Brethren, Christ is Risen! Sorry to re-open such an old post. I am actually having difficulty with "historic revisionism" and synaxarium folk tales of miracles. I just finished reading Fr VC Samuel Book on Chalcedon. Quite honestly, I have skimmed o…
I don't believe that the Coptic church has an official position on contraception. There are methods of contraception that are safe and close to 100% effective (like condoms). You should speak with a doctor
I believe that Christ is the way and not one of many ways. He said "I am the way, the truth, the life. Nobody comes to the father except through Me". We know also that it is His good pleasure that all are saved. I believe the burden lies on us "peop…
Mike I am sorry if my writings disturbed you. Please take comfort in this simple promise "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). The …
I would argue that all denominations have produced rich spiritual heritage. The edified would have their "spiritual senses" awakened and they can "smell holiness" in others who would look humble and not appealing to non-edified senses. Fr Matta Alma…
I am sorry for your pain mnc_hnn. Suffering remains a difficult concept for all, including Christians to reconcile with a loving God. The bible gives us many glimpses of what suffering means to God as Joshuaa quote above but also gives us more than …
I agree with you on all of that but the schisms over Christendom has to do with politics rather than Theology. Who would have dominion over Christendom (Alexandria or Rome)? Who was on the side of this or that Roman Emperor? and so forth.
There are…
It seems like I had inadvertently offended many brothers here which wasn't my intention. I sent a personal message to the admin to delete my messages and close my account.
Please forgive me a sinner!!
Trust me this isn't about Copts. I am a "Copt" by the way. All get defensive when those hard questions are asked. Trust me also the Eastern Orthodox were equally disturbed by my inquiry so this isn't about Copts. It is about "zeal" no matter where i…
Sometimes redemption also refers to restoration or spiritual regeneration. You can see that in the lives of the Saints like St Moses the Black. So, redemption can be manifest in "flesh" or in this life.
Salvation applies only to human souls but redemption potentially applies to all creation (not only human souls) although not everyone agrees with this!
I believe salvation is saving souls through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. Redemption means the same; redeeming souls but may have a more "universal" implication: means total restoration of all creation to the original blameless state before the f…
I wholeheartedly agree with you however it have also to be clear that the Church is "hospital" as St John Chrysostom calls it! There is a fine line between intolerance for sin and tolerance for sinners!
Actually there is no biblical word for "toler…
The answer comes from CS Lewis (who quotes the Bible) on 4 different types of loves: the first 3 are biblical (In Greek words): 1-Phileo: love you have for friends that you enjoy their company; 2-Eros: romantic love that sexuality is a part of; and …
Mina is good guy with zeal for the Church! He is also an advocate for Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Unity. He wrote a great apologetic defense against Dr Nicholas Marinides (an EO Theologian/Scholar endorser of "Mount Athos Fundamentalism") attack o…
If you had to deal with my same issues, you would understand! I am "living" the schism and not working on a Masters Thesis in Theology!
One good analogy. I am a hematologist who actually have the leukemia and is not just treating it (if that makes …
The undisputed truth, unfortunately, that there is no venue where one can converse about issues of faith without receiving condemnation! I better off stop trying. When I say "you failed to see" that is not a condemnation (if Elder Paisios have "fail…
No need - feel free to delete! I am not claiming Sainthood or misrepresenting anybody. I speak the truth (in my limited view). I have no ill intentions towards the Coptic or EO churches! If one can't talk freely about issues of faith (without risk o…
I hesitated about posting this for a while!I think we need to read the history of Christendom with an open mind. The realty is the Church Fathers of the first 4 centuries were largely "Universalists" (means they believe of Salvation for ALL humanity…
I personally worked out all the difficult "intellectual objections to faith" including pain and suffering in the world, atrocities of the Old Testament God, pseudo-science and "scientism" vs. faith, allegorical vs. literal interpretations of the Bib…
" the one thing I am confident in is that although we may have some opposing doctrines one major thing we have in common with Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Episcopalians is our burning desire to be close to our Lord"
True however our religiou…
Dear Lovejoypeace: If you read Arabic, here is a great resource: http://www.christianlib.com you can download most writings of the Church Fathers from there. If you read English, most of the Church Father writings you can get on Amazon for less than…