This past weekend (July 26-27), I had the privilege of attending the annual Epiphany conference hosted by the Alexandria School, a publishing house and theological network based in Egypt that brings ancient Coptic spirituality into fruitful conversation with modern academic scholarship. The conference is held every summer in honor of Bishop Epiphanius (1954-2018), the influential abbot of St. Macarius monastery outside of Cairo who was tragically murdered in 2018 by a fellow monk. The conference this year was cosponsored by Agora University based in the United States. The central theme was the doctrine of the Trinity before the Council of Nicaea (325).

(A founder and leader in the Alexandria School, Fr. Seraphim El-Baramousy introduces the conference.)

The conference speakers were world-class scholars who represented the Coptic Orthodox tradition and broader Christian world. Fr. Andreas Andreopolis, who studied and taught in the United Kingdom for many years, is an expert on the iconography and theology of the Transfiguration of Christ now based in Greece. Similarly, Dr. Norman Russell wrote perhaps the definitive study of the concept of theosis in the Greek Patristic tradition and has translated many writings from the prominent Greek Orthodox philosopher and theologian, Christos Yannaras. Other notable speakers included Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Professor Myrto Theocharous from the Greek Bible College, the Belgian Benedictine scholar, Fr. Michel Van Parys, and the president of Agora University, Dr. Emmanuel Girgis.

(A panel discussion at the conference.)

People sometimes ask about my life in Egypt. I often respond that it is either “feast or famine.” Perhaps that is true about life anywhere. In any case, as I told some of the conference organizers, this conference was a real feast. I am grateful to Sherif Mourad of the Alexandria School for the kind invitation.