On behalf of the whole college community, we would like to extend our congratulations to the Very Rev. Fr Rafael Iskander, Vice Chair of the St Cyril’s College Council, on the successful completion of his Doctorate in Theology. Fr Rafael’s thesis, titled The Alexandrian Pneumatology and its Copto-Arabic Reverberations in the Theology of Bishop Būlus al-Būshī was undertaken at the AUCD under the supervision of the Very Rev. Prof. Fr Doru Costache. This fascinating thesis explores the lineage of Alexandria Pneumatology, tracing its articulation from St Clement through to the Arabic middle-ages. In doing so, Fr Rafael explicates the enduring legacy of the early patristic figures within the Coptic Orthodox Church, and thus demonstrates the unbroken continuity of faith, despite the socio-linguistic transformations experienced by Egyptian Christians.
We feel that Fr Rafael has shone a light on a very important and often overlooked aspect of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Congratulations Abouna!