GIRGIS EL ANTONY: The Influence of Irenaeus's theology on the contemporary Coptic theology in the writings and teachings of Fr Matthew the Poor

Fr Matthew the Poor (1919-2006) is one of the most prominent figures of the Coptic Church in the modern era. Hailed as a contemporary desert father, and recognized internationally for his spiritual and scholastic writings, he was the pioneer in retrieving the patristic heritage in the Coptic Church in the twentieth century. He emphasized the significance of the Tradition of the Church, after several decades of such teaching being absent, due to the influence of Western missionaries in Egypt. In my paper I will endeavour to highlight the extent of St Irenaeus's influence on Fr Mathew the poor, in regards to his teachings on Orthodoxy and ecclesial tradition as being the core of truth within the Church.