Chapter 16: every tradition · Christianity
Coptic Orthodox Church
A church of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria in the United States, under the Pope of Alexandria and the Holy Synod: Oriental Orthodox, in communion with the Syriac, Armenian, Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Malankara churches. The Liturgy of St Basil, two to three hours long, is chanted in Coptic, Arabic, and English by the deacons and the cantor to cymbals and triangle, before the haikal screen, and many churches hold several Liturgies each weekend; men and women sit on either side. Communicants come fasting and after confession to their father of confession. A parish nominates a married man of its own to be ordained its priest, and he serves it for life. Copts fast on some 210 days a year, without animal products, and keep the Coptic calendar: Christmas on 7 January, the New Year at Nayrouz. US parishes are large and young (a median of about 300 adherents, an estimate from the 2020 census), with Sunday schools staffed by a corps of volunteer servants.
All 80 traditions · its profile in Faiths and traditions, with how to play it; How people feel, what every factor is.
At a glance
| Faith | Christianity |
|---|---|
| Its words | church, church, nave; the priest leads the Liturgy; the sermon; Sunday; the Bible |
| Worship | sacrament focus, chanted, high formality (1.00 of 1); seated on pews |
| Music | organ forbidden; gospel organ forbidden; piano discouraged; band discouraged; brass forbidden; handbells forbidden; chant expected; recorded forbidden |
| The room's sound | likes a ringing room (organ and choir) |
| Its year | coptic; full observance; fasts strict |
| Leans | conservative on moral questions, neutral on economic ones |
| Polity | episcopal; leaders come by ordained from congregation; property trust |
| Leaders | one leader, full time, trained by in house; marriage expected |
| Belonging | high commitment, pastoral discipline, admitted by clergy; exclusive |
| Giving | tithing expected; collected by boxes, plate, online; also candles |
| Way of life | alcohol moderation, dress modest, sabbath observed |
The week's services
| Day | Time | Service | Led by | People look for it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 7:00 am | Liturgy of St Basil (in Arabic) | the priest | expected |
| Sunday | 9:30 am | Liturgy of St Basil | the priest | expected |
| Friday | 8:00 am | Liturgy of St Basil | the priest | optional |
| Saturday | 8:00 am | Liturgy of St Basil | the priest | optional |
- Leader: a priest. With none (a vacancy, or no one hired), the services are still held, but each costs everyone at it 0.10; on sabbatical a supply priest stands in ($800 a month) for a little less.
- Communion (every week), served by spoon, at stations: it needs an altar, communion table, rail, or communion station with clear floor in front of it, or communion can't be given that week. Everyone receives, infants too.
- Baptism: needs a baptistry or an immersion font, built and installed; until there is one, those wanting baptism wait.
- Lay helpers at each service: Required: 2 deacons, a reader.
Rites
- Chrismation (per joining, +0.02 to those there): Right after baptism, or when a convert is received, the priest anoints the forehead, eyes, ears, mouth, hands and feet with holy chrism blessed by the bishop, saying, "The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit."
- Reconciliation (weekly, +0.02 to those there): Penitents confess their sins privately to a priest, receive counsel and a penance, and are absolved. Parishes keep regular hours for it, often on Saturday afternoon.
- Anointing of the Sick (on request, +0.02 to those there, asked for 0.05 times a year by a household, 20 minutes): A priest or the elders pray over someone who is seriously ill, lay hands on them, and anoint them with oil, following James 5. It is usually done at home or in the hospital, sometimes at a communal service.
- Holy Orders (on request, +0.03 to those there): A deacon or priest is ordained by the bishop with the laying on of hands and the prayer of ordination, after years of formation. It is a great day for the parish the candidate comes from.
- Holy Matrimony (on request, +0.02 to those there): A couple marries before God and the congregation, exchanging vows before the priest after a course of marriage preparation.
- Midnight Praise (weekly, +0.015 to those there): On Saturday night the congregation sings the Tasbeha, the Coptic psalmody of hymns, canticles and praises, with deacons leading on cymbals and triangle.
- Kiahk Praises (yearly, +0.03 to those there): In the Coptic month of Kiahk before the Nativity, the church keeps long Saturday-night praises in honor of the Virgin Mary, sometimes lasting all night.
Baptism, confirmation, and joining
- Baptized elsewhere: it recognizes only its own. Someone so baptized is received at a service after about 26 weeks (a week from another of its churches).
- Not baptized (or baptized where it doesn't recognize it): a candidate who prepares for 9 months (only months its class can meet count), then is baptized and received at the same service at Pascha.
- Joining age: 18.
- The church's children are baptized as babies, and are baptized members, without a vote until confirmed.
- Kinds of belonging: members (may hold office); received by the priest.
- What it means: being baptized, confirmed, or received is worth +0.1 to the person, +0.05 to family there, and +0.03 to everyone else at the service. It roots them: a rooted household drifts away only 0.6 times as often, and if it does fall away, it has a 25% chance of coming home each Christmas Eve and Easter for ten years.
Giving, and what goes up
How its people give and what else comes in, as Money explains it for every faith.
- How it's given: the tithes and offerings, by boxes, a plate passed at each main service, and giving online. A visiting household puts $5 to $25 in the plate. Those who give online give whether or not they come (8% more a month).
- Tithing is expected: people give 15% more.
- Candles: 60¢ for each person at each service.
- Fundraisers: only the modest ones (below).
- Owed above: Diocesan contribution, 10% of what it takes in, to the Diocese; not kept, it costs the wider body's regard.
The priest, the staff, and who decides
- How the priest comes: named from the members (Ask who'd serve): the longest-standing members are the candidates.
- Paid: full time.
- Who they are: trained in-house (they ask 90%); men; married before ordination or never; the spouse has a recognized part (+0.01 to everyone after each service).
- Tenure: for life (retiring after 35 years).
- Staff it can hire or name (see Staff and volunteers):
- Bivocational priest ($22,000–$38,000; cares for 75)
- Priest ($55,000–$85,000 + $18,000 benefits, full time; cares for 150)
- Associate priest ($42,000–$62,000 + $15,000 benefits, full time; cares for 100 more)
- Deacon (up to $6,000; from the members; cares for 30 more)
- Choir director / organist / pianist ($15,000–$35,000; leads the music (up to +0.06))
- Caretaker ($18,000–$30,000; slows the building's wear)
- Church secretary ($20,000–$35,000; runs the office (+50 to the leader's reach, once))
- Youth director ($20,000–$40,000; up to +0.08 for households with young people)
- Its boards: the church board (deciding, over everything).
- Renovations: The priest decides.
- New construction: The Diocese decides.
- Calling a leader: The Diocese decides, consulting the members.
- Who votes: no kind of belonging votes, so what would go to the members goes to the board.
Life together
What its Community screen offers it, with the dilemmas only its own faith or family meets; see The congregation in its community.
- Ministries of its own: Choir.
- Ministries every tradition can run that it's offered: Blood drive, Food pantry, Health clinic, Preschool, Youth group.
- Fundraisers of its own: Soup supper.
- Shared fundraisers it may hold (only the modest ones): Bake sale, Car wash, Raffle, Rummage sale.
- Tenants it can take: A Masonic lodge, A scout troop, A twelve-step group, Another congregation, Dance classes, Parties and receptions, Wedding receptions.
- Outreach: invitation Sunday (Community → Evangelism).
- Places beyond the congregation: the diocese's retreat centre and monasteries.
- Dilemmas of its own faith (besides those every congregation meets): A dinner in the fast, A petition for cushions, The bells, again.
- Dilemmas its code of life brings: A Masonic funeral, A raffle for the roof, A recruiter asks for the hall, Champagne at the reception.
What the building needs
- required AltarBelief in Christ's real presence in the Eucharist calls for an altar, the focal point of the sanctuary.
- required Haikal screenThe haikal screen, hung with icons, veils the altars from the nave.
- required Immersion fontInfant baptism by immersion needs a font deep enough to immerse a child.
- required sacristyVestments, sacred vessels, and paraments are kept and prepared in a sacristy.
- forbidden Brass band standsThis tradition's worship is sung without instruments.
- forbidden Hammond organThis tradition's worship is sung without instruments.
- forbidden Handbell tableThis tradition's worship is sung without instruments.
- forbidden Pipe organThis tradition's worship is sung without instruments.
- forbidden StatueThis tradition holds that statues have no place in worship.
- expected Chanter's standThe services are chanted from a stand by the chanters.
- expected Coptic crossThe Coptic cross, its arms ending in three points, is the tradition's own.
- expected IconIcons are windows to heaven; the faithful expect to venerate them.
- expected LecternScripture is proclaimed from an ambo or lectern near the altar.
- expected reconciliation roomConfession needs a private room, with a screen for those who want one. The sacrament of reconciliation needs a private place to hear confessions.
- expected the nave facing eastThe church faces east, toward the rising sun.
- discouraged CrucifixThis tradition uses an empty cross, proclaiming the risen Christ, rather than a crucifix.
- discouraged Drum kitA band and drum kit do not belong in this tradition's worship.
- discouraged Flaming chaliceThe flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol.
- discouraged Upright pianoA piano doesn't suit this tradition's worship.
What people here feel
- Architectural style: Colonial brick -0.012; Modern synagogue +0.006; Gurdwara +0.012; Japanese temple +0.024; Islamic +0.03; Shinto shrine +0.03; Chinese temple +0.036; Dravidian temple +0.042; Nagara temple +0.042; Thai temple +0.042; Jain marble +0.048; Gothic +0.054.
- Building fit: up to ±0.15 for everyone, the average fit of the characterful items in its worship rooms (the table below).
- Acoustics: it wants a ringing room, about 2.8 seconds of reverberation: stone, plaster, a high ceiling. Up to ±0.05.
- Seasonal decor: it keeps the church year: paraments and the season's decor are worth up to ±0.040.
- Orientation: facing the way it wants is +0.04, and not, −0.04.
- The sermon lands by its topic and the tradition's leaning (below); the priest's preaching adds or costs up to 0.08 more.
- Communion: each communion service runs longer; a slow one costs 0.05 for every 10 minutes the service runs over (0.2 at most).
How each sermon lands
The topics its leader can choose from (some are only for one faith or family), and what each is worth.
- Fire & Brimstone+0.08
- Marriage as God Designed+0.06
- Sanctity of Life+0.06
- The Last Days+0.06
- Faith & Family+0.04
- Faith of Our Fathers+0.04
- Obedience & Discipline+0.04
- Personal Holiness+0.04
- Resisting Temptation+0.04
- Spiritual Warfare+0.04
- The Authority of Scripture+0.04
- The Great Commission+0.04
- Biblical Stories+0.015
- Blessed Are the Peacemakers+0.015
- Called by Name+0.015
- Doubt & Faith+0.015
- Eternal Life & Resurrection+0.015
- Grace & Forgiveness+0.015
- Gratitude+0.015
- Hope & Comfort+0.015
- Joy in All Things+0.015
- Love One Another+0.015
- Sabbath Rest+0.015
- Saints & Witnesses+0.015
- Servant Leadership+0.015
- Songs of the Psalms+0.015
- Stewardship & Generosity+0.015
- The Church Year+0.015
- The Life of Prayer+0.015
- The Parables of Jesus+0.015
- Care for Creation-0.02
- Healing for All-0.02
- Wealth & Poverty-0.02
- Welcome the Stranger-0.02
- Social Justice Call-0.03
- Interfaith Understanding-0.05
- Reading Scripture in Context-0.05
- Swords into Ploughshares-0.05
- The Prophets' Call-0.05
- Women Who Led-0.05
- Racial Justice & Reconciliation-0.075
- Radical Inclusion-0.075
Every item, for this tradition
Fit runs from −1 (jars) to +1 (just right); the building fit is the average over the characterful items in the worship rooms. An item with no character (a table, a toilet) has no fit. A rule applies wherever the item is.
| Item | Fit | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Seating | ||
| Box pew | +1 | |
| Choir stalls | +0.5 | |
| Meeting bench | no fit | |
| Oak pew | no fit | |
| Row of chairs | -1 | |
| Liturgical furniture | ||
| Altar | +1 | required Belief in Christ's real presence in the Eucharist calls for an altar, the focal point of the sanctuary. |
| Baptismal font | +1 | |
| Baptistry | no fit | |
| Bishop's chair | +1 | |
| Brass eagle lectern | +1 | |
| Columbarium niches | +1 | |
| Communion rail | +1 | |
| Communion station | no fit | |
| Communion table | no fit | |
| Communion trays | no fit | |
| Confessional screen | no fit | |
| Coptic cross | +1 | expected The Coptic cross, its arms ending in three points, is the tradition's own. |
| Epitaphios | +1 | |
| Flaming chalice | -1 | discouraged The flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol. |
| Foot-washing basins | no fit | |
| Haikal screen | +1 | required The haikal screen, hung with icons, veils the altars from the nave. |
| Iconostasis | +1 | |
| Immersion font | +1 | required Infant baptism by immersion needs a font deep enough to immerse a child. |
| Lectern | no fit | expected Scripture is proclaimed from an ambo or lectern near the altar. |
| Litany desk | +1 | |
| Mercy seat | no fit | |
| Octagonal stone font | +1 | |
| Paraments | no fit | |
| Pulpit | no fit | |
| Readers' desks | no fit | |
| Rood screen | -1 | |
| Sanctuary lamp | +1 | |
| Tabernacle | +1 | |
| Three-bar cross | +1 | |
| Thurible and stand | no fit | |
| Music | ||
| Brass band stands | -1 | forbidden This tradition's worship is sung without instruments. |
| Chanter's stand | +1 | expected The services are chanted from a stand by the chanters. |
| Drum kit | -1 | discouraged A band and drum kit do not belong in this tradition's worship. |
| Electronic organ | -1 | |
| Grand piano | -1 | |
| Hammond organ | -1 | forbidden This tradition's worship is sung without instruments. |
| Handbell table | -1 | forbidden This tradition's worship is sung without instruments. |
| Pipe organ | 0 | forbidden This tradition's worship is sung without instruments. |
| Sound system | -1 | |
| Upright piano | -1 | discouraged A piano doesn't suit this tradition's worship. |
| Decor | ||
| Advent wreath | no fit | |
| Banner | 0 | |
| Christmas Eve candles | no fit | |
| Cross | +1 | |
| Crucifix | -1 | discouraged This tradition uses an empty cross, proclaiming the risen Christ, rather than a crucifix. |
| Easter lilies | no fit | |
| Eternal flame | no fit | |
| Flag of the church | 0 | |
| Great dome | +1 | |
| Icon | +1 | expected Icons are windows to heaven; the faithful expect to venerate them. |
| Memorial plaque | no fit | |
| National flag | 0 | |
| Painting of Christ | 0 | |
| Paschal candle | no fit | |
| Plain spire | no fit | |
| Small dome | no fit | |
| Stained glass window | +1 | |
| Statue | -1 | forbidden This tradition holds that statues have no place in worship. |
| Steeple and bells | +1 | |
| Votive candle stand | no fit | |
| Furnishings | ||
| Alms box | no fit | |
| Coffee pot | no fit | |
| Commercial coffee pot | no fit | |
| Computer | no fit | |
| Crib | no fit | |
| Desk | no fit | |
| Desk chair | no fit | |
| Folding table | no fit | |
| Full-length mirror | no fit | |
| Pillar | +1 | |
| Prie-dieu | +1 | |
| Projection screen | -1 | |
| Vestment cabinet | +1 | |
| Wooden table | no fit | |
| Utility | ||
| A/V rack | no fit | |
| Camera | no fit | |
| Cast-iron boiler | no fit | |
| Central air conditioner | no fit | |
| Commercial HVAC plant | no fit | |
| Commercial stove | no fit | |
| Congregation van | no fit | |
| Ductless heat pump | no fit | |
| Electric wall heater | no fit | |
| Gas furnace | no fit | |
| Hearing loop | no fit | |
| Lift | no fit | |
| Packaged heat pump | no fit | |
| Plumbing stack | no fit | |
| Ramp | no fit | |
| Shuttle bus | no fit | |
| Sink | no fit | |
| Solar panels | no fit | |
| Stairs | no fit | |
| Toilet | no fit | |
| Used school bus | no fit | |
| Wall camera | no fit | |
| Window air conditioner | no fit | |
| Grounds | ||
| Evergreen tree | no fit | |
| Flower bed | no fit | |
| Fountain | no fit | |
| Garden bench | no fit | |
| Hedge | no fit | |
| Lychgate | +1 | |
| Playground | no fit | |
| Shade tree | no fit | |
| Standing cross | no fit | |
Sources
- Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, About (link)
- Angelus News, Coptic Orthodox Church confirms dialogue with Catholic Church suspended over same-sex blessings (2024) (link)
- Alexei Krindatch, US Religion Census 2020: Dramatic Changes in American Orthodox Churches (link)
- copticchurch.net, Sacramental Rites (Bishop Mettaous) (link)
- Wikipedia, Fasting and abstinence of the Coptic Orthodox Church (link)
- Rowan University, The Coptic Orthodox Church (link)
- Pope Shenouda III, The Spiritual Means: Tithes (link)