1

EARLY CHRISTIANITY IN EGYPT:

A Father’s Reflections on a Son’s Interest
Dr. Robert E. Cooley, President Emeritus and former Professor
of Biblical Studies and Archaeology, Gordon-Conwell Theological
Seminary

A very large book rests on our living room coffee table. This special book, Egypt:
Yesterday and Today, was presented to us from our son, Bob, following one of his trips
to Egypt. His inscription reads, “To Dad and Mom, With appreciation for all our
wonderful trips, Love, Bob.” It is a book of lithographs and diaries by David Roberts, a
British artist of the Victorian Era, who commenced his pilgrimage through Egypt in 1838.
The lithographs record in remarkable detail the famous monuments of ancient Egypt
including temples, obelisks, pyramids and tombs. The grandeur of Pharonic antiquity
shines through every page of the book. Usually, when we think of ancient Egypt, our
minds rush to such monuments; or, to the period of Hebrew residence in the land prior
to Israel’s formation of a national community at Mt. Sinai. However, for Bob, his interest
focused on the period of Early Christianity.

Egypt played a significant role in the development of early Christianity. Bob would love
to stretch my intellectual capacity and engage me in lengthy conversations around such
topics as the theologians, Origen or Clement of Alexandria, or the Saints like Catherine,
Anthony or Pachomius, and the significance of Alexandria as a major player in the early
Church Councils. He was quite intrigued with the emergence of Christian monasticism,
one of the most remarkable innovations of early Christianity. His travels in Egypt would
include visits to the old monasteries, especially Saint Anthony’s, where monks still carry
out his work there.

Saints
Christian tradition has honored many persons as saints, believing that they were
influential in the growth of Egyptian Christianity. For example, Saint Mark is credited
with establishing a small group of Christians in the countryside. Alexandria was his next
stop, but he soon became the object of hatred and pursuit. Before escaping the city, he
established local leaders in the positions of priests and deacons. Later, he returned to
the city to visit the Christian Community, but his enemies discovered him and put him
to death. St. Mark is remembered as the founder and first martyr of the Christian Church
in Egypt.

Another revered saint is Saint Catherine of Alexandria. She was a young woman, well-
educated and the member of a noble family. As the narrative of tradition goes,
Catherine confronted the Emperor Maximinus Daia, who was persecuting the
Christians, chiding him for his cruelty and persecutions. He was impressed with her
brilliance and faith and admonished his scholars to attempt to undermine her beliefs.
Contrary to his intentions, the scholars were converted and eventually killed. Other
courtesans converted and eventually he had Catherine beheaded. Early tradition states
 2

that angels carried her body to Mount Sinai where a monastery and church were later
built by the Emperor Justinian.

Today, Saint Catherine’s Monastery, along with Mt. Sinai, is a well-visited tourist site.
Bob joined us on several such visits, always making the climb up Mt. Sinai and visiting
the famous church which stands at the traditional site of the burning bush seen by
Moses. The monastery, which is located nearby, houses precious manuscripts of Early
Christianity, awaiting scholarly exploration.

Christian Monasticism
Many other saints mark the development of Christianity in Egypt, but none were as
important as Saint Anthony in Bob’s judgment. He is often called the “Father of the
Monks” and is credited, along with his colleague, Saint Pachomius, with the founding of
Christian monasticism. The monastic way of life attracted Bob’s attention so that his
many visits to the Holy Land and Egypt included visits to such monasteries as St.
George’s and Mar Saba in Israel, St. Catherine’s in the Sinai, and St. Anthony’s in
Egypt. Hundreds of such monasteries are scattered throughout the Middle East and
stand as testimony to a very special Christian lifestyle. Yet, it is Egypt that is considered
to be the heart of the monastic idea.

St. Anthony, away from the distractions of city and society, established a hermitage in
the Egyptian wilderness in A.D. 305. Over time, a variety of types emerged with no
central orders, thus maintaining themselves as autonomous institutions. The size of the
monasteries varied; some owned land and engaged in commercial interests, while
others, being small, restricted themselves to a mere hermitage. The periods following
St. Anthony show that two basic types of monasteries existed in Egypt: the hermit style
and the communal life style. Regardless of style, the Monks took vows of chastity and
poverty, practiced fasting, provided services to nearby communities, and secured alms
for the poor.

It was St. Anthony’s lifestyle that attracted Bob’s attention. Anthony’s parents died
when he was only 18 years of age, leaving him with the family’s belongings. At church
he heard the words of Jesus, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and
give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matthew
19:2). As a result, Anthony sold what property he had and gave most of the money to
the poor. The remaining amount was given to his sister who went to live in a community
of holy women.

After much prayer and fasting, he went to a cave to live the life of a hermit. Others
joined him and he became their spiritual mentor in the life of an ascetic. There was a
brief time following that he went to Alexandria and ministered to prisoners, but before
long he was back in the desert to his simple life in work and prayer. The basic monastic
garb was his creation and was represented as an all-purpose robe of white linen
fastened about the waist with a leather belt. He died at the age of 105 years. During
Bob’s last journey to Egypt, he spent time visiting the St. Anthony Monastery
and the few monks who carry on in the tradition of their saint.
 3

The Theological School of Alexandria

Theologians stand alongside the saints and monks in the formation of early Christianity
in Egypt. In fact, the Theological School of Alexandra, known as Didascalia, was
possibly the greatest contribution of Egypt to early Christianity. It was founded in A.D.
190 and it soon became the most significant center for theological learning and debate
in the Mediterranean World. Many church leaders came to Alexandria to be educated
under the great teachers and theologians there. Bob’s favorites were Clement and
Origen, who has been called the “Father of Theology.”

St. Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin (The Vulgate) came to the school to
engage the theologians in the exchange of ideas and to debate with these great
Christian scholars. One of the main goals of the school was to educate converts from
paganism to Christianity. These scholars and theologians designed a system of
theology that by the use of philosophy would give a systematic exposition of
Christianity. Thus, philosophy was used in the formulation of Christian theology. They
developed an allegorical system of interpretation that has been a hurdle in Bible
interpretation until today. As a system of interpretation, its underlying assumption is that
the Bible has more than one meaning. This resulted in the Alexandrine Theologians
ever seeking hidden meanings.

Clement was an advocate of Greek Philosophy and learning, but his works give a strong
theme that for him the Bible comes first in the life of the Christian. However, since all
truth belongs to God, what truth existed in Greek learning should be brought into the
service of God. Of course, the weakness in this approach was that Christianity could
end up being only a syncretism of Greek philosophy and Biblical teaching.

Origen, Clement’s star pupil, succeeded to the leadership of the school and during his
tenure wrote more than 5000 scrolls on theological subjects. These subjects included
textual criticism of the Scriptures, demonstrating the correct representation of the
original biblical text. Also, he did extensive exegetical work. His greatest contribution to
Christian literature was his treatise of systematic theology. The allegorical system of
interpretation he used resulted in many doctrinal themes that were contrary to the more
orthodox thinkers in the great Christian world. For example, he held the ideas of the pre-
existence of the soul and the final restoration of all spirits.

Due to the persecutions underway in Alexandria, Origen found a home in Caesarea,

Palestine, where he continued his studies, teaching and frequent preaching
opportunities. He will always be known as one who viewed the Scriptures through the
lens of Hellenic thinking and held great sway in the thinking of early Christians,
especially those in the eastern countries.

In the end, the Western Church considered Origen to be a heretic, condemning his
views at a Church Synod in his own city of Alexandria in A.D. 399. His work is often
considered the greatest intellectual achievement in the early Church, prior to Nicaea.
 4

The Theological School of Alexandria is still very much alive. The Theological College of
the Catechetical School of Alexandria was re-established in 1893, with extensions in
Cairo, New Jersey and Los Angeles.

Egypt and the Early Church

Councils
The early Church Councils of Nicaea (A.D. 325), Constantinople (AD 381) and Ephesus
(A.D. 434) included representatives from the church in Egypt. The attention of the
Bishops focused around fundamental concerns of doctrine, especially as to the dual
nature of Christ—human and divine.

The Egyptian Bishops were embroiled in the controversy that led to their eventual
isolation from the Western Church. Underlying the doctrinal debate, however, was a
deeper issue of a political nature. Following the Council of Chalcedon (A.D. 451), the
relationships between the Egyptian churches and Constantinople were strained as the
Egyptians refused to acknowledge the authority of the Alexandrian Bishops appointed
by the Byzantine State. Alexandria and the Christians of Egypt were now separated
from the churches of the east and Antioch, as well as from the churches of the west and
Constantinople.

Eventually, the Christians in Egypt formed what we know today as the Coptic Orthodox
Church. The Coptic (or Egyptian Christian) Church holds to an unbroken succession of
patriarchs to the present, making it one of the oldest Christian churches in existence.

Bob’s interest in Egypt was not in its glorious monuments of antiquity, nor its
magnificent contrast between Nile and desert, but its important role in the early
formation of Christian life. Some of the earliest texts of the New Testament have been
preserved in its dry sands as has other Christian literature. His favorite city was
Alexandria, the intellectual center of Eastern Christianity with its famous theologians.
And, finally, the simple life of monasticism represented for him the perfect life. These
themes were at the heart of our “father and son” chats and, for me, are memories that
help bridge the lonely gaps created by his passing.