#12 Theological Education in the Coptic Church

Today I do not have any guests but rather I want to share with you some thoughts and reflections on theological education in the Coptic Church. The Coptic Church that started as the Lands of Immigration about 50 years ago is now very established in the West, no longer seen as a diaspora, but a fully established church with numerous dioceses and patriarchal jurisdictions throughout the Western world. So, we are now truly national churches in each of the countries where Copts have settled. Our call to ministry in the 21st century is challenging, certainly more challenging than when the first Coptic churches started in the West. These challenges raise some serious and pertinent questions regarding theological education, and the formation of future clergy, servants and church leaders. The Coptic Church in its rich history and heritage is not alien to myriads of challenges. In each period she faced unique challenges and reflecting on how the church dealt with these challenges can provide for us many lessons for consideration. Today, I wish to focus on two historical periods, one ancient, the School of Alexandria, and one modern, the work of St Habib Girgis in Theological Education, and draw from these some thoughts and reflections for Coptic theological education in the 21st century in the West.