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| Be Thou There |
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| The Holy Family's Journey through Egypt |
| This unique book chronicles the possible journey of Jesus and
his parents when they fled to Egypt, escaping Herod's death sentence
for male children under the age of two. Although the Bible is virtually
silent about this topic, Coptic literature and traditions are replete
with tales of the holy family's time in Egypt. Their travel "itinerary"
has become a sacred pilgrimage route for many Coptic Christians, who
visit holy sites and enjoy longstanding local festivals. This book
does not attempt to verify or disprove the legends of 2,000 years
ago, but presents an informative discussion of the persistence of
those legends and their importance to Coptic Christianity. Edited
and Introduced by Gawdat Gabra, William Lyster, Cornelis Hulsman,
Stephen J. Davis. Photographs by Norbert Schiller. |
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| Coptic Life in Egypt - by Claudia Yvonne Wiens |
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| While many books on Egypt's Christians have concentrated on the artistic and
architectural heritage of the Copts, Coptic Life in Egypt
focuses on the religious traditions and social life
of the ordinary people, revealing a little known side of a Christian
community largely unfamiliar to the Western world. People in Egypt
like to display their religious beliefs: in every store, juice bar,
ironing shop, or commercial establishment run by Copts, tokens of
Christianity are on exhibit. And for many Copts, their religion is
a very large part of their lives, finding expression, for example,
in their passionate attendance at mulids and pilgrimages,
which draw thousands of people. This vibrant book of lively
photographs is a window onto a colorful and intriguing world. |
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| Jesus in Egypt - byPaul Perry |
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| Shortly after Jesus' birth, King Herod ordered the slaughter of male children
under the age of two in Bethlehem. Warned of this in advance, Joseph
and Mary fled to Egypt with Jesus, returning only after Herod's death.
That's all most Westerners know about Jesus' early childhood. Paul
Perry, a self-described "doubting Thomas" set out to discover more
about Jesus' childhood by following an itinerary based on the route
the family is believed to have taken. Perry's experiences along the
way would by themselves be entertaining enough, but more importantly,
they offer significant insight into non-Western thinking about faith,
particularly within the Coptic Church in Egypt. Perry's portrayals
of his companions and others he meets on his journey, his retelling
of stories about miracles attributed to the baby and his amusing style
combine to make a delightful read, even for skeptical Westerners.
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