History of the Church — Part 2 (Delivered in Alexandria
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III notes that history does not record everything, and what we read is what has reached us from records; he emphasizes that many names of martyrs and saints were not fully documented in secular historical sources but are preserved in the Church’s Book of Life.
Elements of a Method for Studying Church History
The Pope explains that the method of study includes: the Apostolic age and the disciples of the Apostles, the Apostolic Fathers, champions of the faith, monastic saints, pastoral saints (patriarchs, bishops, priests), groups of martyrdom, as well as holy women, repentance, and those who know God.
Examples of Fathers, Deacons and Saints
His Holiness mentions examples: the Apostolic Fathers such as Ignatius, Polycarp, and Clement; defenders of the faith before the fourth century like Justin, Irenaeus, and Cyprian; and great fourth-century fathers such as Athanasius, Basil the Great, the Gregories, and others like Didymus the Blind and Ephrem the Syrian.
The Two Greatest Centuries in Church History
He stresses that the first century (the Apostolic age) and the fourth century are the greatest periods in Church history: the first for the work of the Holy Spirit and the spread of the message, the fourth for the formulation of doctrine, resisting heresies, and the rise of classical theological currents.
The Role of the Alexandrian School and Egyptian Monasticism
He points to the influence of the Alexandrian theological school and its scholars, and that Egypt is the cradle of monasticism (St. Anthony and Pachomius), which influenced the churches of the world.
Women, Repentance, and Non-official Figures
He addresses the importance of studying female saints of monasticism and laity, and examples of those who converted from sorcery to faith and became saints, noting that church history also includes saints without official posts but with deep spiritual impact.
Methodological Conclusion
The Pope concludes that the presented items are a concise methodological proposal for studying Church history: focus on the Apostles and Fathers, defenders, the decisive centuries, monasticism and martyrs, and the theological literature that formed the Church’s faith.
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