The evidence

Evidence for Christianity in Egypt consists of non-literary and literary sources. There is virtually no archaeological evidence datable to before the fourth century, apart from a few scattered architectural fragments which are supposed to come from the earliest attested church in Alexandria, that of Theonas (bishop 282–300 ce). The earliest identifiably Christian tombs date from the fourth century. There are no Christian inscriptions from Egypt datable to before the fourth century. The meagre iconographical evidence amounts to a couple of ‘Gnostic’ gems. Non-literary papyri consist for the most part of what are taken to be the earliest Christian letters, and very few of these date to before the fourth century.

On the other hand, the literary evidence is massive, consisting of works composed in Greek. Writings that would eventually become part of the New Testament canon were brought to Egypt very early, some probably in the first century. The earliest New Testament manuscripts, datable to the second century, consist of papyrus fragments of Matthew, Mark, John, Titus and Revelation found in Egypt. Other early Christian literature introduced into Egypt and attested in second-century Greek manuscripts include the Egerton gospel (probably from Syria), The Shepherd of Hermas (from Rome), P. Oxy. 1 (= Gos. Thom. 26–8, from Syria), and Irenaeus’ Adversus haereses (‘Against heresies’, composed in Gaul and probably introduced into Egypt from Rome).