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100 | What is the connection between the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer? | We can see a common denominator in the worship of the Coptic Church: the recital of the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed in all our liturgies, including those of baptism, eucharist, engagement, matrimony, and funeral prayers, as well in private prayers, such as the Canonical Hours (Agpeya). So what is the connection between... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
101 | What does the Creed contribute to our interior richness? | In the early Church, Jews and Gentiles who wished to join the Church were required to attend a course of study designed to prepare them for baptism. These courses were not purely about imparting information; they delved into the meaning of faith, the Lord’s Prayer, walking in Christ Jesus, etc., to bring them to apprec... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
102 | What is the extent of the connection between the Creed, preparation for baptism, and preservation of the Orthodox faith? | Many of the Fathers of the Church concerned themselves with explaining the Creed or parts thereof, especially those who were responsible for preparing people for baptism, but also those who responded to various heresies, such as St. Cyril the Great, St. Cyril the Bishop of Jerusalem, and St. Augustine. According to the... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
103 | What are the articles of the present Creed? | We can divide the Creed into fourteen articles: In truth, we believe in One God, God the Father, the Pantocrator, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things seen and unseen. We believe in One Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light, true God of true G... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
104 | Why do we begin the Creed by saying, “we believe”? | a. We need to be aware that when we recite the Creed, faith is more than just abstract feelings; it is to enjoy knowledge in our practical life. A believer ought not to be content with merely human knowledge, unaware of the role of divine grace in sanctifying the mind and working in the life of the faithful, that he mi... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
105 | Why do we begin by affirming faith in One God? | This protects the faithful from straying into idolatry. St. Cyril the Great says, “Therefore for the destruction of the error of polytheism they name one God following in every way the Holy Scriptures and showing the beauty of the truth to all men throughout the whole world under the sun. The all-wise Moses did this al... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
106 | What does “we believe in One God” mean? | This means that we interact with God who is everywhere present, and with His attributes, and so walk in the Lord. The apostle James distinguishes the faith of the godly person from the faith of the devil when he says, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! But do you wan... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
107 | How does the Father’s fatherhood to the Son differ from His fatherhood to the faithful? | Our Lord Jesus was accustomed to addressing the Father as “My Father” (John 8:19 and elsewhere) and He invites the faithful to share with Him in this relationship. Thus do we say in the Lord’s prayer: “Our Father” (Matt. 6:9). But the sonship of the Only Begotten Son is unique: since He is one in essence with the Fathe... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
108 | Why do we call God called the Almighty (Pantocrator)? | What does the word Pantocrator or Almighty mean? This term refers to God’s power to manage all life and to fulfill His will in it. The One God is the source of the power of all creation, whether heavenly or earthly. His authority guarantees human free will and does not threaten it. His authority is in harmony with His ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
109 | Why do we cherish God as the Creator of all things? | Since we proclaim through the Creed that God is our Creator, we ought to hold fast to Him and so live according to His holy will, as we journey on our way to His divine embrace. St. Cyril the Great says, “For the difference of creator and creature, of unbegotten [that is, without beginning] and begotten [that which has... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
110 | Why did the Church employ the term “Creator of heaven and earth”? | The all-powerful and the all-good God, who created heaven and earth and all that is in them, is good. The Gnostics were incapable of comprehending that everything created by God is good. Thus, they considered the body, matter, sex, marriage, and having children as the creations of an evil god, or of a god inferior to t... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
111 | Why do we believe in our Lord Jesus? | First: Faith in Christ Jesus may be considered the center of the Christian faith. Evangelism begins by talking about the Lord Jesus (Kyrios Iesous), for St. Paul says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus” (Rom. 10:9). He also says, “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3). ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
112 | What does the title “the Lord Christ” mean to us? | His name was Jesus; the word “Jesus” in Hebrew means, “God saves.” The Archangel Gabriel gave this name to St. Mary: “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” (Luke 1:31). The angel of God appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be af... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
113 | Why does the Creed proclaim that He is the Only Begotten Son of God? | The heavenly Father witnessed of Him during His baptism and transfiguration. Of His baptism, the Gospel of Matthew says, “and behold, the heavens were opened to Him … and suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘this is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” (Matt. 3:16–17). And of His transfiguration on Mount... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
114 | Why do we recite our faith that He is the one “by whom all things were made” (i.e., He is the Creator)? | God the Father created all things by His Son, who is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24), His eternal Word (John 1:1–3). Above, we spoke of the Father as the Creator, and here we speak of the Son “by whom all things were made.” John the evangelist says, “All things were made through Him, and without ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
115 | How can we say “came down from heaven” when He is present everywhere? | Truly, He is present everywhere; He is always in heaven and on earth. Although He is not visible on earth, He appeared upon it when He was incarnate, which is why we say, “came down from heaven.” The Master Himself says, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
116 | Did He leave heaven? | The Creed first presents to us the oneness of God, lest we fall into polytheism. Our faith is in the one almighty God, the Pantocrator. Then, the Creed presents the Hypostasis of the Father as being the Father of the only-begotten Son before all ages; one in essence with Him, granting us to be His children through divi... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
117 | Why do we say, “Who for us men and our salvation, came down from heaven”? | He did not descend for the sake of any particular group of people, but for the whole human race; to save us from sin, and from the curse that fell upon us through sin, and from death. St. John says, “Sin is lawlessness, and you know that He was manifested to take away our sin, and in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:4–5)... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
118 | What does the Holy Bible say about the incarnation of the Son of God, of the Holy Spirit, from the Virgin Mary? | When the Virgin was astonished by the annunciation of the archangel Gabriel, she asked him: “‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’ And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
119 | What does the phrase “was incarnate and became man” mean? | The Son of God took for Himself a body from the womb of the Virgin, St. Mary and became a fetus without sin. He became a human being without ceasing being God. The evangelist says, “and the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). This God who became man intercedes for all humanity, offering Himself as a sacrifice for their sak... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
120 | How is there only one nature in Christ? | In Christ there is one nature of two natures, without mingling, without confusion, and without alteration. This is the nature of the Word who became Man. The Church equally rejects the Nestorian concept of Christ being two persons, and the faith of Eutyches who proclaimed that His humanity was swallowed up by His divin... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
121 | Why does the Creed include the phrase, “was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary”? | The history of the people of God is marked by a number of miraculous births, such as: God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah of the birth of Isaac (Gen. 17:16–19); Hannah and the birth of Samuel the prophet (1 Sam. 1:1–20); Manoah and his barren wife and the birth of their son Samson (Judg. 13:2–3); and Zacharias the pries... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
122 | Was the incarnation essential? | No one could be saved from sin and attain true righteousness that pleases God without the incarnation of the Son of God, who is one in essence with the Father, and His sacrifice for the sake of sinners. As the apostle Paul says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
123 | Why did the Lord Christ keep His silence during the religious and civil trials? | The Greek philosopher Celsus wrote an attack on the Christian faith. The scholar Origen was asked to respond, so he wrote, “Jesus, however, is at all times assailed by false witnesses, and, while wickedness remains in the world, is ever exposed to accusation. And yet even now He continues silent before these things, an... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
124 | Why does the Creed mention the suffering of Christ? | The Creed does not mention Adam and Eve’s disobedience and their fall, but it does mention the Second Adam’s offering for the salvation of humanity. Christ’s Church is concerned with the salvation of humanity, the restoration of God’s image (or icon) in us through the suffering and crucifixion of the Master. “He came t... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
125 | What is the significance of including “under Pontius Pilate” as part of the Creed? | The mention of the ruler of that time affirms the historical reality of the crucifixion of Christ. The story of the suffering and crucifixion of the Lord Christ in the era of Pontius Pilate is a true story, which the believers live throughout their daily lives, and which will remain alive till the day of the second com... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
126 | How was the crucifixion transformed from being a humiliation into being honor and glory? | The apostle Paul says of Christ that He “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:7–8). Therefore, His faithful followers... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
127 | What is the mystery of dying and being buried with Christ? | By His shameful death, which the Lord desired, He conferred great honor upon us. “Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:9). When we accept His death within us, we can say of our body: “It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
128 | Why did the Lord Christ die? | To proclaim His perfect participation in our nature. In St. Gregory of Nyssa’s view, human nature is bracketed by two events: birth and death. He who participates in one but not the other cannot be considered to have participated in our nature. The saint says, “Why, that the death is rendered necessary by the birth, an... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
129 | Why was He buried in a tomb? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “He was truly laid as Man in a tomb of rock; but rocks were rent asunder by terror because of Him. He went down into the regions beneath the earth, that thence also He might redeem the righteous. For, tell me, would you wish the living only to enjoy His grace, and that, though most of them ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
130 | Why did the Lord Christ descend into Hades? | The psalmist says, “If I make my bed (sleep) in hell, behold, You are there” (Ps. 139:8), for the Lord Christ descended into Hades and set free those imprisoned in it. He opened His arms and embraced them, so that now Hades has no authority over them, to keep them, for its gates are broken. Our Lord Jesus accepted our ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
131 | Why do the Jews reject the resurrection of the Lord Christ? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “But He who descended into the regions beneath the earth came up again; and Jesus, who was buried, truly rose again the third day. And if the Jews ever worry you, meet them at once by asking thus: Did Jonah come forth from the whale on the third day, and has not Christ then risen from the e... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
132 | What is the Gnostic understanding of the ascension? | The Gnostics believed that there is a dualism in the creation. They believed that the creator of spirits is the good god, while the creator of physical matter — especially the body — is an evil god. This impelled them to discard the stories of the birth of Christ and His ascension, for they believed that He came to sav... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
133 | By ascending, did the Lord Christ depart from the world? | The ascension of the Lord Christ to heaven in no way implies His absence from the world. He sits at the right hand of the Father (Eph. 1:20), being Lord of the cosmos, the Lord of heaven and earth. His divinity fills heaven and earth. When the faithful gather together, He is present with them (Matt. 18:20). The psalmis... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
134 | What does the great day of the Lord mean in the mind of the Church? | The future second coming of the Lord Christ occupied the mind of the early Church, as is evident in its engagement with the word of God, its worship, and its instruction. This future event is the consummation of human history, when the Lord Christ shall appear on the clouds, and carry His Church comprised of all the fa... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
135 | What does the Lord Christ ask of us? | He asks of us that we receive Him and come to know Him. St. Clement of Alexandria says, “Receive Christ, receive sight, receive your light, ‘In order that you may know well 2000, dated 14 Amshir 1207 AM, edited by the monk Samuel el-Suriani, article 21: pp. 130–131. both God and man’ (Iliad.128). ‘Sweet is the Word tha... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
136 | What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives? | One of the fruits of the entry of sin into human life was that ungrateful humanity united together to defy the Creator, thinking that they could mock the God who brought the flood in the days of Noah: “Then they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly’ … ‘Come let us build ourselves a ci... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
137 | Why is the Holy Spirit called “the Giver of Life”? | St. Athanasius the Apostolic says, “He is called a life-giving Spirit. For it says: ‘He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you’ (Rom. 8:11). The Lord is the very life, and ‘author of life’ (Acts 3:15), as Peter put it. And as the Lord himself ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
138 | What does it mean for the Church to be “catholic (universal)”? | In the water of baptism, the Holy Spirit expels the spirit of division. The Church of Christ, the One Lord, should have one faith and one Holy Spirit, working within her, despite her diverse languages and cultures. No social barriers can deprive a genuine believer from being a member in the universal Church. Multilingu... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
139 | What is the purpose of baptism? | In the Creed we declare: “We confess one baptism, for the remission of sins.” When some among the priests and laymen renounced their faith during the time of persecution, some of them repented and wished to return and become members of the Church once more. This raised questions such as: “What is the status of the beli... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
140 | What will be our fate when the earth passes away? | The Creed is chiefly concerned with bringing out the significance of our life here on earth, for God is our Creator, Savior, and Sanctifier so that we may be His ambassadors in this world. The end-goal of the Creed is: “We look for the resurrection of the dead.” The Word of God assumed our body in order to restore its ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
141 | What is the life of the age to come? | It is the indescribable eternal life, of which St. John the Evangelist said, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3); “In Him was life” (John 1:4); and “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall l... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
142 | What does the word “Amen” mean? | It is the seal of the faithful upon this Creed; not sealed by hand, but by one’s whole inward being. The apostle Paul says, “our word to you was not Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
143 | Is it necessary to believe in God? | St. John proclaims that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). God wants to be very near to humanity, that He might make us one with Him, dwell within our souls, and grant us the power to partake of His glory. In other words, God declares Himself to humanity — not to engage in abstract philosophical disputes, nor to impose His au... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
144 | Does faith cancel the gift of reason? | In Christianity, the term “mystery” does not mean that the believer blindly accepts doctrines without understanding, or that these doctrines make no sense. When we speak of divine mysteries concerning the essence of God and His nature and work, we mean that God reveals these matters to us as rational beings, granting u... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
145 | Why is God called Theos? | G. L. Prestige says that some of the early Church Fathers, such as Clement and Dionysius of Alexandria, followed Herodotus in drawing a connection between the words theos (god) and titheme (to dispose). St. Clement says, “God is called theos, from thesis (placing), and order or arrangement.”346 Aristotle says that God ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
146 | What are the characteristics of the One God? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “God (the Father) is One, alone unbegotten, without beginning, change, or variation; neither begotten of another, nor having another to succeed Him in His life; who neither began to live in time, nor ever comes to an end: and that He is both good and just; that if ever you hear a heretic sa... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
147 | Does the Holy Bible avoid discussion of the characteristics of the essence of God? | It is said of God that He is a Spirit: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). The Holy Bible does describe characteristics of God, for God is: Eternal (everlasting, without beginning or end): “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
148 | If God is Spirit, why does the Holy Bible describe God as having bodily members such as the heart of God, the eyes of the Lord, His ears, and hands? | The Bible uses the language familiar to humans so that they can understand the message. The heart of God means compassion and love; the eyes and ears of God refer to His knowledge of all things; and the hand of God refers to His power. | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
149 | If God is everywhere present, why is it said that He dwells in heaven, or in the Church, or in the believer? | God dwelling in heaven refers to His eternal glory; His dwelling in the Church refers to His receiving holy worship; and His dwelling in the believer refers to His work within the inward life of the believer. He is present wherever two or three are gathered together in His name (Matt. 18:20). Thus we see how He cherish... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
150 | Is it possible for a person to know the essence of God? | The human being is the only creature in heaven or on earth who is said to have been created in the image of God, according to His likeness (Gen. 1:26–27). For our sake God created the world and planted a garden in Eden (Gen. 2:8). Therefore, He endowed us with the ability to know Him, yet the essence of God remains ind... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
151 | What does the Holy Bible say about our inability to know God’s essence? | The apostle Paul says of God that He “alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. (1 Tim. 6:16). | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
152 | Does the Holy Bible testify that it is possible for us to know God? | The Holy Bible tell us that there are many ways by which we can know God: First: we can know God through His amazing creation. The apostle Paul says, “because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
153 | What does “no one can see Me and live” mean? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “To look upon God with eyes of flesh is impossible: for the incorporeal cannot be subject to bodily sight: and the Only begotten Son of God Himself has testified, saying, ‘No man has seen God at any time’ (John 1:18). For if according to that which is written in Ezekiel any one should under... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
154 | Why did God call Himself “Jehovah” (Ex. 3:14–15) when Moses the prophet asked for His name? | The name “Jehovah” comes from the Hebrew word YHWH, which means the one who is, the one who exists. God exists or is present in heaven, on earth, and in all the world, and He dwells in the midst of His people. He is the one who gives existence to all other things. He cannot be compared to any other being. | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
155 | Why does the Holy Bible emphasize the oneness of God and that there is no other God beside Him (2 Sam. 7:22)? | If there were more than one God, it would be possible to compare among them; God would not have been absolute in His perfection. Also, if there were more than one God, God would not be ineffable, nor would it be impossible to describe His essence. St. Clement of Alexandria insists, “God is one, and He is more than one,... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
156 | What are the characteristics of God? | The Holy Bible contains some names of God that positively describe what He is like, so that we may delight in His characteristics working within us. It also contains other names of God that negatively describe what He is not, that we may beware of falling into a destructive negativism. On the positive side He is called... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
157 | How can God possess all these kinds of characteristics, and yet be described as simple? | Although we are aware of all these characteristics that inflame our souls with His sublime love, we cannot say that His essence is composed of many elements, or that there are elements external to Him that are incorporated into His simple essence. St. John Chrysostom observes that the Seraphim and the Cherubim upon who... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
158 | Why does the Holy Bible use human expressions to speak about God? | God reveals Himself to us who are human using the human language that we can understand, so that we may enter into loving relationships with Him, and for the sake of our growth. So, when it is said of Him that He regretted the evil that He had threatened, this does not mean that there is evil in Him, nor any change in ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
159 | How are God’s divine characteristics related to His divine being? | We can identify some divine characteristics as pertaining exclusively to His divine being, but not to the creation. God alone is self-existent, absolutely perfect, transcends space and time, unseen, not derived from any another existent, and without beginning or end. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow; witho... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
160 | What does it mean that God is all-sufficient? | God is all-sufficient within Himself. He has no need to be served, worshipped, or glorified by others. Rather, it is we who need to serve Him, worship Him and glorify Him, entering into a relationship with Him through His grace working within us, overflowing with holy life, inner joy, and fulfilment; “for in Him we liv... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
161 | What does it mean that God is without beginning or end? | He was not created by some other being and did not begin at a certain time. He has no end and no successor. The whole life of the universe is for Him as a split second compared to His eternity. For Him there is no past, present, and future, but all is eternal present. The apostle Peter says, “with the Lord one day is a... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
162 | What does it mean for God's characteristics to be unchanging? | God’s characteristics are absolute; He does not increase or decrease, but remains as He is without change. He says in Malachi the prophet, “For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Mal. 3:6). “He first loved us” (1 John 4:19) and His love did not just begin after Christ was crucified for us. The apostle says, “But God demo... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
163 | What does it mean that God is everywhere present? | God’s continual presence does not begin with the creation, nor with the existence of this limited world. His presence is not restricted by the limitations of space or matter; He transcends every place. God’s being everywhere does not imply any kind of mingling of His divine presence with the material world. His presenc... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
164 | What does it mean that God is unseen and incomprehensible? | God has no body that can be seen and touched. The prophets were unable to see God, except within the limits that He allowed, through a tiny part of splendor of His divine glory. He is not seen as He is, but He reveals what He will to each person — just enough for their edification. “No one knows the Son except the Fath... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
165 | What is the foreknowledge of God? | God knows all things that happen in His creation — not just that which concerns the irrational creation, but also the ranks of heaven, and humanity; everything that happens in both the visible and the invisible worlds. He knows every last detail of what the future holds, and He knew all this even before He created time... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
166 | What does the divine characteristic of being “all-wise” mean? | God is all-good and all-wise. St. Clement of Alexandria says of the goodness of God that it means more than just God’s generous giving of benefits; it means that He transforms evil into goodness. This is what Joseph understood and explained to his brethren, telling them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
167 | What is the characteristic of divine power? | God is all-powerful. By His power, He proclaims His Fatherhood to humanity, His wisdom in guiding us, and His delight in our salvation. His marvelous power is evident in that He grants us absolute freedom to ask and supplicate and knock on the door of His mercies, assuring us that “everyone who asks receives, and he wh... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
168 | What is the characteristic of divine holiness? | God in His Holiness does not know sin (2 Cor. 5:21). He loves righteousness and goodness and despises sin. His exceeding power works to sanctify those who seek Him. God, by nature, is perfectly holy, and the source of holiness to all who ask for it. In His Holiness, He alone can judge, for it is He who searches the dep... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
169 | What are the characteristics of divine love and compassion? | “God is love” (1 John 4:8) and long-suffering. He offers the chance of repentance even in the last moments of the sinner’s life, as He opened the gates of Paradise to Dimas, the right-hand thief. When the first man fell, rather than repenting he blamed God who gave him Eve, who in turn gave him the forbidden fruit. God... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
170 | What did Moses ask of God regarding service when he first encountered Him? | Moses asked of God that he might know His name. Moses was the first leader of God's people in the Old Testament, and as their representative God revealed to him that His name is “Jehovah,” which means, “I Am.” What does this name, “I Am,” mean? It means that He exists, working for His chosen people — in contrast to the... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
171 | Do the angels, as far as they are able, see God? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “What then, some man will say, is it not written, ‘The little ones’ Angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven’ (Matt. 18:10)? Yes, but the Angels see God not as He is, but as far as they themselves are capable. For it is Jesus Himself who says, ‘Not that any man has s... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
172 | What does God’s absolute perfection mean? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “Not great in loving-kindness only, and little in wisdom, but with wisdom and loving-kindness in equal power: not seeing in part, and in part devoid of sight; but being all eye, and all ear, and all mind: not like us perceiving in part and in part not knowing; for such a statement were blas... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
173 | Who is able to express divine love? | When St. John Saba was asked why he did not write about the hidden mysteries, he replied that he is like a young child whose father has filled his house with many precious things. But when he goes out to the children who are his friends, he can only share with them a few small things, lest he lose his treasure. I dared... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
174 | What is the Church’s teaching concerning the Holy Trinity? | God is one, in one unique, undivided, and inseparable essence; a Trinity of Hypostases that can be distinguished from one another; eternal Hypostases with no beginning, belonging to a single essence, and having a single will. The apostle Paul speaks of “one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
175 | How did the Lord Christ communicate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity to us? | The incarnate Word of God did not use theological terms in speaking to us, nor did He set out for us an overtly theological system of Trinitarian faith. With simplicity, He revealed the Holy Trinity to us through His works of salvation, as the following examples show: Our Lord Jesus proclaimed the Father as the lover o... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
176 | What are the earliest Trinitarian formulas? | The Lord Christ clearly and frankly proclaimed the divinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as being evident from their works for our salvation. Before His ascension to the heavens, He commanded His disciples to baptize believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 19:28). He gave... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
177 | What are the positions of the Old Testament and the New Testament on the doctrines of the oneness of God and the three Hypostases? | Both the Old and New Testaments affirm the doctrine of One God. But one purpose of the Old Testament was to prevent the faithful from worshipping idols — inanimate gods — and from practicing the abominations of those nations associated with pagan worship (2 Kings 21:2). The New Testament, however, testifies to the one ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
178 | Does the Holy Bible explicitly teach the doctrine of the Trinity? | The Holy Trinity is evident at the baptism of our Lord Jesus (John 1:27–33), which is the template for our own baptism in the name of the three Hypostases according to St. Matthew (Matt. 28:19). We also find this doctrine in St. Paul’s blessing in 2 Cor. 13:14. The three Hypostases are also mentioned in John 14:16; Eph... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
179 | Why does the Old Testament focus on the Hypostasis of the Father? | The Old Testament emphasizes the love and compassion of God the Father for those who fear Him. It says, “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy towards those who fear Him … As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him” (Ps. 103:11, 13). God is described as a father ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
180 | What does the New Testament teach about the Holy Trinity being of one essence? | At the Archangel Gabriel’s Annunciation to St. Mary, he said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). At the baptism of Christ, the Holy Trinity was clearly revealed. He who... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
181 | How can we accept the Trinitarian faith if the God’s divine nature is simple? | Does Trinitarian faith contradict divine unitary simplicity? Some accuse Christianity of lacking simplicity; in other words, they accuse it of complexity because it believes in three Hypostases in one divine essence. They see this doctrine as liable to being interpreted as a kind of polytheism, and so claim that it is ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
182 | Which verses are used by those who deny the divinity of Christ? | Jesus says, “For My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28), because He was embodied and took the form of a slave. The apostle Paul says, “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of me... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
183 | How could the eternal God be Love before He created anything to love? | How could God have been the Creator, and Love, and the Peacemaker for all eternity, before He created the universe? Can He possess these attributes before He created the world? The answer of some intellectuals who do not believe in the Holy Trinity is this: God always has these titles and characteristics potentially bu... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
184 | How can God have a Son? | Every active essence must generate something. Fire gives birth to light and radiates heat. A radioactive element gives off nuclear radiation. A healthy human mind generates wise thoughts. Therefore, God cannot be an inert being, for the Son is born of Him from before the ages; He is light born of light. Light that does... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
185 | How can we understand the oneness of the Holy Trinity? | The oneness of the Holy Trinity is unique. It is not a mixture, as happens with liquids or materials; nor is it like the unity of the human body and soul; nor is it like the union of the divinity of Christ with His humanity. Each of the three Hypostases fills the other two and is contained within them, and yet remains ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
186 | Does the Son have a will that can contradict the will of the Father? | On the divine will and unity of the Holy Trinity, G. L. Prestige says, “Origen observes that the will of God is present in the will of the Son, and the will of the Son is undeviating from the will of the Father, so that there are no longer two wills but one will, which single will provides the reason for our Lord's ass... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
187 | How does Trinitarian faith affect our daily life? | Faith plays an essential role in our worship, our way of thinking, our desires, and our behavior. Here are some examples: We must distinguish between the Trinitarian monotheism of the Christian faith on the one hand, and the absolute monotheism that arose in response to polytheism on the other. It is possible that the ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
188 | What analogies of the Holy Trinity did the Fathers use? | The Fathers explored this mystery that no human language can express. There is no being in nature that is one essence in three distinct hypostases. When we use any analogy for the mystery of the Holy Trinity, we must acknowledge up front that it cannot be anything other than imperfect, capturing some aspects but not ot... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
189 | How do we understand the Hypostatic characteristics? | God, who is simple in His essence, is three Hypostases in one essence. The Hypostasis of the Father bestows on us His fatherhood through our union with His Only Begotten Son, who is Son by nature. Thus, we are granted to be His children by divine grace; we experience the fatherhood of the Father that befits us as His c... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
190 | How do the Hypostatic characteristics constitute the divine essence? | Hypostatic characteristics reveal the relationship between the three Hypostases —that there is no separation between any one and the other two — while at the same time clearly distinguishing each Hypostasis. It cannot be said that the Father is a Son or a Holy Spirit, etc. That would be to fall into Sabellianism, the h... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
191 | What are the essential characteristics shared by the Holy Trinity? | And what are the specific characteristics of each Hypostasis? The three Hypostases have some characteristics that they share in common, such as the characteristic of having no beginning or end. All three Hypostases are characterized by being loving, good, holy, creative, divinely caring, all-powerful, everywhere presen... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
192 | Who is the Father? | Prof. Maximos Aghiorgoussis says “He is not a blind ‘supernatural force;’ nor is He the God of the philosophers, ‘the prime mover that moves everything but remains itself unmoved’ (Aristotle); nor the immaterial ideal form (Plato). He is God manifest as a Person, Creator and Manager of the world, and especially of huma... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
193 | Who is the Logos or Son? | For Christians of Jewish origin, Jesus is the Savior of the whole world from sin. St. Clement of Alexandria presents our Lord as “Jesus, who heals both our body and soul.”395 He is the skillful divine Physician who alone can save us from the consequences of sin. Some may ask: was it necessary for the Word of God Himsel... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
194 | Is it possible to separate the Father from the Son? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “For the name of the Father, with the very utterance of the title, suggests the thought of the Son: as in like manner one who names the Son thinks straightway of the Father also. For if a Father, He is certainly the Father of a Son; and if a Son, certainly the Son of a Father. Lest therefor... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
195 | Does the Son see the Father in His perfection? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “We believe then In One God the Father the Unsearchable and Ineffable, Whom no man has seen (1 Tim. 2:16), but the Only-begotten alone has declared Him (John 1:18). For He who is of God, He has seen God (John 6:46): whose face the Angels always behold in heaven (Matt. 18:10), behold, howeve... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
196 | Does the Father command us to heed the Son? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “For the Father is indignant when the Only-begotten Son is ignored. For it is grievous to a king that merely his soldier should be dishonoured; and when one of his nobler officers or friends is dishonoured, then his anger is greatly increased: but if any should despise the king’s only-begot... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
197 | What are the most important names of Christ? | We have already spoken about some of the names of Christ in our discussion of the Creed (see above, question. What does the title “the Lord Christ” mean to us?) | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
198 | Why does Isaiah call Jesus a Savior? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “There is One Lord Jesus Christ, a wondrous name, indirectly announced beforehand by the Prophets. For Isaiah the Prophet says, Behold, your Saviour is coming, having His own reward (Isa. 62:11). Now Jesus in Hebrew is by interpretation Saviour. For the Prophetic gift, foreseeing the murder... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
199 | Who is the Holy Spirit? | The work of Christ for salvation is the basis of the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church, which allows us to partake of the Father through the crucified Christ. At the same time, without the Holy Spirit, “No one can say that Jesus is Lord” (1 Cor. 12:3). And without Him, the Church cannot have Christ as her Head. So,... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
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