The Coptic Church of the First Century: The African Church That Shaped Christianity and Was Almost Erased

Uncover the powerful legacy of the Coptic Church, Africa’s first-century Christian community founded by St. Mark. Learn why it was forgotten—and how we can reclaim its truth today.

Unveiling One of the Oldest Christian Churches the World Forgot. 

Erased by Silence: How Did the World Forget a Church This Important?

Let’s pause and ask something honest:
Have you ever heard a sermon about the Coptic Church?
Probably not.

Have you ever seen a Sunday school map of the early church that highlights Egypt?
Unlikely.

And yet, for the first 300 years of Christianity, Alexandria was as important as Rome and Jerusalem.
So how did it fade into the background?

“History Does Not Lie—Only Silence Does.”

The truth is, the Coptic Church wasn’t erased by time.
It was buried by silence.

Somewhere along the way, the spotlight shifted.
The loudest voices came from Europe, and the African Church slowly got pushed to the footnotes.

• Textbooks skipped over it.
• Preachers didn’t mention it.
• And believers started to think Christianity came to Africa by boat—instead of being born there.

As the African proverb goes:

“Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”

It’s time for the lion to speak.

So What Went Wrong?

The problem isn’t just historical—it’s personal.

When the church forgets its African roots, we rob believers of something powerful:

• Their identity as part of the original story.
• Their confidence in their spiritual heritage.
• Their voice in shaping the global Church today.

Let’s ask a few more real questions:

• Did you know the first Christian school wasn’t in Rome—but in Alexandria?
• Did you know the man who defended the divinity of Jesus at Nicaea—Athanasius—was a dark-skinned African bishop?
• Did you know monastic life began in Egypt with a man named St. Anthony, not in Europe?

If no one told you this before, don’t feel bad.
But now that you know, what will you do with it?

Voices That Still Speak

Here’s what Athanasius once said, while being exiled for defending the true nature of Christ:

“The world is against me. Then I am against the world.”

Courage like that came from a Church rooted not in power, but in truth.
Not in empire, but in eternal hope.

And long before Europe claimed orthodoxy, it was African bishops who built it.

So What Can We Do About It?

We can’t go back in time, but we can start telling the whole story today.

1. Restore What Was Forgotten

Let’s bring Africa back into church history—not as a side note, but as a center.
Let’s teach our kids that Egypt wasn’t just a place of plagues—it was a cradle of the Gospel.

2. Relearn What Was Lost

Take time to explore writings from early African Christians:

• Clement of Alexandria
• Origen
• Athanasius
• St. Anthony the Great

These aren’t “other” voices.
They’re part of our Christian family tree.

3. Reclaim the African Legacy

If you're African, this is your heritage.
If you're not, this is still your story—because the Church is one body.

Isn’t it time we told it all?

The Way Forward: From Memory to Movement

The Coptic Church didn’t die.
It endured.

It endured emperors, invasions, and centuries of being ignored.

And today, its liturgies still rise.
Its believers still fast.
Its saints still inspire.

Let’s not just learn this history.
Let’s live like it matters.

Let's Talk About It

• What surprised you most in this post?
• Why do you think African church history has been overlooked?
• Have you ever met a Coptic Christian or visited a Coptic service?
  (If not, go—you’ll never forget it.)

Drop your thoughts in the comments.