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Differences Between Orthodox and Catholic
Written by Father Jacob
In this article, we try to answer the following questions about the differences between the Orthodox Church (specifically, the Coptic (Egyptian Christian) Orthodox Church) and the Catholic Church:
1.Why the Orthodox Church disagrees with the Catholic Church on the Supremacy of St. Peter?
2.Is St. Mary regarded by the Orthodox Church as being Theotokos, “Mother Of God”, Ever Virgin, preserved from sin, and being assumed into heaven?
3.Why the Orthodox Church does not accept the Catholic Church’s Belief in Immaculate Conception?
4.Does the Coptic Church believe that St. Mary and the saints intercede for us in heaven?
5.Does the Orthodox Church believe in Baptism By Immersion Or Sprinkling? Are all baptisms done with water and in the name of the trinity “father, son and holy spirit” (Matthew 28:19) considered valid baptisms by the Coptic Church? Why or why not? Can a person ever be re-baptized or is it once baptized always baptized?
6.Why the Orthodox Church does not agree with the Catholic Church that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son?
7.Why the Orthodox Church does not accept Purgatory?
8.Why the Orthodox Church Forces Vegetarian Fasting for Fixed Times? Is it Biblical?
9.Why the Orthodox Churches have to Face The East?
10. What is the Orthodox Church’s stand on Divorce?
Why the Orthodox Church Disagree with the Catholic Church on the Supremacy of St. Peter?
Many of the Catholic scholars have has misinterpreted the following passage of the scripture as a commandment from God that St. Peter is the head of all churches and the founder of the Roman Church:
“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets’. He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’. Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:13-19).
This contradicts the interpretation of the holy fathers in the first centuries of the Church who clearly stated that the solid rock upon which the Lord has built His own Church is Peter’s true confession concerning the Lord, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). If the rock was someone who eventually will die, the church will definitely die with him. Jesus Christ has declared that He Himself was that stone designated by the prophets. For example, “Jesus said to them, ‘have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone” (Matthew 21:42). In Luke, “Then He looked at them and said, ‘what then is this that is written: The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone?’ Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder” Luke (20:17,18). St. Paul clearly states that Jesus Christ was that Rock “and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ “ (1 Corinthians 10:4). St. Peter also declares the same truth saying “Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone’, and ‘A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense’. They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed” (1 Peter 2:7,8) and “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious” (1 Peter 2:4).
St. Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, indicates that all the apostles and prophets together (not only St. Peter) are the foundation of the building in Christ “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone” (Eph. 2:19,20).
The question is: why would the Roman Church insist on claiming the supremacy of St. Peter if the Lord taught us not to worry about it? Thankfully, the Bible describes that same position during the time of Jesus Christ when He came to Capernaum “And when He was in the house He asked them, ‘what was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?’ But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest” (Mark 9:33-34). They couldn’t give Him an answer, but He gave them and us the answer “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). In this answer, He did not assign one of the twelve to be their head or superior, but if anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all. This is a new concept for being first, and that is to serve not be served. Similarly, in the Book of Luke, He did not assign any of the disciples to be their first or their superior “Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. And He said to them, ‘the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors’. But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves” (Luke 22:24-27).
Similarly, when He sent out the twelve disciples, He did not assign a superior for them “And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff--no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts--but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics” (Mark 6:7-9).
If God really wants to appoint St. Peter as the head of the disciples and His church, why did He call St. Peter by his first name after resurrection? When St. Peter denied Jesus, he was afraid that he would also be denied on the Day of Judgment “Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, ‘You are not also one of His disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not!’ One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, ‘Did I not see you in the garden with Him?’ Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed” (John 18:25-27). Therefore, God wanted to restore him to his discipleship position before ascension to heaven as clearly shown in this passage “So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon (NOT Peter, name of ordination and consecration), son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You’. He said to him, ‘Feed My lambs’. He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You’. He said to him, ‘Tend My sheep’. He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’ Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You’. Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep’” (John 21:15-17). If this passage means that Jesus is handing off this stewardship to Peter, why “Peter was grieved”?
Before ascension, Jesus granted priesthood to all the disciples and not only Peter “So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you’. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’” (John 20:21-23).
It is also interesting to note that when the disciples gathered in Jerusalem for the first international council, meaning in the presence of all bishops (disciples including St. Peter), we notice that James was the head of the council who made its final recommendations:
“And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved’. Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question…And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, ‘Men and brethren, listen to me: Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: ‘After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things’. Known to God from eternity are all His works. Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath” (Acts 15:1-21).
The final word was for James since he was the bishop of Jerusalem and head of the council. Peter spoke in the council only as a member of the assembly, not ever the first but after many others. He felt himself obliged in the presence of the other apostles to renounce publicly his opinion. James, Bishop of Jerusalem, summed up the discussion, proved the resolution, which was adopted, and dated as the head of the assembly. The apostles then did not consider St. Peter as the foundation stone of the church. Consequently the papal interpretation of the famous text, “The Petrus”, is contrary to the Holy Scripture as it is to tradition.
Another question needs to be addressed her: Who established the Church of Rome, St. Peter or St. Paul? We can simply answer this question by recalling some of the scriptures “But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles)” (Galatians 2:7,8). From these verses we conclude that St. Paul was the apostle for uncircumcised (the gentiles), while Peter was for the circumcised (Jews). We also know that the epistle to the Galatians was written between 56 and 57 A.D., which was about 16 years after Peter baptized Cornelius the gentile, i.e. around 40 A.D., and yet still did not consider Peter as the apostle of the gentile, because that incident was once!
The Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans tells us about the responsibility of St. Paul toward the Romans, whom he served and preached to “A relationship of love and service among many believers in Rome”. We also notice from St. Paul’s ministry in Rome that “when he came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him. And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: ‘Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans” (Acts 28:16,17). This was around 60 A.D., and it seems that they did not know much about Christianity “Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him” (Acts 28:30,31). Moreover, St. Paul made it very clear that he never preaches where someone else has preached “so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation” (Romans 15:20). From here we conclude that St. Peter did not preach or establish the Church of Rome, otherwise why would St. Paul spent two years preaching and teaching matters concerning the kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you wonder when did St. Peter reach Rome, you can easily find that after he ministered in Judea he went to Antioch, then Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. Thus wrote his epistle to the pilgrims who were dispersed in these areas (1 Peter 1:1). Although there is not one single verse in the Bible that mentions that St. Peter went to Rome or ministered there, we know from the traditions that St. Peter was martyred in Rome during Nero’s reign in 67 A.D. or a little before that. We also know the following:
1.St. Peter was imprisoned in Jerusalem at 44 A.D. so how was he present in Rome at that time?
2.Clodus Caeser exiled all the Jews and the Christians from Rome at 45 A.D., and the book of Acts made reference to this event (Acts 18:2). So it is again impossible for Peter to be in Rome then.
3.In 50 A.D., he attended the apostles council in Jerusalem, so it was impossible for him to be in Rome then.
4.St. Paul wrote to the Romans in 57-58 A.D. asking to be given a chance to reach them and teach them about God. This is a proof that Peter did not preach there, otherwise St. Paul would not have asked to be given a chance to go.
5.In 58 A.D. when St. Paul wrote his epistle to Rome, he greeted many people, and the name of Peter was not among them, which means that Peter was not there at that time.
6.When St. Paul reached Rome at 60 A.D., the Book did not tell us that he met with Peter, but rather St. Paul met the leaders of the Jews...thus proving that Peter did not preach them with the Lord Jesus.
7.St. Paul stayed in Rome after that two years teaching and preaching the Romans, (62/63 A.D.) meaning that if Peter reached Rome then, the Church of Rome was founded, established and strong by the works of the Holy Spirit and St. Paul.
Therefore we acknowledge what Origen said, that, St. Peter came to Rome before he died, about 65 A.D., to chase Simon the sorcerer, who offered money to him (Peter) and John for the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:9-24), and Peter was crucifies there and died.
Finally, we notice that St. Mark was one of the helper for St. Paul in Rome. For example, St. Paul writes to the Colossians saying “Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him, and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me” (Colossians 4:10,11). St. Paul was telling the Colossians that Mark was present with him in Rome. He also said “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers” (Philemon 1:23,24). Here we see again that Mark was mentioned even before Luke the evangelist, working with St. Paul in establishing the Church of Rome. Similarly, he wrote to Timothy saying, “Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11). Here, Luke was not enough to serve in Rome, so St. Paul called Mark specifically to serve with him, and stayed there till St. Paul was martyred then he returned to Alexandria once more.
2.Is St. Mary Regarded By The Orthodox Church As Being Theotokos, “Mother Of God”, Ever Virgin, Preserved From Sin, And Being Assumed Into Heaven?
The Orthodox Church believes that St. Mary is the Theotokos, the “Mother of God”, or “God bearer”. The title, Theotokos, was first officially accorded to St. Mary at the council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. This council was called to establish the belief that Jesus Christ was truly God the incarnate, i.e., fully God and fully man. A concept that was being vigorously challenged by a bishop named Nestorius – formerly presbyter at Antioch and then made patriarch of Constantinople. The council deposed him and he was subsequently banished in 436AD. The title Theotokos (Mother of God), reasoned the Council, could rightly be given to St. Mary because, according to the Scriptures, He who was conceived of her was, by the Holy Spirit, called the “Son of God” and therefore, God, from the moment of His conception.
To clarify the issue, the Coptic (Egyptian) Orthodox Church met with the Catholic Church in Rome in 1971 with the hope of reconciling the differences and clarifying the definition of the nature of Christ. It took 17 years until an agreement was reached and it was published in 1988 with the following exact statement:
“We believe that our Lord, God and Savior 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 a twinkling of an eye. At the same time, we anathematize the Doctrines of both Nestorius and Eutuches”.
Finally, the Traditions of the Orthodox Church teach that St. Mary’s body has ascended into paradise. The Lord wouldn’t leave the mother who carried Him in her womb and cared for Him, in the flesh, to stay on earth. The Coptic Church celebrates the
assumption of St. Mary’s body into Paradise on the 16th of the Coptic Month Misra (August 22). Finally, the question about whether St. Mary is preserved from sin is addressed in the following section.
Why the Orthodox Church does not accept the Catholic Church’s Belief in Immaculate Conception?
The Orthodox Church strongly disproves the Catholics belief of Immaculate Conception of St. Mary. The Church believes in what the early Church and all the three Ecumenical Councils agreed upon that the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary was conceived normally with the original sin of our first parents Adam and Eve and needs salvation as she herself acknowledged in her praise at St. Elizabeth’s house saying, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46,47). “My Savior” is a personal savior, meaning that she needs salvation. If she were immaculately conceived of, then she would not need a Savior.
When the Bible described St. Mary’s conception from the Holly Spirit, it was written “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). The Holy Spirit did a couple of two very important functions: First, He purified and sanctified St. Mary’s womb and prepared it for that unique act of uniting the Divinity of God with the humanity. Second, it allowed the immaculate conception of Jesus Christ. If the immaculate conception was referred to St. Mary, then this means that the human race can produce a sinless being every several centuries, and hence there is no need for God’s salvation for being perfect as God, while the Bible tells us that;
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).
“What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?” (Job 15:14).
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalms 51:5).
“But the scripture has confined all under sin” (Galatians 3:22).
“When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin)” (1 Kings 8:46).
“For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin” (Ecclesiastes 7:20).
Only Christ is sinless, thus immaculately conceived of by the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of God) and from the Virgin Mary, He became man (The Creed).
“For He (God) made Him (Jesus) Who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with one weakness, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sins” (Hebrew 4:15).
“For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens” (Hebrew 7:26).
“And you know that He (Jesus) was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5).
4.Does the Coptic Church Believe that St. Mary and the Saints Intercede for us in Heaven?
The Orthodox Church believes in the intercession of St. Mary and all the saints. To elaborate a little more on the intercession, let us examine the following examples from both the Old and New Testaments.
Examples from the Old Testament
The Lord Visits Abraham
The Lord visited Abraham along with two angels. At the end of the visit, “the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing” (Genesis 18:17). Then the Lord talked to Abraham about the great sins of Sodom and Gomorrah:
“And Abraham came near and said, Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? So the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. Then Abraham answered and said, indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five? So He said, If I find there forty‑five, I will not destroy it. And he spoke to Him yet again and said, Suppose there should be forty found there? So He said, I will not do it for the sake of forty. Then he said, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there? So He said, I will not do it if I find thirty there. And he said, indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there? So He said, I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty. Then he said, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there? And He said, I will not destroy it for the sake of ten” (Genesis 18:20‑32).
The above italic phrases show that God is willing to forgive the whole area for the sake of even one righteous person. He also wanted us to know how much God loved Abraham and how much He was willing to accept his intercession on behalf of the sinners even if they did not ask for forgiveness..
· The Story of Abimelech
“And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife. But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? Did he not say to me, She is my sister? And she, even she herself said, He is my brother. In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this. And God said to him in a dream, Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. Now therefore, restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours” (Genesis 20:1‑7).
· Job’s Test
“The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has” (Job 42:7‑8)
· Moses Pleads with the Lord
“And the Lord said to Moses, go, get down! for your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt! And the Lord said to Moses, I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff‑necked people! Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation. Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said: Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever. So the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people” (Exodus 32:7‑14).
God tells Moses “let Me”. Can anyone stop God from doing what He wants to do. No, but He wants to show us His love to Moses and His wish to teach us the intercession of Moses in his people. Look how Moses reminded God of his fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel because he knows that God will listen to them.
· God tears Solomon’s kingdom
“Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of my servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen....And he said to Jeroboam, Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you (but he shall have one tribe for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), because they have forsaken Me, and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the people of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways to do what is right in My eyes and keep My statutes and My judgments, as did his father David. However I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, because I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of My servant David, whom I chose because he kept My commandments and My statutes” (1 Kings 11:11‑34).
Examples from the New Testament
· The Paralytic Man
“So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you. And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, This Man blasphemes! But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, Your sins are forgiven you, or to say, Arise and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, then He said to the paralytic, Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house. And he arose and departed to his house. Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men” (Matthew 9:1‑8).
· The Syro‑Phoenician Woman
“For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syro‑Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. But Jesus said to her, Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. And she answered and said to Him, Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs. Then He said to her, For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter. And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed” (Mark 7:25‑30).
· The Centurion Man
“Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented. And Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it. When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then Jesus said to the centurion, Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you. And his servant was healed that same hour” (Matthew 8:5‑13).
· Lazarous and the Rich Man
“But Abraham said, Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented” (Luke 16:25).
How did Abraham know that Lazarus received evil things while the rich man received good things.
· The Transfiguration of Christ
“And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17:3-4).
If Moses and Elijah died centuries before Jesus, how did they show up again unless they are really alive.
Finally, how would the angels rejoice when the sinners repent unless they know sins and who doesn’t “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).
Alos, remember what the Bible says “But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:31‑32).
Does the Orthodox Church believe in Baptism By Immersion Or Sprinkling? Are all baptisms done with water and in the name of the trinity “father, son and holy spirit” (Matthew 28:19) considered valid baptisms by the Coptic Church? Why or why not? Can a person ever be re-baptized or is it once baptized always baptized?
The one holy, catholic and apostolic Church of the first three Ecumenical Councils baptized by three immersions in the water, and Pope Pelagius spoke of the triple immersion as a command of the Lord. In the thirteenth century baptism by immersions still prevailed in the West; and the sacred baptisteries themselves, preserved in the more ancient churches in Italy, are eloquent witnesses on this point; but in later times sprinkling or effusion, being privately brought in, came to be accepted by the Papal Church, which still holds fast the innovation, thus also widening the gulf which she has opened; but we Orthodox, remaining faithful to the apostolic tradition and the practice of the three Ecumenical Councils, “stand fast, contending for the common profession, the paternal treasure of the sound faith” (St. Basil the Great, Epistle 243, To the Bishops of Italy and Gual).
1. It is clear from the Holy Bible that baptism was by immersion and not by sprinkling, even at the time of John the Baptist. The Lord Jesus Himself was baptized by immersion. That is why the Bible said “Then Jesus, when He had been baptized, came up immediately from the water” (Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10). The Coptic Church names the Epiphany (Theophany) Day on which the Lord Jesus Christ was baptized the “Immersion Day” to confirm this meaning in our minds.
2. The same meaning of the expression “came up immediately from the water” is used in the event of Phillip baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch. The Holy Gospel says “And both Phillip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Phillip away” (Acts 8:38,39). This proves that baptism was by immersion. If it were by sprinkling, it would have been adequate for Phillip to sprinkle water on the eunuch while he was in the chariot without the necessity for both of them to go down into the water.
3. The word ‘baptism’ means dye. Dyeing cannot be done without immersion.
4. Baptism is the action of dying with Christ and being buried with Him, as the Apostle says “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death” (Romans 6:4) and we were “buried with Him in baptism” (Col. 2:12). The action of burying cannot be achieved except by immersion. The coming up out of the baptistery signifies rising with Christ after having died and been buried with Him, whereas sprinkling does not express the action of dying and rising.
5. Baptism is a rebirth. Birth is the coming out of a body from another body. This is manifested in baptism when the body of the baptized comes out of the baptistery, whereas sprinkling does not express the action of the birth at all.
6. Baptism is the washing away of sins as said to St. Paul (Acts 22:16) and as St. Paul said in his Epistle to Titus “He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:50). The action of washing needs dipping into water, which is represented by immersion but not by sprinkling.
7. Whoever looks at the buildings of the old churches will notice the existence of baptisteries, which are proof that baptism was by immersion and not by sprinkling because the action of sprinkling does not need a baptistery.
Additionally, the Catholic Church does not believe in the baptism of children considering the children to be young enough to make such a decision and commitment. They also use the verse “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” to indicate that believing is the condition of baptism. However, the Orthodox Church always remembers our Lord’s promise, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Therefore, out of love to its children and their eternity, the Orthodox Church allows baptism of children to give them the opportunity to benefit from all church’s sacraments (e.g., communion) and enjoy the church’s warm atmosphere and God’s grace according to His commandment “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14).
Historically, the early church insisted on the baptism of children, so that grace touches their own salvation. Every human being is born in sin and for this reason it is an apostolic tradition to baptize the newly born. Origen spoke about infant baptism saying, “The Church has received a tradition from the Apostles to give baptism even to little ones. For since the secrets of divine mysteries had been entrusted to them, they know that there are in all people genuine defilements of sin, which ought to be washed away through water and Spirit. If you like to hear what other saints have felt in regard to physical birth, listen to David when he says, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalms 51:5), proving that every soul, which is born in the flesh is tainted with the stain of iniquity and sin. This is the reason for that saying which we have already quoted above, ‘No man is clean from sin, not even if his life be one day long’ (Job 14,4). To these, as a further point, may be added an inquiry into the reason from which, while the church’s baptism is given for the remission of sin, it is the custom of the Church that baptism be administered even to infants. Certainly, if there were nothing in infants that required remission and called for lenient treatment, the grace of baptism would seem unnecessary. For those who have been entrusted with the secrets of the divine mysteries, knew very well that all are tainted with the stain of original sin, which must be washed off by water and the Spirit”.
In summary, since our church believes in “one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5) a person who does not have that same (one) faith and same (one) baptism understanding and conditions must be re-baptized when joining the Coptic Church. However, a person of the same faith and same baptism who for any reason may renounce the faith and then repents and comes back to church, they do not need to be re-baptized. The Church may impose some teaching lessons and commandment to ensure their understanding and faith.
Why the Orthodox Church does not agree with the Catholic Church that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son?
The Orthodox Church believes in what is written in the scriptures that “The Spirit of truth Who proceeds from the Father (John 15:26) and “when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father only, but is sent by the Son as He said “But if I depart, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7). This also confirmed when He said “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26). He also said that the Holy Spirit “will convict the world of sin, because they do not believe in Me” (John 16:8,9).
The Orthodox Churches (the Chalcedonian and non-Chalcedonians) believe in the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father alone. It is not because of Christ’s humility that He did not mention the Spirit’s procession from the Son, as Christ declared in the same verse that He would send Him. So why didn’t Jesus indicate that as the Holy Spirit is sent by Him, also proceeds from Him? Why did indicate that the procession is from the Father?
Although the declaration of a double procession was first adopted by the Synod of Toledgo (477), the Orthodox Church completely rejects this concept. H. H. Pope Shenouda III says that this dogma makes two Fathers in the Holy Trinity, for there would be two origins. The procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father is imperfect then! God forbid. The adoption of the Filioque clause has occurred without the authority of an ecumenical council, as it is declared by the agreed statement issued by the Anglican Orthodox Commission in Moscow, in 1967. The Anglican members therefore, agreed that:
a. Because the original form of the Creed referred to the origin of the Holy Spirit from the Father,
b. Because the Filioque clause was introduced into this Creed without the authority of an ecumenical council and without due regard for Catholic assent; and
c. Because the Creed constitutes the public confession of faith by the people of God in the Eucharist, the Filioque clause should not be included in the Creed.
This dogma caused a great division between the Greeks and the Catholics for many centuries and till today. It also caused the same thing even among the Catholics themselves.
The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of knowledge (Isaiah 11:2); the Spirit of love, the Spirit of sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7); the Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15), etc., and it is not said that He proceeds from wisdom, understanding, knowledge, love, and sound minded, adoption, etc.
We conclude that although some Western fathers accepted the doctrine of the double procession of the Holy Spirit as a philosophical and metaphysical thought, yet a great number of Roman Pontiffs such as Celestien, Leo the Great, Hadrian I, Leo III, Benedict III, John VIII held the opposite view. The addition of the Filioque to the Nicene Creed opposes the teaching of the Bible, the Ecumenical Councils, the Didaskalia of the Fathers and the tradition of the Church.
Why the Orthodox Church does not accept Purgatory?
In the Catholic belief, purgatory is a state and place of fire, imprisonment, exile, punishments, etc., where the soul has to pay off its debts to the Divine justice, for its sins that were committed, as it left the world with its burden, not repenting. The souls of those who have died in the state of grace suffer for a time that prepares them to enter heaven and appear in the presence of the beatific vision. The purpose of purgatory is to cleanse one of imperfections, venial sins, and faults, and to remit or do away with the temporal punishment due to mortal sins that have been forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance. It is an intermediate state in which the departed souls can atone for unforgiven sins before receiving their final reward.
This state is not described in the teaching of the Church but its existence is a truth of faith defined by the Council of Trent (Sess. 25). Purgatory will last only until the general judgment (Cf. Holy Souls) “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15). This was mentioned while discussing matters concerning service and ministers, not concerning punishment and judgment. See 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 and it will be known to you that St. Paul was referring to the action of building on the foundation of faith which he (St. Paul) established, and not concerning people. He was referring to the service of the ministers and not to the people, the faithful. Fire was not meant literally. Look at what Zechariah said in Chapter 3:1,2 “Is this not a brand plucked from the fire”, speaking of Joshua. It is the grace and mercy of God that intervened to plush out from the fire, before burning, and granted life! Now Joshua was alive in the flesh, so it cannot be the fire of purgatory, but refers to the sin and defilement which be committed along with all the nation (Zechariah 3:4,9). So it means, he will scarcely be saved, as St. Peter said, “If the righteous one is scarcely saved” (1 Peter 4:18). We therefore, deduct from all these verses that God forgave us our sins, how can He go back on His word and execute punishment period or status on sins that He forgave and blotted them out? “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).
The concept of purgatory started in 1215 at Latran council, 1274 at Leon council, 1431 at Florence council, and 1545-1563 at Trent council. It started in the 13th century and was enforced by the 15th century. It does not give the image of the loving God Who loved the world and gave Himself for us (John 3:16). It is against the Redemption and Salvation by our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ:
a. All we like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6).
b. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5).
c. And the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).
d. The only requirement for our sanctification is repentance: if we confess our sins, and if we walk in the light (1 John 1:7,9).
e. Full and complete salvation, not partial; “therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him” (Hebrew 7:25).
The angel said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (Luke 2:10). St. Paul in his epistle to the Philippians (1:23) said, “For I...having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better?”
From the previous verses, we see that all depends on the salvation which Christ our Lord offered, otherwise people would have been frightened to leave the body, if they have to go to purgatory with all its consequences, fire, torture, imprisonment, etc. Instead, we should remind the people that our chances are right now, right here on earth where we should repent and enjoy the life with God on earth. We should remind them with the mercy of God and His open door for forgiveness remembering some of His promises:
1. “Repent therefore and be convinced, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19).
2. “I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins” (Isaiah 44:22).
3. “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, nailed to the cross” (Colossians 2:13,14).
4. “I, even I, am He Who blots out transgressions for My own sake and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25).
Why the Orthodox Church Forces Vegetarian Fasting for Fixed Times? Is it Biblical?
Fasting was not a symbol but rather a standing order in the Old Testament, and it remains as such in the New Testament. Our brethren the Catholics do not totally eliminate it but discount it. Fasting is one of the three pillars of faith (fasting, prayer, and giving) and its essence and purpose is very clear from the following verse “To loose the bond of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke, is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?” (Isaiah 58:6,7). Here are some examples of group fasting:
a. The fasting of the people in the days of Esther. These people fasted together at one time and for one purpose and through unity in prayers and fasting. God accepted their fasting and answered them. (Esther 4).
b. The fasting of the people of Nineveh. All fasted together, not in secret, and God accepted their fast and forgave their sins (Jonah 3).
c. The fasting of people in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. Nehemiah says, “Now on the twenty fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dust on their heads” (Neh. 9:1). And Ezra said, “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions” (Ezra 8:21).
d. Fasting in the days of Joel. The Bible says “Now, therefore, says the Lord, turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning...Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation...let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room” (Joel 2:12-17).
e. The fasting of the apostles in the New Testament. When Christ was asked why his disciples did not fast, He said, “when the bridegroom will be take away from them, then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15), and they indeed fasted together, not in secret, and the Lord accepted their fast. The Bible also says, “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate Me Barnabus and Saul for the work to which I have called them’. Then having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:2,3).
f. The apostle St. Paul fasted much and the people in the ship (Acts 27:21).
Therefore, congregational fasting is not new to the Church and is a biblical teaching. It is an evidence of the unity in spirit and is particularly important to the whole congregation. There is no boasting in group fasting for it applies equally to everyone. As to the extent of fasting and its depth, this continues to be in secret for each individual. Also, there is not a single verse in the New Testament, which prohibits group fasting.
But why the Orthodox Church fasts at fixed times? Simple because it is a biblical teaching. We read in the book of Zechariah about the fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth month and the fast of the seventh month and the fast of the tenth month (Zech. 8:10). Perhaps the wisdom setting aside certain times of fasting is assuring discipline in group worship. In Christianity, the occasions of fasting have specific Christian meanings, each of which has its wisdom, effect and spiritual goal.
But doesn’t this conflict with the Bible’s commandment “Let no one judge you in food or in drink”? We notice that the apostle did not say ‘let no one judge you in fasts’ but said ‘Let no one judge you in food or in drink’. By this he means the forbidden foods to the Jews, such as the types of food they regarded as ‘unclean’. This reminds us of the vision which Saint Peter the apostle had when he saw a great sheet and in it were all kinds of food and he heard a voice saying to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat. But Peter said, ‘Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean’. So the voice spoke to him again ‘What God has cleansed, you must not call uncommon’” (Acts 10:11-15). Of these common and unclean foods, said St. Paul the apostle, “Let no one judge you in food or drink”. At the dawn of Christianity, the Jews were first among those who entered the faith. Therefore they wanted Christianity to conform to Judaism, and include all the Jewish customs concerning unclean matters, purification, keeping the Sabbath, the celebration of the feast of Passover, (Unleavened bread), the trumpets, the tabernacles and the Day of Atonement. St. Paul resisted then this trend of making Christianity Jewish-like. For this reason he said, “Let no one judge you in food or drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come” (Colossians 2:16,17). The occasion, therefore, was not one of talking about facts, but about Jewish customs in general which they wanted to impose on Christianity.
But why the Orthodox Church fasts with vegetarian food only? For many reasons:
a. First of all, fasting in our church is not only limited to vegetarian food, but is abstinence from all types of food for some time followed by the consumption of vegetarian food (which lacks animal fats).
b. Vegetarian food was what God gave Adam and Eve to eat in paradise (Genesis 1:29) and even after they sinned (Genesis 3:18). Further, all animals used vegetarian food, which was the green herb (Genesis 1:30).
c. The Bible did not allow meat consumption except after Noah’s ark (Genesis 9:3), when the world had gone astray and God decided to flood it.
d. When the Lord led His people in the Sinai desert, He provided them with vegetarian food, which was the manna (Numbers 11:7,8). He did not allow the consumption of meat (quails) except after they complained and cried and deteriorated in spirit. Synchronous with the consumption of meat, God struck them so hard that so many died (Numbers 11:33). The place was then called Kibroth Hattaavah (i.e., the graves of craving) for there they buried their people who yielded to craving.
e. We also notice that Daniel and the three young men ate only vegetarian food, and God blessed their food and they looked healthier than the king’s young men (Daniel 1:12-15).
In summary, the wisdom behind using vegetarian food is that it is not conductive to lust and not provocative to the flesh. Second, it was the original type of food which God gave man. Some types of food are described in Ezekiel “Also take yourself wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them into one vessel, and make bread of these for yourself. During the number of your days that you lie on your side, 390 days, you shall eat it. And your food, which you eat, shall be by weight, 20 shekels a day; from time to time you shall eat it. You shall also drink water by measure, 1/6 of a hen; from time to time you shall drink. And you shall eat it as barley cakes, and bake it using fuel of human waste in their sight” (Ezekiel 4:9-12).
What does the Bible means when saying “Commanding to abstain from Food”? In this verse, the Bible does not speak of a particular discipline within the Church, but says, “Some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons...forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving” (1 Timothy 4:1-3). This perhaps meant the Manechian and Montanists, who forbade marriage, meat, and wine. The Church excommunicated those and the Church also rejected all of the heresies that they published. As a matter of fact, the Church does not forbid the consumption of meats and related foods but abstains from these during fasts as an ascetic measure and not because these are unclean. At the conclusion of fasts, the faithful do actually consume these kinds of food.
The prophet Daniel ate vegetables only and refrained from eating all other food (Daniel 1:12). Later, Saint John the Baptist refrained from all kinds of food as did also all the ascetics in different times and different places. However, we do not believe that the above verses can be applied to them! Thus, ascetism for a limited time is one thing and the absolute forbidding of food is another.
One final word remains; it concerns the Discipline of Fasting and the Authority to Discipline. The Church puts a system of fasting at certain times around the year based on spiritual concepts. These fasts became indispensable spiritual treasures. It is the Church’s right and duty to regulate and discipline such matters so that the faithful may worship God with one spirit. In its authority, the Church relies on the Lord’s saying to its leaders, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18). Thus this ecclesiastical practice is founded on biblical teaching. In non-Orthodox faith, it was the freedom of the individual that lead to the loss of benefits to the rest of the group. Fasting is gradually disappearing in their teaching, although nobody doubts its benefits. Discipline, we believe, does not eliminate one’s freedom. On the contrary, it regulates its use.
Why the Orthodox Churches have to Face The East?
We build our churches and we pray facing the east. This is because the east directs our hearts to meditations, which we cherish and adore because God has given the east a lot of importance.
1. Before the creation of man, God made the east a source of light, and God saw that the light was good. In Arabic the sunrise is called “the eastward coming of the sun”. Thus, this “eastward coming” made synonymous “the appearance in the east” with “the giving of light”. The sun was created on the fourth day before the creation of man on the sixth day (Genesis 1). The rising of the sun is a symbol of Christ and His light, for the Lord was called “the Sun of Righteousness” and “The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings” (Malachi 4:2).
2. Even before the creation of man, the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden (Genesis 2:8) and put man there. There, too, was the tree of life and the abode of man before sin. The paradise in Eden is a symbol of the paradise we look forward to. Thus facing the east has become a symbol of man’s looking forward to paradise (which was taken away by sin) and a symbol of his looking forward to the tree of life.
3. We also note that Christ was born in the east, and that the Wise Men saw His star in the east (Matthew 2:2). This star was an indication of divine guidance which, when followed by these men, lead them to the Lord. This is truly a beautiful meditation.
4. We also note that the Ever Virgin, Mother of God, St. Mary was likened to a gate facing toward the east (Ezekiel 44:1,20).
5. Thus, we find that salvation had come to the world from the east, for Christ was crucified in the east, and there He shed His blood for the forgiveness of the sins of the whole world.
6. Both religion and the church originated in the east. There too, we find Jerusalem, the city of the great King, and in it the first church in the whole world was established and the blood of the first martyr of Christianity was shed.
7. The Bible also spoke much of the glory of God in the east. In Isaiah 24:15 we read, “therefore glorify the Lord in the dawning light” and, in the book of Ezekiel there is a prophecy of the coming of Christ in His glory in the east. It says, “And behold, the glory of God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice is like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory” (Ezekiel 43:1,2).
8. For this reason the majority of theologians believe that the second coming shall be in the east and He Who “was taken up...into heaven, will come in just the same way” (Acts 1:11). In a prophecy of Zechariah (14:3,4) we read “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east”.
9. So beautiful is talking about the east and quite sweet are the memories it kindles. The prophet Ezekiel (47:1-9) speaks about “rivers of life in the east”, and in (2 Kings 13:17) we read about “the arrow of the Lord’s deliverance”.
10. Memories indeed influence the heart and exert spiritual effects on the soul. When Daniel challenged the pagan worship, he went to his upper room to pray, opened the window facing Jerusalem and knelt and prayed. True, God is present everywhere, but facing Jerusalem in the east has a deep meaning, a profound influence on the heart and memories that bring forth holy feelings.
11. Man is not merely a praying mind. For as much as the senses influence the soul, they are subject to influence, too. For example, we pray and direct our eyes upwards while God is present everywhere, but looking up creates in our hearts spiritual feelings, which give our prayers a particular depth. The same is true when we face the east, we are also reminded that on more than one occasion, Jesus lifted His eyes upwards despite the fact that He is in the Father and the Father is in Him.
12. As we look to the east we face the altar in the east where Christ was made a sacrifice and became our Passover.
13. In the Coptic room of baptism, the baptized and his parents look to the west to rebuke and renounce Satan. Then they look to the east to recite the creed. In this way the baptized person moves from west to east, that is, from darkness to light.
Finally, having covered all these spiritual meanings, one is really perplexed as to why others are vehemently against this beautiful tradition.
What is the Orthodox Church’s stand on Divorce?
H.H. Pope Shenouda, III, describes the meaning of Christian marriage as “the union of a spiritual man, a temple of the Holy Spirit, with a spiritual woman, who is also a temple of the Holy Spirit, to become one”. Therefore, the married couple must be of the same faith, the real faith, because the Holy Spirit cannot unite people of different faiths. In this way, marriage succeeds and the Holy Spirit works in both people in a spiritual and harmonized way. However, trying to unite two people of different faith and away from the Holy Spirit and its work is not a spiritual act. Therefore, the church asks the betrothed couple to confess and partake of the Holy Communion before marriage to enable them to start a new spiritual and blessed life.
The best resemblance of a relationship between married couples is the relationship between Jesus and the Church. This relationship is everlasting and His love to us has no returning back “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:32). Is there an analogy deeper than that? Is there a love greater than that? “Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Ephesians 5:33).
A Christian marriage is not just a relationship between two people that could end at any time and for any reason. The husband should understand the Bible’s teaching about his wife, that she is “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23). She is his body and he is her head and both are one flesh. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24, see also Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:7, and Ephesians 5:31).
A Christian marriage is a lifetime relationship “they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6). God who established this law is capable of achieving His promise. Divorce and polygamy are not acceptable. Not because the church does not allow it, and not because the Lord Jesus Christ Himself rejects it, but because they contradict the nature of love.
Some people may think that this point complicates the meaning of love. This could be true, for those who think that love is just fun and entertainment. This belief is against the principles of Christianity and would definitely degrade the real meaning of love. Christianity teaches the true meaning of love and commitment. Those who try to ignore their Christianity, lose that meaning and that true love. Although some people may not believe in this and only seek fun and pleasure, true Christian love and commitment should be the cornerstone. You may have fun for a few moments but not for long. You should therefore stay away from temptations. Any person can meet another person at work or in the neighborhood and be attracted to him/her. This is very dangerous and it could be the first step to losing the true meaning of love and commitment. You should not even dream of anyone other than your spouse. Sincerity in marriage doesn’t only mean not committing adultery but it also means the warning that the Lord has given us, “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
Losing love and sincereity in marriage could lead to divorce that is not looked on favored by God or anyone. God created Adam and Eve only “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female” (Matthew 19:4). If He wanted to create more women, He could have created Eve number 1, Eve number 2, etc. He could also have replaced Eve with other women after centuries of her life because, according to our illogical judgment, she had aged and should be replaced by a younger woman. Of course, none of these events had happened and Eve was the only wife to Adam in his youth and strong times as well as his old and aged times.
Eve stood by Adam from the moment she was created to the last minute of her life. When Adam was awakened from his sleep, after God created Eve, and found her sitting right beside him, he realized that “a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24) and as the Lord Jesus Christ said, “what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6). So, the strong ties in the Christian marriage come from the fact that there is NO DIVORCE and there should be no more than ONE and only one wife (husband). This makes marriage a spiritual tie, a thoughtful tie, an emotional tie and a bodily tie:
1. It is a spiritual tie established by God for the husband and wife are no longer two but one.
2. It is a thoughtful and mindful tie because everyone can find the opinion, the advice and share the thoughts with the other person.
3. It is an emotional tie because everyone can find the satisfaction with the other person.
4. It is a bodily tie because everyone tries hard to take care of the other person and her (his) needs.
Therefore the Orthodox Church does not believe in any reason for divorce except adultery as the Lord said, “whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery” (Matthew 5:32).
The Catholic Church, however, has made very strict rules for divorce, especially during the time of King Charlemagne, 814 A.D. The church interpreted the saying of the Lord, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6) to mean that men and women should live together till death. If there is a proof of adultery, they should still live together in the same house but with no marital relationship. Everyone would have his/her own bed and/or table.
The Orthodox Church can permit a marriage in cases of annulment of the first marriage. Annulment means that the first marriage was illegal or it was born dead, exactly as if one of its cornerstones was lost. Examples include marriage of children underage, illegal marriages, civil marriages, mental illnesses, impersonation, loss of virginity (especially in countries like Egypt). But, it must be reported within a month from the date of marriage and there should not have been any sexual relationship. Otherwise, annulment is denied, except in cases of sexual incapability, or birth defects that prevent sexual relationships. It should be noted here that barrenness is not an acceptable cause for annulment or divorce.
Bibliography
The Holy Bible, New King James Version.
“Comparative Theology” H.H. Pope Shenouda III.
“Theological and Dogmatic Differences and Reconciliation Between Orthodox and Catholics” Fr. Markos Hanna.
“St. Mark the Apostle” H.H. Pope Shenouda III..
“Purgatory” H.H. Pope Shenouda III.
“Procession of the Holy Spirit” Fr. Tadros Malaty.
“Tradition in the Orthodox Church”.
“Nature of Christ” H.H. Pope Shenouda III.
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