A Response to the Current Challenges of Coptic Orthodox Missiology

The Coptic Church is not renowned as a ‘missionary’ church. The modern conception of the theology of mission was not known in the Coptic Orthodox Church before the twentieth century; however, the Coptic Church, as a Middle Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Church, had always retained her particular understanding and practice regarding her contribution to the Missio Dei. On the other hand, by the advent of the twenty-first century, with its continuous fast development and the birth of new contexts and challenges, one can observe a growing breach between the traditional comprehension and the current praxis of mission in the Coptic Church. The comprehension refers to the mainstream perception, teachings, training, and writings on missiology in the Coptic Church, while the praxis refers to the numerous ways by which mission is carried out in actual contexts in Egypt and what so-called diaspora and mission fields. From another perspective, this issue can also be detected as an identity crisis.
As a practitioner and a theologian, my experience and reflections on the current situation show that it is not too late for necessary actions to be taken regarding this problem. Therefore, to respond to this dichotomy, two main questions must be asked: first, should the Coptic Church rethink her ideas on missiology or rediscover them in light of her existing tradition? Second, to bridge the gap between theory and practice, should the Coptic Church rewrite her missiology to match contemporary practices or readjust her views and activities to conform her historical and spiritual legacy? To answer these questions, I will start by briefly describing the current contexts where the Coptic Church is actively present. Then I will present the theological, spiritual, biblical, liturgical, and historical foundations of the theology of mission in the Coptic Orthodox Church. While doing this, I will also raise, for each aspect, the main current challenges that the Coptic Church faces regarding her mission work. The applied and shifted terminology within the Coptic circles regarding mission theology and its importance in transforming the praxis will not be overlooked. Furthermore, throughout this process, the main commonalities and differences between Coptic missiology and other paradigms will be highlighted for further ecumenical dialogue. Finally, while acknowledging that the current focus within the Coptic circles is on the practical side of the problem more than the theoretical one, I will suggest a plan of action, on the pastoral and academic levels, to be implemented conforming to the Coptic current condition and abilities.

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