About Us

Our Name

The name Holy Sophia, which means Holy Wisdom, is a title of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Divine Wisdom, which was personified in the Old Testament. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Incarnate Logos, and Second Person of the Holy Trinity, is the Wisdom of God, as St. Paul describes in his first epistle to the Corinthians chapters 1 and 2. He is the Wisdom from whom we receive the wisdom that is from above that our father James explains in his epistle—wisdom that is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. This Coptic Orthodox School of Theology has as its mission the enlightenment and growth in wisdom of all its students and faculty through our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the Holy Sophia of God the Father, through the Holy Spirit of Truth.

Mission Statement

Holy Sophia Coptic Orthodox School of Theology has as its mission the dissemination of the rich tradition of Coptic Orthodox Christianity, including its history, Patristic heritage, ecclesiology, worship, dogma, and ethos, all of which are inextricably linked. Holy Sophia aims to carry the truth of God given to humanity through Divine self-revelation and handed down through apostolic succession by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Coptic Orthodox Church in Her dynamic life in the Holy Spirit is a living Church that, while historic and traditional, is alive, flourishing, and ecumenically driven. Holy Sophia is a direct expression of this ecumenicity through programs of rigorous academic study and Spirit-filled education. Unity with God and love of God and neighbor are the fundamental guiding principles of all that we do at Holy Sophia School of Theology, and it is with this guiding telos that is at the center of Holy Scripture that we invite you to join our mission for the glory of God and the salvation of the world.

Our Leadership

Holy Sophia Coptic Orthodox School of Theology is established and functions under the auspices of His Grace Bishop David, Bishop of the Christ-loving Diocese of New York & New England. The Dean of the University is the Very Rev. Dr. Abraham Azmy, the founder of Holy Sophia University, who received his Ph.D. in Christian Education and is the hegumen of Virgin Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Hamden, CT.

Why choose an online university?

Online universities utilize technology in order to provide education remotely to a geographically-vast student body. Holy Sophia provides this education all over the world, focusing on convenience and academic rigor. The convenience of such an education is multi-faceted: 1) Each intensive course is only 8-weeks long. 2) Some courses do not require lectures, being led instead by an expert faculty member who guides each student personally through the course materials and writing assignments. This allows the student to focus on the crux of her or his education, which is reading, reflecting, writing, and adjusting one’s thoughts in response to the instructor’s frequent and direct feedback. 3) Each student can work anytime throughout the week to complete the respective assignments. 4) Multiple courses can be undertaken in those 8 weeks. All of our courses work through an online, user-friendly portal with easy, clear, and organized communication between faculty and students, and even between students themselves. This online university is guaranteed to suit your busy lifestyle no matter the situation!

Online Programs

60+ courses, 25+ certificate programs, and 7 Master’s programs.

Expert Faculty

All of our expert faculty exude a passion for theological education.

Book Store & Library

Register today to access our extensive reading lists and syllabi.

Our Skilled Instructors

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