Learning Coptic Through the Gospel of Thomas
- Level 2 -
Mondays, January 5th - February 23rd, 9:00 AM EST.
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Are you ready to build on your Coptic foundation and strengthen your reading skills?
Register now for Dr. Lydia Bremer-McCollum’s 8-week live seminar, beginning Monday, January 5th, 2026 at 9:00–10:30 AM EST!
The course will help students review and solidify Coptic grammar introduced in Level 1 of Learning Coptic Through the Gospel of Thomas. Students will learn how to read and study the Gospel of Thomas in Coptic and apply their grammar knowledge and vocabulary to read through the Coptic Gospel of Thomas and other Nag Hammadi and Sahidic Coptic texts on their own.
Through targeted review of key grammar concepts and close reading, this Level 2 seminar will equip students with intermediate reading skills.
Course Structure
Each 90-minute session is divided into two components:
- Review of key grammar concepts
- Close reading of selected sayings from the Gospel of Thomas
This course is designed for students who have completed Learning Coptic Through the Gospel of Thomas (Level 1) or who already have a basic foundation in Sahidic Coptic.
If you’re eager to strengthen your skills and keep building on what you’ve learned, this seminar will help you take the next step with confidence.
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Once you check out, you will receive instructions within 24 hours about how to join the online class.
After taking this class, students will be able to:
Students will build intermediate Sahidic Coptic reading competency through close study of the Gospel of Thomas.
Want to Learn more?
See the SyllabusAbout 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.
Class Schedule
Week 1: Reviewing Ways of Describing Nouns and Close Reading of Thomas
Week 2: Reviewing Present and Future Tense and Close Reading of Thomas
Week 3: Reviewing Past Tense and Close Reading of Thomas
Week 4: Reviewing Complex Clause Construction and Close Reading of Thomas
Week 5: Reviewing Commands and Close Reading of Thomas
Week 6: Reviewing Conversions and Close Reading of Thomas
Week 7: Even More Review of Conversions and Close Reading of Thomas
Week 8: Close Reading of Thomas (and Student Questions)
Frequently Asked Questions
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About the Religion Department
The Religion Department is an online platform for learning about religion, taught by leading scholars in the field. We offer both pre-recorded courses and live video seminars, connecting curious learners with cutting-edge research and expert teaching in religious studies.
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