New
New
Year 9

Coptic Christianity: Desert Fathers and Mothers

I can explain the features of the Coptic church and the impact of Desert Fathers and Mothers.

New
New
Year 9

Coptic Christianity: Desert Fathers and Mothers

I can explain the features of the Coptic church and the impact of Desert Fathers and Mothers.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Coptic church in Egypt is one of the most ancient Christian churches. Tradition says it was started by St Mark.
  2. The Desert Fathers and Mothers were people who chose to live a life as hermits and ascetics in the desert.
  3. The life of St Antony was hugely influential on important figures in western Christianity such as St Augustine.
  4. Figures such as Desert Fathers and Mothers help us understand the diversity of Christian worldviews better.

Keywords

  • Coptic - belonging to part of the Christian church which began in Egypt

  • Monasticism - a religious practice of withdrawing from the world to pursue spiritual devotion

  • Monk - a religious man living in spiritual discipline and seclusion

  • Ascetic - someone who lives simply, giving up comforts to focus on growing spiritually

  • Hermit - someone who chooses to live away from other people often in a remote place

Common misconception

Christianity spread from the Middle East to Europe and that is where the most ancient forms of Christianity began.

The Coptic church shows that Christianity had spread to the continent of Africa many centuries before the impact of colonialism.


To help you plan your year 9 religious education lesson on: Coptic Christianity: Desert Fathers and Mothers, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

There is a rich and distinctive tradition of Coptic art. You might want to find different examples to show students as well as exploring the restoration of the monastrey of St Anthony in Egypt.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What do most Christians believe about Mary, the mother of Jesus?
She was a queen.
Correct answer: She was a virgin when Jesus was born.
She wrote the Gospel of Mary.
Q2.
What does “almah” mean in Hebrew?
Correct answer: virgin or young woman
Mother of Jesus
Apostle
Q3.
Which of these is true about women in early Christianity?
Women had no role in the early Church.
Paul never mentioned women in his letters.
Correct answer: Women were present at Pentecost and the Resurrection.
Q4.
Why is there debate about Mary mother of Jesus as a feminist role model?
Correct answer: Some see her as obedient, while others see her as strong.
She was the first woman to write a Gospel.
She taught that men and women were completely equal.
Q5.
Why do some Christians view Mary Magdalene as a leader in early Christianity?
Correct answer: She was the first to see the risen Jesus.
She wrote part of the Bible.
She was one of the 12 apostles.
Q6.
What is the Gospel of Mary?
Correct answer: a book about Mary Magdalene
a book Paul wrote
a part of the New Testament

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
The word ‘Coptic’ means Christian, referring to the ancient Christian church in Egypt.
Correct Answer: Egyptian, egyptian
Q2.
The Desert Fathers and Mothers lived as , choosing to withdraw from society for spiritual reasons.
Correct Answer: hermits, Hermits
Q3.
What was the main reason the Desert Fathers and Mothers lived in the desert?
to avoid persecution
to start new cities
Correct answer: to focus on prayer and spiritual discipline
Q4.
How did St. Antony influence St. Augustine?
He wrote letters to Augustine.
Correct answer: His life story inspired Augustine’s conversion.
He baptised Augustine.
Q5.
Which female leader was known for her wisdom and spiritual guidance in the monastic tradition?
Correct answer: Amma Syncletica
Mary Magdalene
Saint Perpetua
Q6.
Why is the Coptic Church important in Christian history?
Correct answer: It shows Christianity’s early spread to Africa.
It was the first Christian church in Europe.
It is the only church to follow Saint Paul’s teachings.

Additional material

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