Going to a Coptic Church

[M. Markewich]

I just wanted to post this to be a kind of ecumenical encouragement between the EO and OO. On my campus there are not many EOs, but a handful of Coptic Christians. I was fortunate to find a Coptic person from Egypt who is religious and he came with me to Church on Sunday. He had a good time noting the similarities during service, except of course the way he crosses himself! We had a great conversation and my priest was interested in talking with him. Finally, he told me that his Church, unlike mine, is basically made up of youth from surrounding colleges, and they all meet on Friday. I went with him today and it was definitely a unique experience. It seemed exactly like what I'd expect a Middle Eastern-service to be like! I was also surprised by how interested in their faith all of the Coptic youth seemed to be, and they all commented to me how our Churches were so similar. Their priest was very nice and gave me a key chain icon of St. George. I am planning on going every Friday night now, right after a Bible study my priest holds at our Church. I thought this would be a nice thing for you all to read, just as a small living witness to our developing unity.

[Kris]

I actually do the same thing and attend Bible study/lectures (which is usually followed by tasbeha) at a Coptic church here every friday, since there is almost nothing like this available in the EO churches. I do not attend the liturgy there though, following the advice of my spiritual father
There is also a lot of youth (most are aged around 18-25, 30 I suppose) which the EO churches does not really seem to cater for here.
I think our churches could learn a lot from the Copts in their attitude to educating and engaging the youth.

[John Charmley]

Dear Matt, Dear Kris,

Thank you for these posts.

It helps show that one of the most important parts of any process that might lead to unity is to gain a knowledge of each other and of the praxis and ethos of Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy.

I'm so glad that both of you have experienced what I have, which is the very warm welcome one gets from the Copts. I have found them incredibly kind in sharing what they have, and, as you say, very keen on youth education. My own campus has a Coptic Chaplain, who is one of the nicest, and holiest, men I have ever met.

When one considers the persecution the Copts are still subject to on a daily basis in their own country, it seems to me they bear a powerful witness to the Faith. I wonder, with some humility, how I would fare if every time I went to Church I was liable to be spat at or attacked by the odd fanatic who thought my country should be entirely Muslim? There is something of an aura of the suffering servant about the Coptic Church, and their Pope, Shenouda III, has written some wonderful books on the Faith.

Thank you for these posts - and their lesson - which is we all have something to learn from each other; I'm sure that your friend, Matt, learnt something from going with you to your Church.

In Christ,

John

[John Charmley]

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

With Matt and Kris being so eirenic about the Copts, this seemed a good thread to reverse the process, and for me to express my most profound thanks to all those Chalcedonians here with whom I have been in dialogue now for some time; you have all helped me greatly in my journey towards Orthodoxy, and much that I now know, I learned here, as I continue to learn - and always will. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Which said, some of you will, I fear, think it perverse thanks that today I was received into the British Orthodox Church, which is, of course, non-Chalcedonian, being under the jurisdiction of the Coptic Orthodox Church. For myself, the long journey to Orthodoxy takes on a new phase.

But I could not embark upon it without thanking all those here who have been so helpful. Monachos is a unique site, and I hope to keep posting here - even if the Orthodox Church I now belong to is non-Chalcedonian.

In Christ,

John

[M. Markewich]

Awesome! Congratulations and welcome home.

[John Charmley]

Dear Matt,

:) Many thanks. It does, indeed, feel like home.

Can I just say, too, that posts like the ones you and Kris have recently made seem to me deep indications of the Christian love which, one day in some distant future, will lead to proper unity.

It is awesome, and I am grateful to all those here who have shared their thoughts with me; I have benefited, and continue to benefit, hugely; that too, is an act of great charity.

In Christ,

John