Coptic Orthodox

Many people today think the Bible, the most influential book in world history, is not only outdated but irrelevant, irrational, and even immoral. This explanation of the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, demonstrates clearly and powerfully that the opposite is true. The Bible remains profoundly relevant - both to the great issues of our day and to each individual life. It is the greatest moral guide and source of wisdom ever written.

Christology of the Coptic Orthodox Church has been shaped and developed by a long-standing tradition based on the biblical truth. This book aims to track the development of Coptic Christology throughout the centuries. To do so, we shall attempt to evaluate ‘the Coptic’ or the Alexandrian view towards Christology in the past and today by discussing the theology of the School of Alexandria, various historical accounts, and finally modern theology and practices. The Coptic Church believes that Christ’s humanity has never been alone; there was no time lapse in realizing this unity. Our ...

The number of books in the Bible depends on which Bible is being referenced. Protestant and Catholic churches recognize 27 New Testament books. Protestants recognize 39 books of the Jewish canon in the Old Testament. Roman Catholics hold 46 books of the Old Testament as canon, along with expanded versions of Esther and Daniel.

A Silent Patriarch is the first scholarly biography of the desert hermit who became a most unlikely patriarch. Until now, the details of his life have remained hidden. As patriarch, Kyrillos inherited a bleeding church, one confronted by political Islamism, an indifferent Muslim president, and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood.

God created man in His image as the most perfect of His creation on earth. He did not plan to leave the man in Paradise alone, but to embrace him as His beloved, and to grant mankind unity with Him. God used to speak with Adam for it was written, "... and they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden." (Gen. 3:8). Similarly, God started a dialogue with the first patriarch, Abraham, to declare to him His divine plan, saying, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?" (Gen. 18:17). God, who is incomprehensible, reveals Himself, His nature, His mysteries, and His will to His ...

The first six centuries of Christianity were colorful ones indeed. The early Church, as an extension of the Apostolic age, represents the living Bible which is practiced daily; it reveals biblical and heavenly thought. She also manifests her dogma, order, economy, and behavior as the bride of Christ and His ambassador in the world. The Church lived bearing the features of her crucified Christ, gladly and joyfully accepting persecution. These first six centuries were also characterized by councils, controversy, and heresy in the sincere quest for an understanding of the true faith. The ...

The book of Daniel has a special significance in the life of believers, for it is not a record of Daniel’s life or an era of the history of the Israelites during the Babylon captivity. But instead, it is a divine book that the Holy Spirit offers us to instill hope in the hurt souls. Sometimes, God allows throwing us in the fiery furnace of trials, yet He changes the nature of fire for our comfort and peace. On the one hand, the book reveals to us that God is the Controller of all histories, who works for the edification of his faithful believers in any place. On the other hand, this book ...

Whoever reads the Book of Revelation discovers what Christian worship actually is. It is not just duties to be carried out, rituals to be performed, or orders to be observed, but one sees through all that the invisible divine hands hurrying towards him to receive him, embrace him and raise him to heavens where he lives as a partner in the eternal glory. Whoever tastes the Book of Revelation, no matter how much his fasts are, how long his prayers are, his kneelings, asceticism, suffering and his everyday crucifixion, they all turn to unspeakable joy and happiness. Through this Book, one is ...

Rediscover Divine Love and Holiness with Malachi "The Book of Malachi" stands as a divine beacon, concluding the Old Testament of the Holy Bible with a powerful declaration of God's unconditional love for all of humanity. This work is a call to authentic worship, a stirring invitation to return to God through sincere repentance, opening the way for anyone to join in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. That volume explores the historical and societal contexts that shaped Malachi's words, revealing the challenges a community grappling with disillusionment and spiritual neglect faces. He ...

The Books of the Prophets were written during the Dark Age in the history of the Jewish people. God sent His prophets to deliver His message fearlessly before kings, priests and ordinary people. God proclaims His love of mankind by bestowing the gift of prophecy on His children. The essence of prophecy is to reveal God’s secret thoughts and plans for His children. Prophecy is highly esteemed and occupies nearly one third of the Bible. Scholars traditionally divide the Books of Prophets into Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel) and Minor Prophets (the rest of the Books of ...

The Lord Jesus granted His disciples His name, not merely to perform miracles, heal the sick, take out demons. Still, also He has emphasized to them the power of His name while saying: "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you." (John 16:23), meaning through Him, we can reach the Father and enjoy eternal glory. The seventy apostles realized the power the name of Jesus as they said: "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." (Luke 10:17). Isaiah the prophet described in his song of thanksgiving...

The child Mark brimmed with excitement as he and his family made their way to Kennedy Airport in New York to board their flight departing for Cairo. It would be the first time he would travel by jet and his first visit to Egypt. Mark sat next to the window; on the other side sat his older brother, Andrew. Mark was deep in thought while the aeroplane ascended through the clouds going toward Egypt. After a while, Andrew asked his younger brother, "O Mark, what are you thinking?" Mark answered him: "Andrew, as we jet our way above the clouds toward Egypt, I remember what Tasony (Sister) ...

The Family and Friends The Book of Ben Sirach may be considered a book of wisdom based on God's precepts and intended for practicing a life that is pleasing to Him. The book carefully examines the relationships between men and women, especially those between the couple, the family members, and connections between friends. Amazingly, it deals with some issues that date back to about 2200 years, yet these writings continue to be helpful and applicable up to the present day. Marriage or family life is the basis upon which society is founded. If it is dissolved, the corporation is dissolved ...

On Saturday 17th of March 2012, the long trip of pain, which the holiness Pope Shenouda the third has lived, had ended and the trip of the glories, the manifest and the hidden from the human eyes, has begun. Those days on which Egypt has been lived with his departure to the paradise were called “Meeting of millions”. That meeting included the majority of Egyptian categories; if not all of them. It included Christians with all the denominations and Muslims, leaders and people. He had been the messenger of peace struggling in a difficult era, and a peaceful man even in his departure from ...

The Book of Ben Sirach clarifies that the first step towards enjoying wisdom is to attain the fear of the Lord. Then the believer is prepared to receive wisdom as a gift from God. The fear of the Lord is not unjust, but a means to honor; it is a crown of glory, loftiness, and constant gladness and rejoicing until the moment of death. Ben Sirach differentiates between fear leading to grief and shame, and fear which grants honor and glory (4:20-21) and lasting gladness. The first kind of fear occurs as a psychological disease leading to a condition of depression. In contrast, holy fear, which...

The Introduction to the New Testaments is a brief tour to every book of the twenty-seven Book of the New Testament. Each book is summarized in bullet points and a table. The “Gospel” is the joyful delight in our Lord Jesus Christ and the acceptance of His kingdom within us. Through the Gospel, we enter into the Father’s embrace and become partakers in His heavenly eternal glory.

The book of Sirach may seem like the constitution which governs our earthly life and practical conduct. This perspective is right though incomplete. The book is a journey into a deeper understanding of divine guidance, which purifies our thoughts, feelings, words, and conducts through the wisdom of God the Word and the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The believers take pride in the divine gift of mental enlightenment while taking into consideration the following facts: 1- The Lord gave the rational earthly and heavenly beings both “wisdom” and freedom of will. 2- Heavenly wisdom bestows ...

This book is the product of collected from a few articles issued after the passing of Fr Pishoy after reviewing and adding to it. A Life of growing in the Lord for a Contemporary Priest My God allowed me to meet the blessed brother Sami Kamel Ishak (Abuna Pishoy Kamel) in 1953 AD at the beginning of my university studies in Alexandria. At that time, he was a servant in the Church of the Virgin Mary in Muharram Bey. Sami Kamel was characterized by an open, loving heart with wisdom, accompanied by a simple life. His virtues and spiritual abilities were apparent to all who met him, and his ...

The group of Historical Books in the Old Testament present a long history of Israel and Judah. They are: the Books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth. Samuel 1 and 2, from the end of Judges to the end of David’s reign. 1 and 2 Kings, from the last days of David to the start of the Babylonian Exile and the destruction of the Temple. 1 and 2 Chronicles, from the reign of Saul to the return of the people from the Exile. Ezra and Nehemiah, covering the reorganization of the Jewish community after the Exile and the Book of Esther. The Bible is not a historical record of the events in the life of a ...

Our Jesus elevates us to His Heavens Everyone who reads the Holy Bible will be pleased, as they feel it is a personal message to them by God, and that it is the greatest book the whole world has ever known. It tells us the most magnificent story, a story of our Lord Jesus, who came to this world, so that we may know and love Him, we go to Him when we are weary of our weaknesses, and ask Him to purify us from our sins with His blood that was shed on the cross. He is the Lord, who fills heaven and earth, He wants to fill our hearts with His Holy Spirit, He lives in our hearts and makes them a...