Foundational Considerations for Theological Education in the Coptic Orthodox Church

Of all the Church's duties and obligations, theological education is among the most indispensable. Indeed, due to the centrality of this work, the Disciples themselves found it problematic that their "service of the word" was in danger of becoming impeded by other responsibilities in the service of the Church (see Acts 6). A robust system of religious education in the Church directly correlates to the spiritual and doctrinal wellbeing of the flock of Christ, properly equipping it with the foundation and understanding necessary for it to preserve, deliver, and live out its faith soundly, to recognize spiritual and doctrinal threats, and to withstand the pressures and forces acting against it, whether explicitly or implicitly, in today's world. In this work, His Grace Bishop Suriel provides foundational considerations for engaging in theological education in the Coptic Orthodox Church, presents the educative and inspiring experience of St. Habib Girgis and the Coptic Orthodox Seminary in Egypt during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and applies these foundational concepts and historical experiences to the Church's contemporary challenges, especially in the West, while proposing a path forward for theological education in the Coptic Church.