Comments on: What Is Coptic and Who Were the Copts in Ancient Egypt?

By: I am coptic

I am coptic — Sat, 04 Feb 2023 22:53:14 +0000

The coptic language is still used in Christian mass in Egypt/abroad. The coptic language is still the ancient egyptian language written in Greek alphabets instead of hieroglyphics and an additional 7 letters were taken from the Greek language.

Eventually the coptic language was phased out by the Arab rulers in Egypt . A possible reason for this is that the Muslim quaran is read in only arabic. Coptic people also lost their rights and status during this time.

We should not assume a peaceful invasion, since most conquered people and lands in history show that this is the opposite. Many of the conquerors also impose their own ideals and religions and traditions even languages; other examples are such, Christian missionaries from England and France etc.

The coptic language is not taught in egyptians schools, it is taught in coptic churches in Egypt/aboard as coptic masses are still recited in coptic/arabic and which ever language of the country the mass is held.

Coptic is the language that the Rosetta Stone was able to be translated and hieroglyphics understood. The coptic language is not a dead language but an oppressed one.

A lot of coptic art, music and language is still present in coptic churches which is also built on coptic traditions and well as Christian ideology.

This article is about the coptic language and not a religious debate so I have tried to keep my response in context.

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 01:14:30 +0000

False. Jewish people came into Egypt after civilization long established.

By: fredb58

fredb58 — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 00:17:34 +0000

As a Christian I sometimes copy some of the data and some of the remarks as I find them a resource–however to change all the dates to AD xxx or xxx BC. I do not use the new terms of the last 20 years. It is just another way to degrade.

By: alexm51

alexm51 — Sat, 22 Jul 2017 07:30:55 +0000

@ Pharaoh. The idea that the copts were killed in masses and/or replaced by the invading Arabs is ludicrous. The Arabian peninsula was underpopulated and in the first century of Islam the Arabs conquered such a large territory that it was impossible to imagine masses of Muslims migrating to these new territories. Like everywhere else the new religion was embraced by lots of opportunists, especially to avoid paying the extra the tax due by the infidels. This happened nearly everywhere, from Palestine or Syria to Egypt or Spain or, later on, to India, Bosnia or Albania.

By: Eugene

Eugene — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 15:09:56 +0000

It is not at all surprising that a Coptic mss would contain the indefinite article in Jn 1:1. It is true the three hypostases creed was codified in 381, however, this by no means settled the debate. The emperors changed the theological position in the empire back and forth numerous times during this period. The Arians of North Africa would be inclined to render by interpolation the aforementioned text with the indefinite.

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 23:56:43 +0000

For examples, please see the article in Wikipedia: “Persecution of Copts.” Friction between competing religions would seem inevitable and sometimes explosive. Freud theorized that love and aggression are the key drives in all humans. To characterize these differences of interpretation and opinion as being ignorant or lies seems aggressive and escalated the tone of the discussion. To what end?

By: Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 15:04:20 +0000

Pharaoh: your sources please?

For the genocide?

Also Egyptians are around 90 million, you are saying 30 million are Coptic, that’s 1/3 of the population? this means that out of every 3 Egyptians you meet, 1 is Coptic, the other two are (other Christians, Jews, Muslims)?
Again, sources please?

I doubt this is the suitable outlet for your claims, this is a Historical journal, not a place to spread ignorance and lies as if they were facts. I am certain there are many pages for that.

By: pharaoh Abanoub = the coptic man

pharaoh Abanoub = the coptic man — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 18:08:27 +0000

WE are the copts = we are the only descendants of the ancient egyptians .. but most of moslems in egypT Arabs invaded egypt in the 7th century and killed million of the copts and take their places in egypt.. and by the 12 century the copts became a miniorty because of the continuous killing of the copts . also due to the continuous immigration of arabian tribes from Saudia and Yemen to Egypt .. but we stand alive till now .. we are about 30 millions in egypt and abroad .. we are still using the coptic language which is the language of the ancient egyptians but with exchanging heirlyghlophic letters by greece letters and newly synthesied 7 letters from the egyptian origin … thanks

By: paulh120

paulh120 — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 01:04:22 +0000

Interesting how a very introductory piece on coptic language is used in the replies for a giant leap in theological statement making.
As the man said, “when we talk about God we are talking about ourself”.
Thanks for the piece (and the replies).
Paul H.

By: johanes saragih

johanes saragih — Sun, 29 Nov 2015 10:08:48 +0000

It is a great opportunity to read all great comments.I learn a lot. Thank you very much to you all and BAS. I just realize that there was time when Eqgypt was dominated by Christian. In Indonesia, Egypt is a Moslem country since the beginning. Happy Sunday evening from Indonesia