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0 | What does the word catechism mean? | The word catechism is a Greek word that means a summary of religious teaching, presented either orally or through a book, of the principles and foundations of Christian teachings and values, generally in the form of questions and answers. This Greek word has been used since the apostolic age (Luke 1:4). Early Church Fa... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
1 | What is the purpose of a catechism (teaching through questions and answers)? | First: to present an understanding of the faith, with the goal of knowing God and His work of salvation. St. Clement of Alexandria (second century) differentiated between the knowledge of the Gnostics, who believed that man can only be saved through his own rational knowledge; and the knowledge that is based on the san... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
2 | How did the Church preserve the correct faith through the ages? | I greatly desired to present a Coptic Orthodox Catechism to reveal our Christian understanding concisely and briefly; particularly because, due to ecclesiastical and political circumstances, our Church was isolated from Western churches in the fifth century A. D. and remained so to a large extent up until the twentieth... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
3 | What are the stages of development of Coptic Catechism through the ages? | It is worth laying out the circumstances through which the Coptic Church has endured, from her foundation till the present day, that we may grasp the truth of her teachings, and benefit from her long experience over twenty centuries. Our Coptic Church has continuously faced persecution since the middle of the first cen... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
4 | What are the basic principles of catechism in the Coptic Orthodox Church? | It is fitting for us as believers to benefit from the experience of our fathers through the stages of catechism over the centuries, that we may live with a spiritual, living, Biblical mindset in every aspect of our lives; whether in our study of the Holy Bible, our practice of the truly evangelical life, or in our dail... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
5 | What are the most important practical principles of catechism? | First: it is appropriate for us to present whatever we are able—together with our evangelist, St. Mark the Apostle—of the Lord of Glory, who is the heavenly Physician; Savior of souls; healer of the soul, intellect, emotions, senses, and every activity of the body. I am reminded of someone who made every effort for a l... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
6 | What is faith? | “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). What we hope for, though it is not seen with the physical eye, is yet a present reality. Indeed, we do not touch it physically, but we experience it spiritually, and it generates peace, joy, and rejoicing in the soul. St. Cyr... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
7 | What is the importance of faith for unbelievers? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “Nor is it only among us, who bear the name of Christ, that the dignity of faith is great: but likewise all things that are accomplished in the world, even by those who are aliens from the Church,30 are accomplished by faith. By faith the laws of marriage yoke together those who have lived ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
8 | Is it necessary to believe in the existence of God? | The Bible says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). With His love, He wills to be very close to us, to make us one with Him, to dwell in our souls, and to give us the ability to share His glory, and not be preoccupied with philosophical arguments, but rather draw us to Himself, as a father attracts his children. In him we find... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
9 | Do we challenge the devil by faith? | When Adam and Eve deviated from faith and accepted the advice of the devil, the Garden of Eden turned for them into a place of terror, and the two were deprived of the sweetness of fellowship with God! By believing in the Crucified, the gates of Paradise are opened, that we might see heaven welcoming us and anticipatin... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
10 | How was Abraham, the father of the fathers, armed? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “though [Abraham] did many things well, yet he was never called the friend of God, except when he believed … In like manner, therefore, as he was justified, you also shall be justified. In his body he was already dead in regard to offspring, and Sarah his wife was now old, and there was no ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
11 | How was Peter armed while on the water? | St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “For so great is the strength of faith, as even to buoy men up in walking on the sea. Peter was a man like ourselves, made up of flesh and blood, and living on the same food. But when Jesus said, Come (Matt. 14:29), he believed, and walked upon the waters, and found his faith safer upon the... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
12 | Did God send the law to prepare us to believe in it? | When humans refused to listen to the voice of the natural that declares God as Creator and lover of mankind, God provided the written law through Moses so that we might realize our need for faith in the Savior. He also sent his prophets to prepare the way for the Incarnate Word. The incarnate Son of God came to manifes... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
13 | Does faith abolish the gift of reason? | God created us to be rational beings, not irrational beasts. And He reveals His Self and His works to us, not to abolish our minds, but to exalt them, so that our human nature accepts Him and come to know His mysteries. God spoke to Moses “as a man speaks to his friend” (Ex. 33:11), and He longs to enter into a dialogu... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
14 | What does faith ask of the Lord Christ? | Many ask for miracles from the Lord Christ. He came down to us so that we may know Him and ask Him to dwell in us. Pope Cyril the Great says, “This, however, we must carefully notice, that God does not excite an empty astonishment or vain wondering, but that such things are far from the divine Substance, which is free ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
15 | What did Moses ask of God in his first meeting with Him when He called him to serve? | When God called Moses to be the first leader of God's people in the Old Testament, Moses asked of Him to know his name. God revealed His name to him as a representative of the people, and that name announced to him that his name is “Jehovah,” which means, “I AM.” What does the expression “I AM” mean? It means that He e... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
16 | Why is God called Theos? | G. L. Prestige says that some early Church Fathers, such as Clement and Dionysius of Alexandria, followed Herodotus in linking theos meaning “god” and thentes, meaning “management.” St. Clement says, “For God is called Θεός [theos], from θέσις ([thesis] placing), and order or arrangement.”46 This is in contrast to Aris... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
17 | Why do some people reject faith? | In a meeting with a certain fellow, a leader of a group that denies the existence of God, he told me: “Many call us atheists. We believe in the extraordinary power of human thought. But we reject belief in God for the following reasons: “a. We reject the existence of an invisible being that controls human life, demands... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
18 | How do we win those who reject the faith? | A student at the Faculty of Pharmacy in the University of Alexandria was once invited to spend the summer vacation with another student of Pharmacy in Western Europe, as part of a student exchange program between the two countries, during the days of President Gamal Abdel Nasser. When the Egyptian student returned to A... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
19 | Is faith incompatible with intellectual understanding and scientific research? | While St. Basil focuses on faith and its ability to sanctify the human mind and heart, he also accepts learning that is in harmony with faith. He criticizes believers who belittle scientific and philosophical studies, considering them to be full of deception. He did not forget the benefits he derived from his own studi... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
20 | What is the relationship between faith and scientific and spiritual knowledge? | St. Clement of Alexandria says, “Now neither is knowledge without faith, nor faith without knowledge … And the Son is the true teacher respecting the Father; and that we may believe in the Son, we must know the Father, with whom also is the Son … And the knowledge of the Son and Father, which is according to the gnosti... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
21 | Which is first: knowledge or belief? | St. Cyril the Great says, “What interpretation then are we to put upon the coal which touched the prophet’s lips, and cleansed him from all sin? Plainly it is the message of salvation, and the confession of faith in Christ, which anyone who receives it with his mouth is forthwith and altogether purified.”54 St. Basil t... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
22 | How do we pay our debts with faith? | St. Basil the Great says we should believe that repentance enables sinners to receive forgiveness, and yet we hope to obtain forgiveness as a gift of faith ... not as something God owes us. There is a difference between those who seek forgiveness as a gift, and those who ask for it as a right ... you must pay your prev... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
23 | What do the Fathers say about the majesty of faith? | St. Jacob of Sarug compares the majesty of love to the majesty of faith, saying, “On the contrary, love has degrees, ascents, and peaks. Therefore, when the soul has made a little progress the love of God, she is able to ascend even higher … So, let us work, O servant of God, to increase that which is capable of receiv... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
24 | How is our faith strengthened? | For our sake, the Lord Christ put on our weakness that we might enjoy His strength. The scholar Origen says, “Faith in the crucified Christ grants us authority. And if we lack anything, the power of God supplies it to us through our faith.”65 St. Augustine says, “But wonderful it is, that when Christ Crucified is preac... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
25 | What is the relationship of faith to virtues? | St. Aphrahat says, “So also let the man, who becomes a house, yes, a dwelling-place, for Christ, take heed to what is needed for the service of Christ, who lodges in him, and with what things he may please Him. For first he builds his building on the Stone, which is Christ. On Him, on the Stone, is faith based, and on ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
26 | How do we proceed in true faith? | St. Clement of Alexandria says, “Learn to walk in the true faith, to rest in God, and do not seek earthly fulfillments and temporal blessings. Do not deviate towards a vain earthly faith that depends on requests for signs and wonders in order to be fully established. And St. Augustine says, “For where are there those t... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
27 | How do we face all the worldly corruption? | The Epistle to Diognetus says, “He wants us to come to Him, to see Him as our only Father, the Guardian, Teacher, Counselor and Physician. He wants to fill and shape our every thought with His goodness, to change our way in this crooked dark world, so it becomes good. If you contemplate His righteousness, He truthfully... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
28 | What role do tribulations play in faith? | Tribulations impel us to cry out to God and ask for our faith to be strengthened, as St. Ambrose says, “Christian faith is like a mustard seed, that at first sight appears to be small, trivial, and weak; it does not clearly manifest its true strength. Yet when various tribulations begin to attack it, its activity and s... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
29 | What is the role of faith in the virtues and acts of love? | St. Augustine says, “there are works which appear good, without faith in Christ; but they are not good, because they are not referred to that end in which works are good; ‘for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes’ (Rom. 10:4). For that reason, He wills not to distinguish faith from wo... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
30 | What is the role of faith in hope? | St. Clement of Alexandria says, “Hope, too, is based on faith … And hope is the expectation of the possession of good. Necessarily, then, is expectation founded on faith.”80 | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
31 | How can we discern between the faith of demons and the faith of saints? | St. Augustine says, “You applaud yourself for your faith … you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble (James 2:19). Shall they also see God? They shall see Him who are pure in heart [Matt. 5:8]. But who can say that unclean spirits are pure in heart? And yet they also believe and tremble. Our faith then must be ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
32 | Can a believer deviate and fall? | St. Clement of Alexandria says, “A true gnostic [one who truly knows God … chooses faith or rejects it, with his full freedom.”83 And St. Augustine says, “Wretched, then, must be any people that is divorced from this God … The City of God, however, has a peace of its own, namely, peace with God in this world by faith a... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
33 | How is faith established in our inner souls? | St. Aphrahat says, “Faith is compounded of many things, and by many kinds is it brought to perfection. For it is like a building that is built up of many pieces of workmanship and so its edifice rises to the top. And know, my beloved, that in the foundations of the building stones are laid, and so resting upon stones t... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
34 | Can we find God’s heroes of faith throughout the ages? | In astonishment, we stand before the heroes of faith and objectively behold God’s work across all ages: a. From the time of Adam until Moses, no one possessed even a single book of the Old Testament. Nevertheless, we find splendid examples of heroes of the faith who experienced it through handing it down from generatio... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
35 | Are the gifts of the people of faith the same for everyone? | The Bible gives us examples of the work of faith in the lives of many, that we may realize that every person is offered that which satisfies his needs (Heb. 11). And as St. Aphrahat said: “For Abel, because of his faith his offering was accepted. And Enoch, because he was well-pleasing through his faith, was removed fr... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
36 | Does God have favorites among the believers? | God reveals Himself, His secrets, and His plan to all who yearn and ask for that, without any favoritism. The young boy Samuel, who gladly left his parents’ house and lived in the temple with a zealous heart for the glory of God, was considered worthy — unlike Eli the priest — to hear God’s voice and be entrusted with ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
37 | What are the signs of a living faith? | a. The feeling that my life is a pleasant journey in the company of my Savior, the Lord of glory, the crucified Jesus, even in the midst of tribulations. b. My church life should consolidate my personal relationship with the Holy Trinity, and my personal relationships should urge me towards a richer ecclesiastical life... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
38 | Why the Holy Bible? | At the beginning of creation, Adam and Eve were not in need of written words in the Garden of Eden before the fall, for they met the Lord face to face, and the grace of God was working in them. They were His friends. Naturally, they were always praising Him with joy and jubilation. They were like the heavenly creatures... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
39 | Why do we need to study the Scriptures deeply? | Jesus Christ says, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39). In other words, He is saying, “It is not enough to boast about possessing the books and reading them; you need to search them diligently in order to enjoy your salvation and e... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
40 | Is the Holy Bible inscribed in the pure heart and preserved in it? | St. John Chrysostom says, “It were indeed fitting for us not at all to require the aid of the written Word, but to exhibit a life so pure, that the grace of the Spirit should be instead of books to our souls, and that as these are inscribed with ink, even so should our hearts be with the Spirit.”93 “The Scriptures were... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
41 | What is the believer’s view of the Holy Bible? | The believer loves the Holy Bible, which is given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit; being aware that it is the voice of his beloved God, which offers him divine truth and eternal life. Thus, he embarks upon a hidden and fulfilling dialogue with God, his heart never ceasing to commune with Him. This in no way contradic... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
42 | What is the Church Fathers’ view of the Holy Bible? | a. The Holy Bible is a shining lamp: St. Cyril the Great says, “The Word of God is the subject of our faith, and He is the Light. For the lamp is faith, for that was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world (John 9:1).”106 And the scholar Origen says, “The splendor of Christ’s arrival, theref... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
43 | How does the Holy Bible invite us, along with all nations, to extol and praise? | The Holy Bible invites all nations to shout joyfully and praise (Ps. 47:1; 98:4), so that all the earth may be transformed into a heaven that rejoices in the Lord. This invitation is especially directed to the upright in heart (Ps. 32:11; 33:1), and addressed to every believer as a personal gift (Ps. 9:2). A believer f... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
44 | What is the purpose of the Holy Bible? | It calls us to heavenly life without coercive force! God sanctifies human freedom, revealing to us through the way of life and the way of death, the enjoyment of divine light or deviation into the darkness of Satan. He leaves room for perfect freedom to choose either of the two ways, while at the same time working with... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
45 | How can we delight in the mysteries of the Holy Bible? | a. Read the Holy Bible with love: St. Jacob of Sarug says, “He who loves learns much, for love opens the door to receiving the word.”131 b. Read the Holy Bible while asking for the grace of God: “Grace is moved by the request of the one who asks; and the fountain of grace draws near and unites with the mind of one who ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
46 | How does the Holy Bible present the Lord to us as compassionate and just? | The Bible depicts a God who is merciful and compassionate towards humanity; who, in His love and compassion, shows no partiality towards anyone. Yet He is also just, and in His justice, He opens the doors of His mercies to all without favoritism. Thus, for example, Ruth the gentile excelled over many of the people of G... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
47 | Why is it said that “The Word of God endures forever? | ” St. Jacob of Sarug says, “The word of life is timeless; it neither passes away nor dissolves, for it possess all times. The world withers like a flower under scorching heat of the midday sun, but the word of life is a pearl for those who hear it. O you who love the world, throw away the flower that does not endure, a... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
48 | What is the subject of preaching? | St. Jacob of Sarug says, “Help me to become an active performer of Your word, that thereby I might make a good end to the course of my life. I will die and lay me down to sleep upon Your teaching; I will not depart from You, O Good Companion, even in death.”135 | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
49 | How do heretics differ in their approach to the Holy Bible? | First: they do not enter by the door: St. John Chrysostom says, “Observe the marks of a robber; first, that he does not enter openly; secondly, not according to the Scriptures, for this is the, ‘not by the door’ (John 10:1–6). Here also He refers to those who had been before, and to those who should be after Him, Antic... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
50 | Why are some people scandalized by the Old Testament? | The Church Fathers reveal several reasons why people are scandalized by the Old Testament. These include: a. The need for the key of David: St. Jerome perceived the need for the key of David to loose the seals of the Holy Bible and delight in its wonders. On this account the Psalmist asks God, saying, “Open my eyes, th... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
51 | What is meant by the veil that lies on the hearts of some? | Paul the Apostle says, “unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. Bu... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
52 | How shall the veil be lifted from us? | The veil is lifted from our hearts and minds when we turn to the Lord with sincere prayer. St. John Chrysostom says, “For [the veil was placed], not that the glory of Moses might be hidden, but that the Jews might not see. For they were not capable … For ‘when you shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away’ … For w... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
53 | What is the interpretive approach of the School of Alexandria? | Dom. D. Rees says, “The most renowned intellectual institution in the early Christian world was undoubtedly the Catechetical School (Didascaleion) of Alexandria, and its primary concern was the study of the Bible, giving its name to an influential tradition of scriptural interpretation … The preoccupation of this schoo... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
54 | What is the difference between Allegory and Typology? | The Bible uses at least three types of allegory: a. Figurative allegory. b. Narrative allegory. c. Typological allegory. The Apostle Paul’s hymn on love in 1 Corinthians, and the depiction of Wisdom in Proverbs 8 are two examples of figurative allegory. In some parables, such as the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30–35) and t... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
55 | What is the Fathers’ stance on Allegory and Typology, after Origen? | The theologians of Alexandria after Origen, from St. Didymus the Blind to St. Cyril the Great, were influenced to varying degrees by the allegorical method of interpretation, and the same can be said of the Cappadocian Fathers and the Fathers of Palestine (with the exception of Epiphanius). Hibberd (London: Burns & Oat... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
56 | What is St. Clement’s justification for the use of allegorical interpretation? | In St. Clement’s view, allegory drives believers to discover hidden meanings in the Holy Bible. According to some scholars, the authors of the books of the Holy Bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit to use symbols in order to conceal the most sublime doctrines from simple readers whose intellect was not equipped to gr... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
57 | What is Origen’s justification for using allegorical interpretation? | Origen discussed two problems concerning the Old Testament that confronted the early Church: a. The Jews expected Jesus to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament in a literal manner; for instance, that He would be their king who rules over all the world. Origen says, “Both Jews and Christians agree that the books ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
58 | How does Origen explain allegorical interpretation? | a. Origen contemplates on the priest who skins the burnt offering (Lev. 6:1), saying that he “is the one who removes the veil of the letter (2 Cor. 3.14) from the word of God and uncovers its interior parts which are members of spiritual understanding.”181 b. Origen does not find the spiritual meaning to be difficult: ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
59 | What are St. Cyril of Alexandria’s views regarding the interpretation of the Holy Bible? | We conclude our discussion on typology and allegory in the School of Alexandria with excerpts from Alexander Kerrigan’s study on St. Cyril of Alexandria’s methods of Biblical interpretation. Regarding St. Cyril’s methods, Kerrigan writes, “Our author rounds off his conclusions in three propositions, which, though formu... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
60 | What does the word “tradition” mean? | In Greek, the word “tradition” ― as found in the New Testament ― is “paradosis,” and it does not mean “imitation.” Its cognate verb is “paradidomi,” which can be translated as “to commit something to another person” or “handing something over.” A closely associated verb is “paralambano,” which means “to accept somethin... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
61 | What is the material of tradition? | What is the material of Christian tradition? Or, what is the deposit that the Church received and preserved throughout the generations? In fact, Christ did not give His disciples and apostles a written document. Instead, He prepared them to follow Him and to accept Him dwelling within their hearts. They heard Him teach... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
62 | What was the role of tradition in the apostolic age? | The books of the New Testament appeared gradually through the apostolic age, but they were not yet canonized by the Church. At this time, tradition was the only source of Christian faith, teaching, and worship. We can summarize the role played by tradition during that period in the life of the Church in the following p... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
63 | How is apostolic tradition connected to the Gospel? | Our faith in the Messiah, the Savior, is at the core of our Holy Tradition. More than once, St. Paul the apostle told his congregation that he has delivered to them the tradition of the “gospel of salvation,” the “word of hearing” or the “God’s salvific work,” which he had received from the Church. He says, “Moreover, ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
64 | How has the Holy Bible been preserved till today? | The Holy Bible is the book of the Church, which we receive through the tradition of the Church. By tradition, our sacred books were canonized, confirming that they were divinely inspired. Origen the scholar says, “in all these questions we approve of nothing but what the Church approves of, namely only four canonical G... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
65 | How were the words and acts of Christ preserved? | By tradition, we received the Holy Gospels which contain some, but not all, of the acts and words of Christ, as St. John concludes in his gospel, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be wr... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
66 | What does Papias say about tradition? | After the departure of the apostles and the disciples who were eyewitnesses to the saving events of Christ’s life, Church Fathers like Papias, Irenaeus, and Clement of Alexandria were interested in preserving the oral tradition ― the “tradition of the fathers, the elders (presbyters)” ― which they held to date back to ... | Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Vol. 1 (Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty) |
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Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Volume 1
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This dataset contains structured text extracted from Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Volume 1 by Fr. Tadros Youssef Malaty, a foundational catechetical work of the Coptic Orthodox Church covering theology, doctrine, and spiritual life.
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- Title: Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church – Volume 1
- Author: Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty
- Tradition: Coptic Orthodox Church
- Language: English
@book{malaty2023catechism_v1,
title = {Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church},
author = {Malaty, Tadros Yacoub},
volume = {1},
note = {Books 1--3},
year = {2023},
publisher = {St. George Coptic Orthodox Church},
address = {Sporting, Alexandria},
}
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