---
title: "L7192 The Divine Liturgy: History and Theology · St Cyril’s"
url: https://stcyrils.edu.au/units/l7192-the-divine-liturgy-history-and-theology
description: "This graduate course unit provides students a foundation for the study of the worship of the Coptic Orthodox Church."
---

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4. L7192

L7192

# The Divine Liturgy: History and Theology

Code

L7192

Level

Undergraduate

Weighting

9 credit points

Type

Foundational

Discipline

Liturgy

Mode

Hybrid

Lecturer

[Mina Samy](https://stcyrils.edu.au/faculty/mina-samy)

On this page

1. [Prerequisites, corequisites or exclusions](#prerequisites-corequisites-or-exclusions)
2. [Academic Staff](#academic-staff)
3. [Curriculum Objectives](#curriculum-objectives)
4. [Learning Outcomes](#learning-outcomes)

Last offered in **Semester 2, 2026**. See the [timetable and key dates](https://stcyrils.edu.au/timetable) for dates, or [enrol online](https://stcyrils.edu.au/enrol) when enrolments open.

## Prerequisites, corequisites or exclusions

Nil

## Academic Staff

Mina Samy

BE (Honours), UNSW  
MA (Theological Studies), St Cyril’s  
PhD (cand.), USyd

## Curriculum Objectives

This graduate course unit provides students a foundation for the study of the worship of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

## Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Develop and apply tools and methods for the critical analysis of liturgical units.
2. Effectively assess and critique liturgical practices and rites.
3. Demonstrate a critical knowledge of history, structure, and symbolism of Anaphoral rites, as well as their theological significance.
4. Articulate and expound on the question of meaning and symbolism within the rites of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
5. Participate with greater intellectual and spiritual awareness in the liturgical worship of the Church

### Unit Weekly Schedule

1. Introduction  
   1. Liturgical theology and method  
   2. Symbol and reality  
   3. Origins and reception of the Eucharist
2. Prothesis (Offering of the Lamb)  
   1. History and theology of the rite
3. Liturgy of the Word  
   1. Early origins of the Liturgy of the Word and its development within the Coptic rite  
   2. The Lectionary and its development  
   3. The reception of the Gospel: homily and Gospel Response
4. Pre-Anaphoral Rites  
   1. Creed, Reconciliation Prayers, Kiss of Peace, Aspasmos hymns
5. Anaphora of Basil  
   1. Connections between Coptic Basil and other Basilian Anaphoras  
   2. Theological outlook within Basil
* Anaphora of Gregory  
   * Uniqueness of Coptic Gregory being addressed to the Son  
   * Theological outlook within Basil
* Anaphora of Mark  
   * Uniqueness of Egyptian anaphoras, exemplified by Mark  
   * Connections between Coptic Mark and Melkite Mark  
   * Theological outlook within Mark
* Other Egyptian Anaphoras  
   * Strasbourg Papyrus, Barcelong Papyrus, Dayr al-balayza Papyrus  
   * Euchologion of the White Monastery  
   * Anaphora of Sarapion
* Communion and Concluding Rites
* Commentaries on The Liturgy  
   * Ethiopic _Order of the Mystery_  
   * The anonymous _Guide to the Beginners_  
   * Ibn Kabar’s _Lamp of Darkness_  
   * Ibn Sibaa’s _The Precious Jewel_  
   * Gabriel V’s _Ritual Order_
* Anaphoras Beyond Egypt  
   * Eastern Anaphoras: Syrian, Ethiopian, and Byzantine  
   * Western Anaphoras: the Roman Canon, other Western liturgical traditions
* Eucharistic Theology  
   * The Eucharist in everyday life  
   * Modern reception of the Eucharist in the Coptic Church

---
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