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Holy Synod Question

jmaziounjmazioun
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
Ive got a question, maybe somebody with more knowledge on the church can help me.

Do we beleive the decisions of the Holy Synod are infallible? If so then isnt that the same as what the RC churchs says about the pope, just that we have a few ppl instead of one?

And if it is true, what about the stories in synixarium of saints being excommunicated by synods? Doesnt that mean that Holy Synods have made mistakes?

Thanks and God bless all

Comments

  • Unknown
    The decisions of the Holy Synod are not considered infallible as far as I know and can be changed. Only the Ecumenical Councils (the Coptic recognises 3 such councils) are considered to be infallible and unchangable because they represent the mind of the entire Catholic (Universal) Church, which is infallible, and not just a small group of individuals.

    However, if the decisions of a local council or synod are accepted as Orthodox by the entire church they can be said to infallible by virtue of their orthodoxy.
  • joegjoeg
    yes, i 2nd that, and also we dont believe in Papal infallibility

    pray for me
  • kokiiekokiie
    can someone please explain further ? I am unfamiliar with these terms :S
    what's the Holy Synod ? & also what's Papal infallibility ?


    ??? sorry
    Pray4me
  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    [quote author=doit4Jesus link=board=1;threadid=3755;start=0#msg53436 date=1146212719]

    Do we beleive the decisions of the Holy Synod are infallible? If so then isnt that the same as what the RC churchs says about the pope, just that we have a few ppl instead of one?
    yes that's the whole point. the decsion of a group (a BIG group, 105 bishops i think) is always the best. also they are the apostles of our church. but am not sure if it is really infallible
    may be you should email one of the Bishops.

    And if it is true, what about the stories in synixarium of saints being excommunicated by synods? Doesnt that mean that Holy Synods have made mistakes?

    first in our coptic church there is one synod. and also, if a person is excommunicated, he/she is not a saint. and by the way, a priest can and have the power to excommunicated believers who are not worthy. of course they would ask a bishop first and today in our secioty, IT DOESN'T HAPPEND MUCH.
  • Unknown
    Local synods are not infallible, and Church history is evidence of this. St John Chrysostom for example, was falsely ex-communicated by a local Synod, but later restored.
  • joegjoeg
    hizz child, infallibility means that some1 cant be wrong, we dont beliee in Papal or Hol Synod infallilbility
  • Unknown
    Ecumenical Synods are on the same level with the Holy Scriptures with regard to their "infallibility". I would suggest however, that whilst being infallible they are not inerrant. What this means is, that the Scriptures and Ecumenical Synods may contain errors albeit of a peripheral nature which do not affect the essential or substantial factors. For example, consider the Holy Ecumenical Council of Ephesus 431; it had organisational issues at the start which nearly resulted in the schism of John of Antioch and his faction, but such errors were easily overcome - they neither affected the faith proclaimed at the Council, nor the Ecumenical purpose served by the Council.
  • jmaziounjmazioun
    Thanks a lot guys, that really helped. Just want to clarify one thing:

    So then ecumenical synods are infallible but local synods are not. So then we (Coptic orthodox church) have not taken part in any synods that we consider ecumenical, sine the 3rd council? All the councils we had since then are considered local councils (not infallible), right?
  • Unknown
    Not exactly...

    You see there have been Synods of the Church attended by Bishops of the Universal Church and accepted by them (and which were hence not merely local), though which are not "officially" or "technically" labelled Ecumenical Synods. For example, Ephesus 449 which was presided by St Dioscoros, and Ephesus 475 which was presided by St Timothy. Both councils were in defense of Cyrillian Miaphysitism, though the latter anathematised Eutychanism, whilst the former presupposed that Eutychanism didn't even exist and hence stressed its anti-Nestorianism.

    I don't know why these councils aren't officially declared Ecumenical by our Church, but they were at least Ecumenical in nature.
  • Samuel GuirguisSamuel Guirguis
    as far as i know the holy synod is ALL the coptic bishops...not just a few ppl
  • Unknown
    The Holy Coptic Synod will always be a mere local Synod, by virtue of its being a Coptic Synod. The Coptic Church does not exclusively constitute "The One Holy Universal and Apostolic Orthodox Church".
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