THE ORTHODOX CONCEPT REGARDING THE NATURE OF CHRIST
The Lord Jesus Christ is God Himself, the Incarnate Logos. Who took to Himself a perfect manhood. His Divine nature is one with his human nature yet without mingling, confusion or alteration; a complete Hypostatic Union. Words are inadequate to describe this union. It was said, that without controversy, "Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, (1 Tim. 3:16). As this union is permanent, never divided nor separated, we say in the liturgy that His Godhead never departed from His manhood for a single moment nor even for a twinkle of an eye. The Divine nature (God the Word) was united with the human nature which He took of the Virgin Mary by the action of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit purified and sanctified the Virgin's womb so that the Child to whom she gave birth would inherit nothing of the original sin; the flesh formed of her blood was united with the Only-Begotten Son. This unity took place from the first moment of the Holy Pregnancy in the Virgin's womb. As a result of the unity of both natures-the Divine and the human-inside the Virgin's womb, one nature was formed out of both: "The One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" as St. Cyril called it.
AGREED STATEMENT ON CHRISTOLOGY
"We believe that our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Incarnate - Logos is perfect in His Divinity and perfect in His Humanity. He made His humanity One with His Divinity without Mixture, nor Mingling, nor Confusion. His Divinity was not separated from His Humanity even for a moment or twinkling of an eye.
At the same time, we anathematize the Doctrines of both Nestorius and Eutyches"
The Meaning of The Holy Trinity
Fr. Abraam D. Sleman
On the Incarnation
By Saint Athanasius
MAGED ATTIA
Father Matthew Attia
| Dotorinal Theology According To The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Deacon Timon - Deacon Amir HANNA |
Orthodoxy is never satisfied by limiting the Church to means of speaking to the intellect of the parishioners. While we are teaching the Scriptures, we find it essential for the faithful to attend the Liturgy, and experience the actual dwelling of the Holy Spirit on the Sacrament as well as the parishioners. Many non Orthodox Christians attaind their conversion to Orthodoxy during the Liturgy
A Coptic Orthodox parishioner is expected to leave the Liturgy with a renewed spirit which preserves his salvation and make him a moving gospel and a living apostle for Christ.
Every Liturgy in the church is an actual and renewed encounter with the Holy Spirit.
We have also included in the course the biblical necessity for the Sacraments and the communion with the saints.
Because the Church is the icon of heaven, eternity does not have to wait until we leave this world. We, through being at church, start our eternity there and then.
It is very pleasing to report and celebrate that this edition is issued during the Silver Jubilee of the enthronement of our beloved father Abba Shenouda III the 117th successor of Saint Mark, who ascended this blessed and apostolic throne on 14 November, 1971.
The Apostolic succession granted to His Holiness by the Holy Spirit, is definitely synonymous, through the Grace of God, with a great and shining Apostolic success.
I am indebted to His Holiness for the great majority of the material presented in these notes. We are all inspired by His Holiness’s Orthodox and asetic life and his orthodox teachings.
May the Lord grant us peace and blessings through the prayers of our beloved Mother Saint Mary the Virgin and all the angels and saints who pleased Him since the beginning.May the Lord protect and preserve the life and well being of our beloved Pope Shenouda III and his brother in the Apostolic Ministry Mar Aghnatious Zakka the Patriarch of Antioch, and their partners in the Apostolic Ministry the Metropolitans and the Bishops.
Amir Hanna (Sub-deacon) 14 November, 1996
The Divinity of Christ is one of the most important and vital subjects in the Christian doctrine. Many heresies rose against it in various eras, and the Church confronted them and replied to them. The most dangerous was the Arian Heresy which reached its peak in the fourth century and led to many Ecumenical Councils being held. The first Ecumenical Council in history was held in 325 A.D., attended by 318 bishops from all the churches of the world. Arius and his heresy were refuted, and the Christian Creed was formulated.
Nevertheless, the residues of Arianism have continued to spread even till this day. Many atheist philosophers and scientists rose against the Divinity of Christ. The heresy of Jehovah's Witnesses rose against the Divinity of Christ. It was allegedly founded, in Pennsylvania, America, in 1872. Then in 1909 its headquarters moved to New York where a community was established under the name of "Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society". They published many books, the most important of which were: Let God Be True, The Truth Shall Set You Free, The Harp of God, The Rich Man, Deliverance, Creation, The New Heaven and the New Earth, Government and Peace, Protection, Reconciliation, and various other publications called Tracts.
In the following pages, we will try to discuss the subject of the Divinity of Christ in a positive light, and prove this fundamental doctrine from the Holy Bible. We will discuss all the objections and reply to them in due course.
HH Pope Shenouda III
"God is love" (1 John 4:8). God is neither an idea that we believe in, nor a Supreme Being who is far away in the heavens and isolated from our world. God is but the Lover of mankind who grants His divine knowledge so that we may enjoy His love and feel His fatherhood.
Father Tadros Y. Malaty
THE ANGELS
BY HIS HOLINESS AMBA SHENOUDA III,
Christ of The Prophesies
H.G Bishop Moussa Bishop of Youth
THE DIVINE GRACE
FR. TADROS Y. MALATY
Fr Tadross Y. Malaty
Comparative Theology
By
H.H. Pope Shenouda III
THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
FR. TADROS Y. MALATY
The Heresy of
JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
BY
H.H. POPE SHENOUDA III
THE CROSS OF CHRIST
By
MAGED ATTIA
TRADITION
AND ORTHODOXY
Father Tadross Y. Malaty
UNITY OF THE CHURCH
AND THE CHURCH SACRAMENTS
Father Tadross Y. Malaty
HOW CAN THREE BE ONE?
DOES GOD HAVE A SON?
HOW CAN GOD BECOME A MAN?
CAN GOD DOIE?
Prepared by:
Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty
Why Orthodoxy
Father Tadros Y Malaty
THE FIERY SPIRIT
Fr. Tadros Malaty
Translated and Published by
St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church
Arncliffe - Sydney