“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Rom 8:14).
He leads them through certain means which if they follow, they will take part in the work of the Holy Spirit and be in the communion of the Holy Spirit (2Cor 13:14).
We call these means ‘The Spiritual Means’ or the means of grace, that is, the means through which the grace of God works or with which it works... In this book, I shall speak to you about eleven of these spiritual means. They are:
Prayer,
The Holy Bible,
Reading the lives of the saints,
Contemplation,
Spiritual Practices,
Giving account of oneself,
Confession,
Holy Communion,
Fasting,
Alms Giving
and Service...These means are essential for every person.
No matter how high the spiritual level of a person may be, he could never survive without these means. They are his continual spiritual food. If he kept away from them or neglected practising them, the heat of his spirit will become lukewarm and he will expose himself to many dangerous combats...The material of this book is the fruit of lectures that were given in the sixties, either in Cairo, Alexandria or Damanhour. Parts of these lectures were published in “El-Keraza” magazine and “Watany” newspaper. We have collected all these lectures in order to publish this book ... There is no doubt that a separate book could be written on each chapter, but we wanted to present all these topics to you in a concentrated way. Try to apply and practise these discussed topics in your life. May God be with you, guiding your steps towards Him.
November 1992 Pope Shenouda III
For more information on the Spiritual Means, follow this link:
http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/The%20spiritual%20means.pdf
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
On the Sprititual Man...
THE IMAGE OF GOD
Perhaps this question is addressed to every person: Who are you? What is man? Some would answer: Man is a body, soul and spirit. Another would answer : Man is a living, sensible, talking, free, wishful creature. Others say - with a sense of humility - that Man is dust and ashes, as our father Abraham said about himself (Gen 18:27). All this is said about any man, then what is the accurate answer? We say it is the definition of the Spiritual Man according to the Holy Bible: HE IS THE IMAGE OF GOD
This is what God said in the History of Creation: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him.” (Gen 1:26,27).
Perhaps man in his divine image was what philosopher Diogenes was searching for, or what the intellectuals mean by the word “Superman”. Of course, by the divine image, it is not meant that man resembles God in His Divine qualities, such as eternity, infinity and the power to create! Not to be thought of! But it means the relative qualities such as:
THE CREATION OF MAN IN THE IMAGE OF GOD IN PURITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
The spiritual man - before the fall - was innocent and simple. He did not know sin at all. I mean our parents Adam and Eve before the fall, when they were both naked and were not ashamed. (Gen 2:25). They have not yet eaten from the tree of life and therefore they did not know evil. They were like the innocent children, whom Jesus loved and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Mt 18:3). The serpent deceived and lied to our mother Eve who did not doubt the
serpent’s words because she did not know lying, deceit or suspicion. Such words were not in her intellectual dictionary at that time.
MAN WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD IN HOLINESS:
Indeed how beautiful were the times when Adam and Eve were holy before the fall. But, what happened was that by sin man lost his holiness and accordingly he lost his divine image. Man became captive to a strange duality which still accompanies him: good and evil, lawful and unlawful and what follows that of life and death.
Thus, God said to him: “I have set before you today life and good, death and evil... blessing and cursing; therefore choose life that you may live” (Deut 30:15-19). And as man lost his divine image by the loss of holiness, he lost purity and simplicity and also lost the knowledge of his divine image...
Then came The Lord Jesus Christ “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15) and returned to us, by His incarnation, the image of God to try and be similar to it...
How can the spiritual man reach such image? The beloved St John said: “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked ” (1 Jn 2:6). By this, God selected His saints... to be conformed to the image of “His Son” (Rom 8:29). If man acted up accordingly on earth, our Lord Jesus Christ - in the general resurrection - “will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Phil 3:21).
For more information on the Spiritual Man, follow this link:
http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/The%20spiritual%20%20man.pdf
Perhaps this question is addressed to every person: Who are you? What is man? Some would answer: Man is a body, soul and spirit. Another would answer : Man is a living, sensible, talking, free, wishful creature. Others say - with a sense of humility - that Man is dust and ashes, as our father Abraham said about himself (Gen 18:27). All this is said about any man, then what is the accurate answer? We say it is the definition of the Spiritual Man according to the Holy Bible: HE IS THE IMAGE OF GOD
This is what God said in the History of Creation: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him.” (Gen 1:26,27).
Perhaps man in his divine image was what philosopher Diogenes was searching for, or what the intellectuals mean by the word “Superman”. Of course, by the divine image, it is not meant that man resembles God in His Divine qualities, such as eternity, infinity and the power to create! Not to be thought of! But it means the relative qualities such as:
THE CREATION OF MAN IN THE IMAGE OF GOD IN PURITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
The spiritual man - before the fall - was innocent and simple. He did not know sin at all. I mean our parents Adam and Eve before the fall, when they were both naked and were not ashamed. (Gen 2:25). They have not yet eaten from the tree of life and therefore they did not know evil. They were like the innocent children, whom Jesus loved and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Mt 18:3). The serpent deceived and lied to our mother Eve who did not doubt the
serpent’s words because she did not know lying, deceit or suspicion. Such words were not in her intellectual dictionary at that time.
MAN WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD IN HOLINESS:
Indeed how beautiful were the times when Adam and Eve were holy before the fall. But, what happened was that by sin man lost his holiness and accordingly he lost his divine image. Man became captive to a strange duality which still accompanies him: good and evil, lawful and unlawful and what follows that of life and death.
Thus, God said to him: “I have set before you today life and good, death and evil... blessing and cursing; therefore choose life that you may live” (Deut 30:15-19). And as man lost his divine image by the loss of holiness, he lost purity and simplicity and also lost the knowledge of his divine image...
Then came The Lord Jesus Christ “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15) and returned to us, by His incarnation, the image of God to try and be similar to it...
How can the spiritual man reach such image? The beloved St John said: “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked ” (1 Jn 2:6). By this, God selected His saints... to be conformed to the image of “His Son” (Rom 8:29). If man acted up accordingly on earth, our Lord Jesus Christ - in the general resurrection - “will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Phil 3:21).
For more information on the Spiritual Man, follow this link:
http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/The%20spiritual%20%20man.pdf
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
On Genesis...
THE WORD OF GOD AND HUMAN LIFE
+ The word of man expresses his thoughts and his own self. It is tied to his human existence, but is separated from his substance. In contrast, the Word of God is viewed by most religions as being eternal and inseparable from God, that is, it is not a supplemental matter ... there was never a time when God was without His Word.
Our belief is that God's Word is the Living God; He is not like man who articulates sounds and human letters.
+ Because of His love for man and his value for human life, God spoke to us through the centuries in our own human language; His Holy Spirit filled the prophets with specific words to guide us to truth, save us from wrong, and to
record His Living Word with human culture so that It may be understood. Differences in writing style assure us of God's sanctity and of His appreciation for human culture, which He didn't scorn but used to express His Eternal
Word.
ITS PURPOSE
1 - God desires that we encounter Him in mutual love: to see Him, to hear Him, to talk with Him and to embrace Him, accepting His glory in us. His Word is not a monologue, that is, a one way conversation from God directed towards us, but a dialogue of love between God and man, and man and God. This is what the dialogue between Abram and God clearly shows us (Genesis 18:17-33).
2 - The Holy Scriptures are not just commandments, but divine promises that empower us. The Bible is not only for us to study, but to experience, to live,and to worship by It. Thus the Holy Scripture came down to us in a style that the illiterate could understand and the literate could admire. It does not cover scientific facts, yet It does not contradict them. The purpose of the Bible is to invite man into a complete life in God (2 Tim 3:16).
3 - In essence, the Bible acquaints us with the person of the Lord Christ as the Word in flesh with Whom we unite as a body with a head, and a bride with the Heavenly Groom Who carries us into the arms of the Father. Both the
New and Old Testaments concentrate on the Lord Christ who saves us from our human nature, and sanctifies and renews us with His Holy Spirit and by His Blood on the cross.
ITS ATTRIBUTES
1 - The Bible is a book unique in kind: it includes history, poetry, literature, wisdom, prophecy and messages - written by prophets, philosophers, wise men, kings, shepherds, and fishermen in different eras that span 16 centuries, and yet is homogenous in thought and purpose - capable of translation into the all world's languages without losing its vitality. It was written by over 35 people inspired by the Holy Spirit.
2 - The greatness of the Holy Bible is glorified by the fulfillment of its prophecies after thousands of years with distinct accuracy and without doubt. It is possible to find a complete description of the Lord Christ, His life, and His divine work from the Old Testament alone.
3 - Creation is described simply but in detail, not in the form of the fairy tales that, without exception, had filled the world; even modern scientific discoveries have come to agree with what is contained in the Bible.
4 - Every year archeological discoveries verify the historical events found in the Bible even those that had been doubted by some researchers.
For more on Gensis, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Genesisc.pdf
+ The word of man expresses his thoughts and his own self. It is tied to his human existence, but is separated from his substance. In contrast, the Word of God is viewed by most religions as being eternal and inseparable from God, that is, it is not a supplemental matter ... there was never a time when God was without His Word.
Our belief is that God's Word is the Living God; He is not like man who articulates sounds and human letters.
+ Because of His love for man and his value for human life, God spoke to us through the centuries in our own human language; His Holy Spirit filled the prophets with specific words to guide us to truth, save us from wrong, and to
record His Living Word with human culture so that It may be understood. Differences in writing style assure us of God's sanctity and of His appreciation for human culture, which He didn't scorn but used to express His Eternal
Word.
ITS PURPOSE
1 - God desires that we encounter Him in mutual love: to see Him, to hear Him, to talk with Him and to embrace Him, accepting His glory in us. His Word is not a monologue, that is, a one way conversation from God directed towards us, but a dialogue of love between God and man, and man and God. This is what the dialogue between Abram and God clearly shows us (Genesis 18:17-33).
2 - The Holy Scriptures are not just commandments, but divine promises that empower us. The Bible is not only for us to study, but to experience, to live,and to worship by It. Thus the Holy Scripture came down to us in a style that the illiterate could understand and the literate could admire. It does not cover scientific facts, yet It does not contradict them. The purpose of the Bible is to invite man into a complete life in God (2 Tim 3:16).
3 - In essence, the Bible acquaints us with the person of the Lord Christ as the Word in flesh with Whom we unite as a body with a head, and a bride with the Heavenly Groom Who carries us into the arms of the Father. Both the
New and Old Testaments concentrate on the Lord Christ who saves us from our human nature, and sanctifies and renews us with His Holy Spirit and by His Blood on the cross.
ITS ATTRIBUTES
1 - The Bible is a book unique in kind: it includes history, poetry, literature, wisdom, prophecy and messages - written by prophets, philosophers, wise men, kings, shepherds, and fishermen in different eras that span 16 centuries, and yet is homogenous in thought and purpose - capable of translation into the all world's languages without losing its vitality. It was written by over 35 people inspired by the Holy Spirit.
2 - The greatness of the Holy Bible is glorified by the fulfillment of its prophecies after thousands of years with distinct accuracy and without doubt. It is possible to find a complete description of the Lord Christ, His life, and His divine work from the Old Testament alone.
3 - Creation is described simply but in detail, not in the form of the fairy tales that, without exception, had filled the world; even modern scientific discoveries have come to agree with what is contained in the Bible.
4 - Every year archeological discoveries verify the historical events found in the Bible even those that had been doubted by some researchers.
For more on Gensis, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Genesisc.pdf
Monday, July 7, 2008
On the Divinity of Christ...
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. Many of the saints faced these objections and were contemporary with the Arian Movement. Among them were:
(1) Saint Athanasius the Apostolic who wrote Contra Arianos,
(2) Saint Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers who wrote a treatise against the Arians called De Trinitate,
(3) Saint Basil the Great,
(4) Saint Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa,
(5) Saint Gregory Theologus of Nazianzum who wrote theological treatises and
(6) Saint Cyril of Jerusalem who delivered lectures to the catechumens.
In our research on the Divinity of Christ, we will give proofs which will include clear verses pertaining to His Divinity with respect to:
(1) Him being the Logos (the Word)
(2) His relation with the Holy Spirit
(3) His relation with Heaven
(4) His relation with the Father
(5) Him being the Only Son
(6) Him being the Only Son of God
(7) Him being the Lord
(8) Him being the Redeemer and Saviour
(9) The belief in Him
(10) His Divine qualities
(11) His authority over all Creation
(12) His miracles
For more information on the Divinity of Christ, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Divinity%20of%20christ.pdf
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. Many of the saints faced these objections and were contemporary with the Arian Movement. Among them were:
(1) Saint Athanasius the Apostolic who wrote Contra Arianos,
(2) Saint Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers who wrote a treatise against the Arians called De Trinitate,
(3) Saint Basil the Great,
(4) Saint Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa,
(5) Saint Gregory Theologus of Nazianzum who wrote theological treatises and
(6) Saint Cyril of Jerusalem who delivered lectures to the catechumens.
In our research on the Divinity of Christ, we will give proofs which will include clear verses pertaining to His Divinity with respect to:
(1) Him being the Logos (the Word)
(2) His relation with the Holy Spirit
(3) His relation with Heaven
(4) His relation with the Father
(5) Him being the Only Son
(6) Him being the Only Son of God
(7) Him being the Lord
(8) Him being the Redeemer and Saviour
(9) The belief in Him
(10) His Divine qualities
(11) His authority over all Creation
(12) His miracles
For more information on the Divinity of Christ, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Divinity%20of%20christ.pdf
Sunday, July 6, 2008
On 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.
The Holy Church did not find an expression more reliable, deep and precise than that which was used by St. Cyril the Great, and which St. Athanasius the Apostolic used before him. Both of them were true leaders in the theological field worldwide.
When I participated in the dialogue arranged by the ProOriente group in Vienna, Austria in September 1971 between the Roman Catholic Church and the ancient Oriental Orthodox Churches concerning the Nature of Christ, the point of
discussion was St. Cyril's expression "One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" (Mia Physis Tou Theou Logou
Sesarkwmene).
After the schism which took place in the year 451 AD, when the Coptic Orthodox Church rejected the motions of the Council of Chalcedon and its theological struggles, we were called "Monophysites" that is, those who believe in the "One Nature".
Sharing our belief are the Syrians, the Armenians, the Ethiopians and the Indians; who were also called "NonChalcedonian" Orthodox Churches. On the other hand, the Chalcedonian Catholic and Greek Churches "The Roman Orthodox" believe in the two natures of Christ; the Protestant Churches also hold this belief. Consequently, these churches are known as "Diophysites" -
believers in the two natures of Christ.
The Roman - or Chalcedonian - Orthodox Churches include those of Constantinople, Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Romania,
Hungary and Serbia as well as the Roman Orthodox Churches of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, America and the St. Catherine
Monastery in the Sinai desert.
The term "Monophysites" used for the believers in the One Nature has been intentionally or unintentionally misinterpreted throughout certain periods of history. Consequently, the Coptic and the Syrian Churches in particular were cruelly persecuted because of their belief, especially during the period which started from the Council of Chalcedon held in 451 AD and continued to the conquest of the Arabs in Egypt and Syria (about 641 AD).
For more on the Nature of Christ, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Natofchr.pdf
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.
The Holy Church did not find an expression more reliable, deep and precise than that which was used by St. Cyril the Great, and which St. Athanasius the Apostolic used before him. Both of them were true leaders in the theological field worldwide.
When I participated in the dialogue arranged by the ProOriente group in Vienna, Austria in September 1971 between the Roman Catholic Church and the ancient Oriental Orthodox Churches concerning the Nature of Christ, the point of
discussion was St. Cyril's expression "One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" (Mia Physis Tou Theou Logou
Sesarkwmene).
After the schism which took place in the year 451 AD, when the Coptic Orthodox Church rejected the motions of the Council of Chalcedon and its theological struggles, we were called "Monophysites" that is, those who believe in the "One Nature".
Sharing our belief are the Syrians, the Armenians, the Ethiopians and the Indians; who were also called "NonChalcedonian" Orthodox Churches. On the other hand, the Chalcedonian Catholic and Greek Churches "The Roman Orthodox" believe in the two natures of Christ; the Protestant Churches also hold this belief. Consequently, these churches are known as "Diophysites" -
believers in the two natures of Christ.
The Roman - or Chalcedonian - Orthodox Churches include those of Constantinople, Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Romania,
Hungary and Serbia as well as the Roman Orthodox Churches of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, America and the St. Catherine
Monastery in the Sinai desert.
The term "Monophysites" used for the believers in the One Nature has been intentionally or unintentionally misinterpreted throughout certain periods of history. Consequently, the Coptic and the Syrian Churches in particular were cruelly persecuted because of their belief, especially during the period which started from the Council of Chalcedon held in 451 AD and continued to the conquest of the Arabs in Egypt and Syria (about 641 AD).
For more on the Nature of Christ, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Natofchr.pdf
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