Heis Theos

In happier happenstances I've now got to Longworth and Lindstedt. These pick up the traces from mid-1990s Nevo, Koren, and Hoyland on Arabic tombstones (Longworth) and jihad-graffiti (Lindstedt). Longworth aims rather to provide the late-antique control-set for Arabic burial-inscriptions. That means going where the graves were, which was Jordan and Egypt. And not the #$^& Ḥijaz.

Intriguing here is the Greek heis theos - as a Christian slogan. In fact it is so Christian that most Copts introduced their gravestones with the same phrase, even if the rest of the work was in whatever Coptic. Why not (say, for Akhmîmic) OUE NOUTE? This insistence on Greek would, I think, explain why most Jews refused it (or, if they had it, they carved it with a conspicuous menorah). Also the LXX Deut. 6:4 would suggest kyrios heis; maybe a reference to Qaddish.

Later on, Longworth notes at least the Copts started emphasising the Trinity. This responds to the nonChristian monotheism foisted upon the Copts as recorded under Isaac.

What to make of heis theos before Isaac? I find suggestive the postIslamic "Trinitarian" slogan "Heis Theos and His Christ and the Holy Spirit". This represents mature Monophysitism; which points its Roman-era, shorter instances to popular resistance to Dyotheletism. This ran especially along the Nile but also into west-Syria; first, under the Eunomians; then, following the Councils of Ephesus.

Although the Greeks and Copts agreed upon doctrine, Longworth does see a different emphasis. Greeks tended "don't worry, nobody's immortal" or contrariwise talked of Christ's "victory"; Copts didn't. Starting AD seventh-century Copts started begging mercy. So Copts were now talking like this guy. What's the cause/effect?