Abstract:
This paper examines women's leadership roles in the Coptic Church by contrasting early church traditions with those of today's Coptic Church, historically referred to as the Church of Alexandria. Through the application of feminist lens to the history of early church, this research will bring to the light the role of women and its significance within the church, as well as the influence of Greco-Roman society on early Christianity, and how the church navigated the societal norms concerning women at the time. This approach will lead to a better understanding of church tradition and whether it has been shaped by prevailing cultural influences—insights that can help apply church tradition on women to the contemporary Coptic Church worldwide. The thesis applies servant leadership theory and thematic analysis to answer two main important questions. The first question examines the role of women in the early church within Greco-Roman society and to what extent it translated into leadership positions. Understanding this question will lead to a better comprehension and investigation of the role of women in the Coptic Church and whether the contemporary church is preserving the teachings and traditions or has been influenced by gender bias and patriarchy in society.
