Learning Coptic Through the Gospel of Thomas
- Level 1 -
with Dr. Lydia Bremer-McCollum
October 27th - December 15th
Lectures recorded Mondays 9:00 AM EST
Register NowAre you curious about the Sahidic Coptic dialect and want to learn its grammar and syntax using the Gospel of Thomas as your guide?
Would you like to learn from a Harvard-trained, university professor, in a dynamic online class with other Religion for Breakfast fans?
Register now for Dr. Lydia Bremer-McCollum’s 8-week live seminar, beginning Monday, October 27 at 9:00–10:30 AM EST!
This course provides an introduction to the grammar and syntax of the Sahidic Coptic dialect through close reading of the Gospel of Thomas.
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Teach the Coptic alphabet
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Introduce basic grammar and syntax
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Use the Coptic Gospel of Thomas text to introduce Coptic language through study and analysis of examples.
Students will leave the class with basic or elementary reading competency in Sahidic Coptic and gain experience reading the Gospel of Thomas.
All students are welcome! The course requires no prior knowledge or experience with Coptic study or any other ancient language.
$100Â
- âś” 8 live 90-minute lectures, Mondays at 9:00 AM EST, starting October 27th
- âś” Lectures are recorded live with immediate lifetime access
- âś” Community Discussion Forum
- âś” Weekly Exercises
Class Schedule
Week 1: Introduction to Coptic Script, Grammar, and the Gospel of Thomas
Week 2: Nouns, Articles, and Possession in the Gospel of Thomas
Week 3: Prepositions, Verbs, and Verb-like Things in the Gospel of Thomas.
Week 4: Ways of saying “I am” and Adjectives in the Gospel of Thomas
Week 5: Simple Present and Future Sentences in Gospel of Thomas
Week 6: Simple Past and Proverbial Sentences in the Gospel of Thomas
Week 7: Dependent Clauses in the Gospel of Thomas
Week 8: Commands and Relative Clauses in Gospel of Thomas
Meet Your Instructor
Dr. Lydia Bremer-McCollum
Dr. Lydia Bremer-McCollum holds 10+ years of experience reading, translating, and teaching Coptic at Harvard and Princeton Universities.
She is an expert in ancient Christianities, with a special focus on the collection of texts found near Nag Hammadi and Pachomian monastic literature. In 2023-4, she served as a postdoctoral fellow with the digital platform the Coptic Scriptorium. She also runs a weekly open-access online Coptic reading group.
What students are saying about Religion Department seminars:
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Josh G., Koine Greek with Dr. Chance Bonar
"The course was an excellent value, two months of university quality Greek instruction is not otherwise easy to come by, and the student community was engaged, friendly, and ranged across all skill levels. I would highly recommend this class to anyone who wants to begin learning to engage with Ancient Greek!"
CA Robinson,
Koine Greek with Dr. Chance Bonar
"Dr. Andrew Henry is both a world class scholar and an innovative communicator in the field of religious studies. If you love learning and want an intellectually rigorous yet accessible way to increase your religious literacy, you'll find no better place online than The Religion Department!"
Brandon F., Magic in the Ancient World with Dr. Andrew Henry
Frequently Asked Questions
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An online seminar brought to you by Religion for Breakfast
From Andrew Henry's YouTube channel about the academic study of religion, the Religion Department connects world experts of religion to global learning communities. Our classes are designed to be engaging, entertaining, and to accommodate multiple learning styles and schedules.
