Coptic culture - Mariam F. Ayad

In May 2008, the Coptic Orthodox Centre in Stevenage, UK
organised a conference on Coptic Culture: Past, Present, and
Future. The conference aimed to highlight the contributions and
achievements of one of the most obscure periods of Egyptian
history: the Coptic Period. The importance of this period lies in
its valuable contributions to some of the most formative
theological debates of Christianity.Strictly defined as a Late Antique culture, spanning only the
third to the seventh centuries AD, the heritage of the Coptic
Period still survives today in the artistic expression,
liturgical services, and heritage of millions of Egyptian
Christians who live in Egypt and abroad. This period's lasting
contributions, however, remain underappreciated and many of its
aspects remain unclear or unknown to the general public. For the
first time, the conference at the Coptic Centre brought together
specialists working on all aspects of Coptic culture, from its
earliest phases to the present day. One of the aims of the
conference was to highlight new research on Coptic art, writings,
and archaeology. By bringing together specialists, academics and
Coptic clergy, the conference fostered an active discussion of
what defined Coptic identity in centuries past and what it means
to be Coptic in contemporary culture, both in Egypt and abroad.It is important that we draw on, understand, and appreciate the
rich cultural heritage of this period as we look to our past to
inform our present and define our future.The conference drew scholars from Australia, Canada, Egypt,
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and
the USA. Their papers were organised along 5 general thematic
blocks that dealt with (1) The Egyptian roots of Coptic culture;
(2) How do we know what we know: Archaeological Sites and Museum
Collections; (3) Aspects of Early and Medieval Coptic Culture:
Case Studies; (4) Current Trends in Coptic Studies; and (5)
Coptic Culture Today and where it's heading. This volume contains
their contributions.