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Coptic Church History
Coptic Orthodox Church
info from :http://www.orthodoxwiki.org
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The Coptic Orthodox Church is the portion of the
Church of Alexandria which broke from the Byzantine churches
in the wake of the
Fourth Ecumenical Council in Chalcedon in 451. Sharing a
common heritage before with the Chalcedonian Church of
Alexandria, it traces its origins to the
Apostle Mark. The church is one of the
Oriental Orthodox churches. Its leader is the Coptic Pope of
Alexandria, currently
Pope Shenouda III. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
cares for about 18 million Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt
and abroad, besides being the Mother Church of both the
Ethiopian and
Eritrean Orthodox Churches. More than 95% of the Christians
of Egypt are Coptic Orthodox, but other
"Patriarchates/Patriarchs of Alexandria" also exist (Coptic
Catholic, Greek/Latin Catholic and Greek Orthodox - see 'Coptic
Christianity Today' below), as well as small Protestant and
Anglican denominations.
The Coptic Church regards itself as having never believed in
monophysitism the way it was portrayed in the Council of
Chalcedon, but rather as having always believed in
miaphysitism (a doctrine that
Oriental Orthodox Churches regard as correct and orthodox).
In that council, monophysitism meant believing in one nature of
Jesus Christ. Copts believe that the Lord is perfect in his
divinity, and he is perfect in his humanity, but his divinity
and His humanity were united in one nature called "the nature of
the incarnate Word," which was articulated by St.
Cyril of Alexandria. Copts thus believe in two natures
"human" and "divine" that are united in one "without mingling,
without confusion, and without alteration" (from the declaration
of faith at the end of the Coptic divine liturgy). These two
natures "did not separate for a moment or the twinkling of an
eye" (also from the declaration of faith at the end of the
Coptic divine liturgy).
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