This is quite a thorough history of Egyptian Christianity. The Copts are Eastern Oriental Christians who have been hidden from much of Christianity because of their anti-Chalcedonian approach to the theology of Christ. The Copts share with the Maronites in Lebanons and the Armenians as being one of the three largest groups of Christians in the Mid East. Coptic Egypt did not suffer misguided Crusader attacks and so were not in a confused situation in a long period of Muslim rule, but could determine their own proper place in Egyptian society. Theodore Hall Partrick has an obvious love for his subject, and manages to discuss virtually every pope the Coptic Church has risen up to lead it. Partrick does a pretty good job of describing how Christianity survived in Egypt but not in the rest of North Africa. Some effort is paid to the Ethiopian Church. Not as revealing is when did most Copts stop speaking the Coptic language. Partrick does end the book on an upbeat note, discussing the revival of Coptic church life in many of the decades of the 20th century ( )