Spring Semester Course Offerings, January 12- May 7, 2016
1. COP 3016 Coptic Church History II: From Byzantine to Islamic Egypt with Deacon Severus Mikhail, MONDAYS, 6:00-9:00pm (live instruction at CST, online instruction only available with instructor permission). This course surveys the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church and community from the seventh through the twentieth centuries. Several themes are privileged throughout the course: Christian-Muslim interactions, shifting communal identities, liturgical developments, and the importance of Coptic-Arabic literature. While the emphasis is on the history and historiography of the Coptic Church (the See of Alexandria), the course will also discuss the major political and theological developments and personalities of the Christian east in general.
2. COP 3040 Liturgics I: An Introduction to the Divine Liturgy of the Coptic Orthodox Church with Fr. Felimon Mikhail on TUESDAYS, 6:00-9:00pm (online and live instruction at CST). “Surely the Lord is in this place…How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven!” (Gen 28:16-17). This declaration which Jacob made at Bethel reflects the Orthodox understanding that the Church is not simply a type and figure of heaven, but the actual substrate of that future transformation. Such a heavenly paradigm is the cornerstone upon which the entire liturgical tradition of the Coptic Orthodox Church is established. This course provides an introduction to the liturgical rituals and rubrics of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and provides some insights into the history and development of this rich tradition.
3. COP 3018 Coptic Monastic Art and Architecture with Dr. Gawdat Gabra on WEDNESDAYS, 6:00-9:00pm (live instruction only at CST). Art and architecture provide an important point of access into Christianity in Egypt, giving us a material record of several complex periods. This course will provide a general survey of Coptic monastic art and architecture. Students will be introduced to Egypt’s strong monastic traditions, including textual sources, art, and architecture from the fourth through the thirteenth century. Special emphasis will be given to monastic art from the sixth, the seventh and the eighth centuries. The format of the course includes power point presentations and discussions.
4. COP 3032 St. Cyril of Alexandria: The Life, Works, and Theology of the Pillar of Faith with Fr. John Paul Abdelsayed on THURSDAYS, 6:00-9:00pm (live instruction at CST, online instruction only available with instructor permission). Modern scholarship acknowledges St. Cyril of Alexandria’s unique contribution to the articulation of essential elements of Christian doctrine, especially at the ecumenical council of Ephesus and through his impeccable expression of the doctrine of the Incarnation. His contribution is so extensive, that some have argued that all subsequent Christology could only proceed, by way of interpretation of his portrayal of Christ. St. Cyril carried the Athanasian Christology from Nicaea to Ephesus and developed the terminology critical to articulate the Mystery of Christ in forthcoming generations of patristic heritage. St. Cyril’s exegetical writings have been somewhat neglected, even though he is virtually unsurpassed in the production of biblical commentaries in the Christian East, save Origen and Chrysostom. This course surveys the extensive Cyrillian corpus, from his early exegetical treatises, to his letters and discourses during the Nestorian Controversy, and his paschal epistles. This course is the equivalent of Patristics II.
5. COP 3090 Counseling Moral Identity and Spiritual Formation by Fr. Paul Baky Mikhail and Dr. Sherrif Toma on SUNDAYS from 5:00-8:00 pm (live instruction only at CST). In this course you will learn, how real change happen in the life of people. What is the role of identity in your personality, how identity affects your decisions making process and your life. What is moral intelligence and emotional intelligence? How to build the character of the kids to be able to live as true Christians, honorable, successful, and equipped for every good deed. Moreover, how the spiritual and the psychological worlds can be integrated on biblical strong foundation, and much more.
Please register and enroll today at www.actslibrary.org, and check for updates to the above. The costs are as follows:
$400.00 for 1st class, $350 for 2nd course, $300 for remaining courses.
Categories: Education
