Lecture Listening Guides
by Dr. David Capes
Listening Guide- Lanier Theological Library
Lecturer: Darlene Hedstrom
Title: The Search for Early Christians Egypt: Archeology and the Treasures of the Desert
Created by: Emma Abernathy
For: Dr. Capes with LTL Internship
- What are the two questions Dr. Hedstrom forms her lecture around?
- What are the two challenges in the endeavor to answer these questions?
- What is the common myth about monks that is harmful to the study of
early Christianity?
- Fragments of what gospel text were found in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt? What is the earliest
fragment of the New Testament we have from Egypt?
- How was an extensive amount of archaeological evidence of early Christianity in Egypt
lost? Where did it go?
- What questions do archeologists ask in order to get into the shoes of those who lived in
antiquity?
- In Egypt what cult did most converts to Christianity leave in Egypt in the first two centuries?
Why might this be important to know?
- What are the three practical indicators that help identifying the growing movement of
Christian conversions in Egypt in the third century?
- Why does Dr. Hedstrom think it is important to display artifacts like socks and shoes? Do
you agree that this is important?
- What fourth century biography ignited a vast interest in monastic communities? Who
wrote this biography? Why was this work of literature important at that time?
- What percentage of the population had Christian names at the beginning and end of the
Fourth Century? Why is this important?
- Where was the earliest church in Egypt discovered? What is it like?
- What is the primary difference between how Christianity was perceived in the Fourth and
Fifth Centuries?
- What became the largest center for Christian pilgrimage in the world outside of
Jerusalem during the fifth century? What was the token souvenir from this site?
- What was the major Fifth Century architectural advancement within Christian
communities in Egypt? Why were these important?
- Why did monks in the Sixth Century wear special clothing, such as hoods?
- How were the monastic spaces of the sixth century decorated? What was the purpose of
these decorations?
