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Got dogma, rites, faith, beliefs, tradition questions about the coptic church ? Please enter your question as a comment to this post. This blog is trying to group all the useful sources in order to answer such questions. We cannot promise a speedy answer, but we promise to get an authoritative and reliable answer from authorities in the Coptic Orthodox church.
Pray that God Bless this educational project.
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What is the Coptic Church belief about the Trinity?
Comment by Fred Blankinship | November 8, 2011 |
We always say before starting anything:
“In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God Amen.”
Does this answer your question ?
Comment by stjohnbaptist | November 8, 2011
I am not coptic but I really enjoy reading coptic explanations of everything; is there an on-line catechism I can read? Is there a place I can get one in hard bound copy? I would appreciate having one. Thank you, cynthia (please email me at cynthia21918@juno.com
Comment by cynthia krueger | September 12, 2011 |
Dear Cynthia, I started this blog copticchurch.wordpress.com in an attempt to answer exactly what you are asking! The Coptic church is so rich and can be very satisfying but it is hard to have one book right now to direct you to!
In my life, I find the Coptic liturgy to be my school! Every Coptic service liturgy is technically two 2 liturgies: liturgy of the catechumens or liturgy of the word with teachings and the second liturgy is for the believers or those who were baptized!
I may refer catechism type books to you in the near future! In the mean time you may ask questions here! Also you may check Stjohnbaptist.wordpress.com for Coptic weekly lessons!
Comment by stjohnbaptist | September 13, 2011
Okay so im not sure if im aloud to post questions on here but this is the only place i found to write my questions..i had quite a few so please bear with me:]
So both of my parents are coptic orthodox and grandparents but then my aunt and her family are protestants..i recently started going to the orthodox church instead of the protestant for awhile so i can see which is better for me..honestly i like the orthodox church it gives me this feel of holiness but i dont quite know much i just know the basics.. i had a few questions though.
Why cant the priest give communion to people who arent baptized orthodox?
Why do they baptize kids so young,arent you supposed to grow up know god and see if you accept him then choose to get baptized?
Why does the orthodox have a memorized prayer,same thing every sunday?
Why do they pray in the saints name, or ask the saints to pray for them..does it actually help?
Sorry if this seems long i just am so curious about finding out!
God Bless, Silvia
Comment by Silvia | May 8, 2011 |
Does the Coptic Orthodox Church have an official stance on the council of Trent (of the Roman Catholic Church)? Or has the Coptic Orthodox Church interacted with the Council of Trent in any manner?
Thanks.
Comment by Rony | February 17, 2011 |
Dear Bishops, hegumens, priests, and monks,
I do not have a question in this blog, but a suggestion:
Recently I read a book, “What shall I do to be saved?” by a priest Rev. Dr. Curian Kaniyamparambil of our sister Church, Syrian Orthodox Church. This book talks about many topics that I have asked. I suggest you to use this book as one of the references for the Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The url is: http://www.malankara.com/malankara/aboutus/sal5.aspx
Thank you for your attention.
In Christ,
Francis Kai
Comment by Francis Kai | July 14, 2009 |
Dear Bishops, hegumens, priests, and monks,
On “Justification” and “Reconciliation”:
These questions I have asked Father Salib and yet get no answer. I believe these questions are important and therefore I post them here.
Please forgive me to have more questions on your today’s (i.e., June 28, 2009) sermon. It is very difficult for me to find out what the Coptic Orthodox teaches. This is why I have to ask you to support writing a Catechism for the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Today’s Gospel Reading is Mt. 12:22-37:
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Mt. 12:35-37)
From these verses we learned from our Lord that it is our words that will decide whether we shall be justified or condemned.
However, Martin Luther told a different story. Let me first state what Luther said and then I will ask you the questions.
From Concordia: “The adversaries (i.e., the Roman Catholic Church officials) condemn us for teaching that ‘people obtain forgiveness of sins not because of their own merits, but freely from Christ’s sake, through faith in Christ.’ They condemn us both for denying that people obtain forgiveness of sins because of their own merits and for affirming that—through faith—people obtain forgiveness of sins and are justified through faith in Christ…In order that we may strengthen the position of our Confession, and also remove the charges that the adversaries advance against us, certain points are to be set forth in the beginning…All Scripture ought to be distributed into these two principal topics: the Law and the promises…Of these two parts of Scripture the adversaries choose the Law. By the Law they seek the forgiveness of sins and justification. The Ten Commandments require outward civil works, which reason can in some way produce. But they also require other things placed for above reason: truly to fear God, truly to love God, truly to call upon God, truly to be convinced that God hear us, and to expect God’s aid in death and in all afflictions…The Scholatics have followed the philosophers. They teach only a righteousness of reason. That is, they teach civil works…They (i.e., the Roman Catholic Church officials) teach that people merit forgiveness of sins by doing what is in them, namely, when reason produces an act of love toward God by grieving over sin or when reason is active in doing what is good for God’s sake…So it is false that we merit forgiveness of sins by our works. It is false that people are counted righteous before God because of the righteousness of reason…It was very foolish for the adversaries (i.e., the Roman Catholic Church officials) to write that people who are under eternal wrath merit forgiveness of sins by an act of love, which springs from their mind…Paul says in Romans 4:15, “The law brings wrath.” He does not say that by the Law always accuses and terrifies consciences. Therefore, it does not justify, because a conscience terrified by the Law runs from God’s judgment. They (i.e., the Roman Catholic Church officials) err who assume that by the Law—by their own works—they merit forgiveness of sins. It is enough for us to have said these things about the righteousness of reason or of the Law, which the adversaries (i.e., the Roman Catholic Church officials) teach…By their own strength, people cannot fulfill God’s Law. They are all under sin, subject to eternal wrath and death. Because of this, we cannot be freed by the Law from sin and be justified. But the promise of forgiveness of sins and of justification has been given us for Christ’s sake…This promise does not depend on our merits, but freely offers forgiveness of sins and justification, as Paul says in Romans 11:6. “But if it is by grace, it no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” And in another place, Romans 3:21, “The righteousness of God has been manifested apart form the Law.”…In other words, forgiveness of sins is freely offered. Nor does reconciliation depend on our merits…For Christ’s sake, the Gospel freely offers reconciliation to us, who have been vanquished by sin and death.’
My questions to the Coptic Church are the following:
(1) Can we assume that the Coptic Church teaches the same as the Roman Catholic Church officials do in “justification” and “reconciliation” mentioned in the above text? If not, what are the differences?
(2) Martin Luther is quite against the (Old Testament) “Law.” Does the Coptic Church agrees with “Paul does not say that by the Law always accuses and terrifies consciences. Therefore, it does not justify, because a conscience terrified by the Law runs from God’s judgment?” If not, what is the teaching?
(3) Deos the Coptic Church agrees with Luther’s teaching: “Forgiveness of sins is freely offered. Nor does reconciliation depend on our merits…For Christ’s sake, the Gospel freely offers reconciliation to us, who have been vanquished by sin and death?” If not, what is the teaching from Coptic Church on “reconciliation”?
(4) I personally do not agree with Luther’s teaching against Law in the above text. I think Jesus had given us ways of salvation, just like the Coptic prayer: “He was incarnate and became man, and taught us the ways of salvation.” (p. 230 of Liturgy Book) God gives us Law and grace. It is up to us on how to achieve salvation. Is my saying aligns with the Coptic Church teaching?
In Christ,
Francis Kai
Comment by Francis Kai | July 14, 2009 |
Your question was received. We’ll try our best to get you an answer from a dignitary. However، please allow time so we can get an answer from a bishop in the Coptic church.
Please be patient.
Thank you
Comment by stjohnbaptist | July 14, 2009
Dear Francis,
Looking at your questions dated July 2009. Did you receive answers to your questions?
In Christ,
Keith Bailey
Comment by Keith Bailey | July 16, 2010
Hi Francis,
I am not Coptic, but I just want to touch touch on a couple of questions you have asked and said.
You said, “God gives us Law and grace. It is up to us on how to achieve salvation.” When the New Testament speaks of the law, it often uses the term in multiple ways. But in terms of the law as a covenant and a way by which people can “achieve salvation”, the New Testament makes clear that salvation through the law is impossible. God requires perfect obedience. Adam was kicked out of Eden when he disobeyed God. Israel, was not able to obey God and so was exiled repeatedly. And through Israel God was showing the world (Jews and Gentiles) that we are unable to obey God or the law in such a way to earn his favor or salvation, because God requires perfect obedience. If the law is a viable way to achieve salvation (as you said) then you “nullify the grace of God, for if justification were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose” (Gal 2:21). Also, “A person is not justified by works o the law but through faith in Christ Jesus, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” (Gal 2:15-16). In fact, Paul is so adamant about this that he says that if anyone places himself under the law that he is cursed if he does not do everything “written in the book of the law” (Gal 3:10). ‘Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law’ (Gal 3:11).
God requires perfect obedience. The purpose of the law is to imprison us under sin and to point us to our inability to fulfill the law and point us to Jesus Christ who fulfilled the law perfectly, so that our faith may rest on him (Gal 3:23-24).
The Gospel of Matthew points in this direction as well. In Matt 2:13-4:11 has a strong emphasis on Jesus as the Son of God. Israel was God’s Son, and Matthew applies this to Jesus (Matt 2:15). The Father affirms Jesus as “my beloved Son” (Matt 3:17) and then the devil tests whether Jesus is the Son of God, “If you are the Son of God…” (Matt 4:3&5). Notice that the ways in which Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness (for 40 days) are ways in which Israel was tempted in the wilderness (for 40 years). Also, Jesus quotes from Deut. 4-6 where Israel’s failures are recounted by Moses and Moses is reminding Israel that Israel must be obedience so that Israel can enter and stay in the land. Israel failed to obey God and was repeatedly exiled and kicked out of the promised land. Jesus on the other hand unlike Adam, and unlike Israel obeyed God perfectly and so, only he has obeyed the law perfectly and earned the promised land (heaven). Matthew, like Paul is pointing to the fact that only Jesus has obeyed God perfectly and been worthy of God’s favor. We, like Israel cannot do it, we must trust in Jesus, so that his perfect record of righteousness and obedience can be given to us. This is what paul means in 2 Cor 5:20-21. For those who trust in Jesus, their sin is placed on Jesus (on the cross) and in exchange the believer is given Christ’s righteousness.
The issue of Justification by works is difficult and complicated, but I think Luther was right. Paul also says that it is the “doers of the law who will be justified” (Rom 2:13). But Paul also notes that noone is righteous (Rom 3:10) and that “by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (3:20). He then goes on to speak of how the “righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law…through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:21). If we understand the gospel and Justification by Faith correctly, we should ask the question whether we are free to sin, which Paul addresses in Romans 6. The other facet of the gospel is that the Christian is a new creation who is dead to sin and alive to God. So, the good works of the one who has faith in Jesus do justify him in a sense – Since they spring forth from faith in Jesus Christ. Good works or fruit are the vindication or evidence of one who has been declared innocent (justified by God). Faith apart from fruit is not genuine saving faith in Jesus. The two (fruit and faith) are bound together so closely, that in effect one can say that we are justified by our works when. I’m not sure how the Coptic Orthodox church understands this, but this is the very core of the gospel, that to miss Justification by Faith Alone in Christ Alone would be eternally significant. Hope that helps.
Comment by Rony | February 17, 2011