the friendship of a fellow PhD student, Yen-yi Lee, who read the entirety of my thesis. Through our many conversations and travels together, the now Doctor Lee helped to deepen my understanding of the nuances of Chinese philosophy and religion. Many others have also provided invaluable feedback for select chapters, including Sun Xiangchen (Fudan University), Wang Zhicheng (Zhejiang University), Glen G. Scorgie (Bethel Seminary, San Diego), Pan-chiu Lai (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Milton Wai Yiu Wan (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Philip L. Wickeri (Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui), and my good friend Clement Y. Wen. I have received a great deal of hospitality from many within China. Through the generosity of Professor Zhao Lin at Wuhan University, I was given a great opportunity to spend a focused amount of time researching in his department. Particularly with the iv assistance of his PhD students Chen Yanbo and Zhang Yuntao, I was able to meet with other PhD students and faculty members to engage in discussions about philosophy and religion in China. Many others were generous in sharing their time with me in Hangzhou (Lou Shibo [Zhejiang Theological Seminary] and Zhu Wenxin [Zhejiang University]), at the East China Normal University in Shanghai (Xu Jilin and Deng Jun), at Renmin University in Beijing (Yang Huilin, He Guanghu, Sun Yi, and Zhang Jing), and at the Institute of Sino-Christian Studies in Hong Kong (Gao Xin). Finally, a few personal notes. First, I am grateful for the financial and prayer support I received over the years from the Chinese Bible Church of San Diego. I also very much appreciate my parents who, though have not always agreed with my academic pursuits, have always offered me their unconditional love and support. Most especially, I am thankful for my wife, Betty. Within a matter of months of getting married in Vancouver, Canada, my new bride and I moved to windy Birmingham, England for the next four years. Her tireless encouragement, despite my highs and lows, has helped me compose this text and has kept me on schedule to the very end. If working on a PhD is not challenging enough by itself, Betty and I were blessed with the birth of our first child, Benjamin, born between the submission of my thesis for grading and sitting my viva. I affectionately dedicate this thesis, my “second child,” to Betty. v TABLE OF CONTENTS A Note About Romanisation ..............................................................................ix Abbreviations .......................................................................................................x Introduction ..........................................................................................................1 Dominant Paradigms of Classification ..............................................................................4 Fundamentalist–Modernist Impasse ................................................................................6 Confucian Activism or Daoist Pietism ............................................................................7 Towards a New Theological Classification ......................................................................10 Theosis – A New Category for Chinese Theology ...........................................................19 Structure of the Study .......................................................................................................21 Literature Survey ..............................................................................................................25 Academic Outcomes ..........................................................................................................29 1. The Chinese Enlightenments ........................................................................32 What is Enlightenment? ...................................................................................................33 May Fourth Enlightenment............................................................................................ 34 Second Chinese Enlightenment .....................................................................................39 Prevailing Challenges ....................................................................................................45 Christian Responses ..........................................................................................................48 The Making of a Chinese Religion................................................................................ 49 Conflicted Identities ......................................................................................................52 The Importance of Theological Anthropology ................................................................54 2. Watchman Nee’s Spiritual Man ...................................................................59 The Spiritual Man .............................................................................................................63 The Constitutional Nature of Humanity ........................................................................64 The Normal Christian Life ............................................................................................69 vi The Normal Christian Church Life .................................................................................77 The Antioch Model........................................................................................................ 80 The Jerusalem Model ....................................................................................................82 On Final Things .............................................................................................................84 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................................85 3. T. C. Chao’s Spiritual Fellowship .................................................................91 The Spiritual Fellowship
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Chinese Christians and American Missionaries in the Republic of China (1912-1949)
    Rowan University Rowan Digital Works Theses and Dissertations 10-17-2016 Finding Chinese Jesus: Chinese Christians and American missionaries in the Republic of China (1912-1949) Matthew Joseph Douthitt Rowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd Part of the Asian History Commons, and the Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Douthitt, Matthew Joseph, "Finding Chinese Jesus: Chinese Christians and American missionaries in the Republic of China (1912-1949)" (2016). Theses and Dissertations. 2335. https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/2335 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Rowan Digital Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Rowan Digital Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FINDING CHINESE JESUS: CHINESE CHRISTIANS AND AMERICAN MISSIONARIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA (1912-1949) by Matthew J Douthitt A Thesis Submitted to the Department of History College of Humanities and Social Sciences In partial fulfillment of the requirement For the degree of Master of Arts in History at Rowan University May 16, 2016 Thesis Chair: Q. Edward Wang, Ph.D © 2016 Matthew J Douthitt Dedication I dedicate this thesis to my mom who is always there for me. Acknowledgments Developing this thesis has been quite a learning experience for me. I would like express my deepest thanks to the entire History Department at Rowan University for their warm reception upon my arrival and their constant encouragement throughout my studies. Specifically, I would like to thank Dr. Joy Wiltenburg and Dr. Scott Morschauser for being a part of the thesis committee and offering their advice.
    [Show full text]
  • Christian History & Biography
    Issue 98: Christianity in China As for Me and My House The house-church movement survived persecution and created a surge of Christian growth across China. Tony Lambert On the eve of the Communist victory in 1949, there were around one million Protestants (of all denominations) in China. In 2007, even the most conservative official polls reported 40 million, and these do not take into account the millions of secret Christians in the Communist Party and the government. What accounts for this astounding growth? Many observers point to the role of Chinese house churches. The house-church movement began in the pre-1949 missionary era. New converts—especially in evangelical missions like the China Inland Mission and the Christian & Missionary Alliance—would often meet in homes. Also, the rapidly growing independent churches, such as the True Jesus Church, the Little Flock, and the Jesus Family, stressed lay ministry and evangelism. The Little Flock had no pastors, relying on every "brother" to lead ministry, and attracted many educated city people and students who were dissatisfied with the traditional foreign missions and denominations. The Jesus Family practiced communal living and attracted the rural poor. These independent churches were uniquely placed to survive, and eventually flourish, in the new, strictly-controlled environment. In the early 1950s, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement eliminated denominations and created a stifling political control over the dwindling churches. Many believers quietly began to pull out of this system.
    [Show full text]
  • Interreligious Resources for Pain Management: Contributions from Hinduism and Christianity
    The Journal of Interreligious Studies Issue 20, March 2017| http://www.irstudies.org Interreligious Resources for Pain Management: Contributions from Hinduism and Christianity Melanie Barbato Pain is one of the afflictions of the human conditions that all religions speak to. However, the resources of religious traditions for pain management have largely been sidelined with the availability of chemical forms of pain relief. Sparked by a growing interest in the cultural dimension of medicine, empirical studies over the last decades have shown the positive impact that the factor “religion” can have on pain. Focusing on Christianity and Hinduism but also including more general interreligious discourse, this paper makes the case for a wider interreligious discussion on pain and pain management and presents examples of promising interreligious interaction on the topic. Medical Perspectives on Religion in Pain Management Joanna Bourke’s History of Pain (2014) devotes a whole chapter to religion.1 She explains how up to the nineteenth century pain management fell largely within the competence of religion. The elimination of pain was not yet possible and patients turned to religion for techniques and narratives that could help them to reframe the experience of pain, to detach themselves from the painful sensation, or to feel in control and at ease despite the pain they experienced. When anaesthesia became available, competence shifted from religion and the suffering person to medicine and the authority of the medical professional. This also meant
    [Show full text]
  • Chinese Protestant Christianity Today Daniel H. Bays
    Chinese Protestant Christianity Today Daniel H. Bays ABSTRACT Protestant Christianity has been a prominent part of the general religious resurgence in China in the past two decades. In many ways it is the most striking example of that resurgence. Along with Roman Catholics, as of the 1950s Chinese Protestants carried the heavy historical liability of association with Western domi- nation or imperialism in China, yet they have not only overcome that inheritance but have achieved remarkable growth. Popular media and human rights organizations in the West, as well as various Christian groups, publish a wide variety of information and commentary on Chinese Protestants. This article first traces the gradual extension of interest in Chinese Protestants from Christian circles to the scholarly world during the last two decades, and then discusses salient characteristics of the Protestant movement today. These include its size and rate of growth, the role of Church–state relations, the continuing foreign legacy in some parts of the Church, the strong flavour of popular religion which suffuses Protestantism today, the discourse of Chinese intellectuals on Christianity, and Protestantism in the context of the rapid economic changes occurring in China, concluding with a perspective from world Christianity. Protestant Christianity has been a prominent part of the general religious resurgence in China in the past two decades. Today, on any given Sunday there are almost certainly more Protestants in church in China than in all of Europe.1 One recent thoughtful scholarly assessment characterizes Protestantism as “flourishing” though also “fractured” (organizationally) and “fragile” (due to limits on the social and cultural role of the Church).2 And popular media and human rights organizations in the West, as well as various Christian groups, publish a wide variety of information and commentary on Chinese Protestants.
    [Show full text]
  • Surrey Chapel
    SURREY CHAPEL Book of Remembrance 1 —O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: because His mercy endureth for ever.“ – Psalm 118:1 —By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.“ – Heb. 13:15. 2 SURREY CHAPEL Book of Remembrance, 1854 - 1954 Surrey Chapel, Norwhich, celebrates its centenary in December 1954, and the suggestion has been made that some little account of its origin, history, and ministry may be of interest not only to its present membership and contemporaries, but to those who have worshipped within its walls in bygone years; and also to that wider audience scattered in various parts of the earth who know of, and revere its Founder – Robert Govett, M. A. (Oxon) – together with his successor – D. M. Panton, B. A. (Cantab.) – only through the medium of their books and writings. The aim of this narrative is not to exalt men, nor the church – grateful to God we are for the history of both – but to render our humble and hearty thanks to His name who in His wisdom and love chose and called out those who for so many years ministered at Surrey Chapel. —O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.“ – Psalm 34:3. 3 FIRST PERIOD, 1854 1901 Preparation and Foundation Let us hark back to the beginning of the story. On February 14th, 1813, at Staines in Middlesex, Robert Govett was born into a well-known ecclesiastical family.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion in China BKGA 85 Religion Inchina and Bernhard Scheid Edited by Max Deeg Major Concepts and Minority Positions MAX DEEG, BERNHARD SCHEID (EDS.)
    Religions of foreign origin have shaped Chinese cultural history much stronger than generally assumed and continue to have impact on Chinese society in varying regional degrees. The essays collected in the present volume put a special emphasis on these “foreign” and less familiar aspects of Chinese religion. Apart from an introductory article on Daoism (the BKGA 85 BKGA Religion in China proto­typical autochthonous religion of China), the volume reflects China’s encounter with religions of the so-called Western Regions, starting from the adoption of Indian Buddhism to early settlements of religious minorities from the Near East (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) and the early modern debates between Confucians and Christian missionaries. Contemporary Major Concepts and religious minorities, their specific social problems, and their regional diversities are discussed in the cases of Abrahamitic traditions in China. The volume therefore contributes to our understanding of most recent and Minority Positions potentially violent religio-political phenomena such as, for instance, Islamist movements in the People’s Republic of China. Religion in China Religion ∙ Max DEEG is Professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Cardiff. His research interests include in particular Buddhist narratives and their roles for the construction of identity in premodern Buddhist communities. Bernhard SCHEID is a senior research fellow at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on the history of Japanese religions and the interaction of Buddhism with local religions, in particular with Japanese Shintō. Max Deeg, Bernhard Scheid (eds.) Deeg, Max Bernhard ISBN 978-3-7001-7759-3 Edited by Max Deeg and Bernhard Scheid Printed and bound in the EU SBph 862 MAX DEEG, BERNHARD SCHEID (EDS.) RELIGION IN CHINA: MAJOR CONCEPTS AND MINORITY POSITIONS ÖSTERREICHISCHE AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN PHILOSOPHISCH-HISTORISCHE KLASSE SITZUNGSBERICHTE, 862.
    [Show full text]
  • Identity Tensions Among Chinese Intellectual Christians a Pa
    “Who Am I”: Identity Tensions Among Chinese Intellectual Christians A paper was presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Sociology of Religion, San Francisco, California, August 14, 2004 Jianbo Huang Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Building 6, 27 Zhongguancun South Street Haidian, Beijing PR China 8610—88218477 [email protected] Since the Reform and Opening Up policy was implemented in 1978, a so-called tide of “Christianity Fever” has swept across the intellectual and academic circle. The concern and zeal they have for Christianity are reflected in the research, comments and translation of its history, theories, doctrines and persons, as well as stimulating the formation of the openness of recognizing Christianity afresh (or correctly). In this rising tide of Christianity in China, some intellectuals have accepted the “cross” and entered the hall of Christian belief including university students, teachers, writers, painters, scholars and scientists. Some overseas Chinese students had converted even earlier (Li, 1996). Obviously, Christianity has a special attraction for them. They were attracted by the doctrines and teachings, and /or personal eXposure to Christian fellowships, then converted and were baptized. Looking back on the beginning of the 20th century, it was also the intellectuals who started a vigorous “anti-Christian movement”, taking the chance of the May Fourth Movement in 1919 and the New Culture Movement, holding up the banners of “Mr. D” (democracy) and “Mr. S” (science). Generally speaking, they wanted to thrust Christianity aside because they assumed that religion equals superstition and was incompatible with science. They reasoned that science was a necessity if the life of the Chinese people was to be improved and China’s international status be promoted (Li, 1994:195-222).
    [Show full text]
  • PIECE 14. the CHRISTIANIZATION of CHINA. a Brief Intro!
    PIECE 14. THE CHRISTIANIZATION OF CHINA. (Includes A few Dumb Europeans and the Smart Chinese.) A brief intro! Christianity in Chinese history Famous Christians in Chinese History. How many Christians in China? “A few Dumb Europeans and the Smart Chinese.” The future situation: Quo Vadis? What it all means for China? A brief intro! A study on China, however small like this book, would be incomplete without this subject. Some of you may be wondering why this chapter is in here at all, and the reasons for this is that some answers can be found towards the end of this very same chapter! So I do encourage you to hold on and stick this one out until the end and what it all means for China, thanks! This chapter may be more detailed than I originally anticipated. Through researching it and realizing the quasi- importance of this to China right now, it became, well,… longer! * From ancient times, believe it or not, faith in the Bible God and later Christianity has been alive and well in China. This may be a surprise to you, as it was to me. However, this has been researched very well in several books, and one particularly sound-bytey (or is that sound-bitey?) and fascinating book is called ‘Jesus in Beijing’ by David Aikman. Before you switch off and think this is a religious section of this book and load of ____ do bear with me as you may learn something very amazing before this chapter is finished. After all, don’t you pride yourself on being open-minded? Can you truly call yourself open minded if you already switch off? Not really.
    [Show full text]
  • Pressemitteilung Zu the Neal Morse Band
    Pressemitteilung zu The Neal Morse Band The Neal Morse Band spielt ihren Progressive Rock am 13.06.2022 in der Markthalle in Hamburg Hamburg, Juni 2021 – Zuletzt waren sie im März/April 2019 hierzulande zu sehen, jetzt hat die Neal Morse Band eine weitere Deutschland-Tournee für den Juni 2022 angekündigt. Im Rahmen der Promotion ihres vierten Albums “Innocence & Danger”, das am 27. August 2021 erscheint, wird die Progressive Rock-Band um Bandleader Neal Morse am 13.06.2022 in der Markthalle in Hamburg auftreten. Im Laufe seiner Karriere hat der Gitarrist, Keyboarder und Sänger Neal Morse schon viele Höhen und Tiefen erlebt, bekannt wurde er als maßgeblicher Teil der Neo-Prog-Formationen Spock's Beard, Transatlantic und Flying Colors. Seit 2003 veröffentlicht Morse zwar auch Soloplatten unter seinem Namen, nun hat er sich aber auch wieder in ein Bandgefüge integriert: The Neal Morse Band (aka NMB) formiert sich in ihrer jetzigen Form 2012, zu den langjährigen Mitstreitern Morse’, Mike Portnoy (dr, v) und Randy George (b), kommen Bill Hubauer (key, v) und Eric Gillette (g, v) hinzu. “The Grand Experiment”, das Debüt der Band aus dem Jahr 2015, zeigt eine in diesem Bereich lange nicht gehörte Frische und Reife, die mit den folgenden Alben “The Similitude Of A Dream” (2016) und “The Great Adventure” (2019) weiter perfektioniert wird. Nun erscheint am 27. August 2021 mit “Innocence & Danger” das vierte Werk einer Gruppe von Musikern, die in ihrem Genre, dem progressiven Rock, allesamt eine Ausnahmestellung einnehmen. Nach den beiden vorherigen Konzept-Alben ist es schon erstaunlich, dass “Innocence & Danger” diesmal keiner roten Linie folgt.
    [Show full text]
  • Diploma Arbeit Lijo
    DIPLOMARBEIT Titel der Diplomarbeit Placid Podipara´s Reflection on the Church “St. Thomas Christians are Indian in Culture” Verfasser Lijo Joseph angestrebter akademischer Grad Magister der Theologie (Mag. theol.) Wien, 2015 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt: A 011 Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt: Diplomstudium Katholische Fachtheologie Betreuer: Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Rudolf Prokschi 2 Dedicated to all the members of the Syro-Malabar Church 3 4 Acknowledgements This is a master’s degree thesis investigate on Placid Podipara’s reflection on the Church “St. Thomas Christians are Indian in culture”. It is a humble attempt to know how Fr. Placid Podipara understood the birth and spread of Christianity through the preaching of St. Thomas the Apostle. With the passage of time, Christian religion rooted well, adapting itself to the customs and practices of the place. There was no attempt on the part of Christians to remain aloof from a given society or tried to remain a separate entity. The Church has accepted, absorbed, and assimilated itself to the good elements of Indian culture. With deep sense of gratitude, I acknowledge the valuable contribution of some important persons who helped me to complete this task. I am thankful to my bishop, Mar Mathew Arackal, Bishop of Kanjirappally, India, who sent me to Austria to do my theological studies in the University of Vienna. Gratefully I acknowledge the role of Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Rudolf Prokschi for his valuable suggestions, corrections, and guidance. I thank Fr. Stephan Mararikulam MSFS, Fr. Joy Plathottathil SVD, Stefan Jahns, Dr. Daniel Galadza, and Michaela Zachs for the correction of the language and suggestions.
    [Show full text]
  • Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity Is Transforming China and Changing the Global Balance of Power Pdf, Epub, Ebook
    JESUS IN BEIJING: HOW CHRISTIANITY IS TRANSFORMING CHINA AND CHANGING THE GLOBAL BALANCE OF POWER PDF, EPUB, EBOOK David Aikman | 418 pages | 07 Dec 2006 | Regnery Publishing Inc | 9781596980259 | English | Washington DC, United States Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity is Transforming China and Changing the Global Balance of Power PDF Book Apr 12, Johns rated it it was amazing. Encouraging book hindered by a terrible audiobook performance. Basically, Jesus in Beijing is an overview of Christianity in Japan, and a quick biography of the main movers and shakes. This book is not a Christian publication, and that helps its authenticity and wide appeal. Community Reviews. Quick Links Amazon. Aikman is frequently invited to deliver expert testimony at Congressional hearings and is a popular speaker at conferences, seminars, panels and to academic, church and professional groups at events all over the world. Aikman, former Beijing bureau chief for Time, starts his impressive analysis of the state of Christianity in China with a solid review of its early history, from the Nestorians and Jesuits to the Taiping and Boxer Rebellions. If this religious transformation occurs, China would be one of the largest Christian nations in the world. I look forward to learning much more up close and personal in the coming years. The narrator is not great and it makes the patchwork biographies all the more disjointed. I definitely wished I checked this book out before I went. Details if other :. Customer Service. This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile The perspective of Chinese Christians was what I went to the book looking to find, and it is there to discover, in part.
    [Show full text]
  • 4. Spread and Diversity of Christianity
    1 Spread of Christianity outside Greco-Roman world Matthew 28:16-20 The Great Commission 16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” We should aware of the widespread of the Gospel beyond places we thought it may have gone. 2 Late Roman Empire, A. D. 117 3 Christianity Spread: Copts to Africa, Nestorians Asia, Irish to Germans Irish monks à Copts Coptic Christians in Egypt 5 Christ & disciples. Painted panel in Coptic museum, Cairo Coptic Christians today: c.16 million: c.12 million Egypt + c.3-4 million abroad (Diaspora) 6 Origin & Spread of Copts “Coptic”= Afroasiatic language 1st Christians in Egypt mainly Alexandrian Jews (ex. Theophilus, whom Saint Luke the Evangelist addresses in introductory chapter of his gospel. Church of Alexandria founded by Saint Mark: native Egyptians (not Greeks or Jews) embraced Christian faith. Christianity spread throughout Egypt within half a century. Fragments of New Testament found in Middle Egypt, dating from 200 AD, Gospel of John in Coptic, found in Upper Egypt dating to 1st half- 2nd century.
    [Show full text]