وجبـــــــة روحيـــــ(†)ــــــــــة يوميـــــــــة

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III




Those who reject Tradition build their objection on the pretext that the Lord Jesus Christ rejected Tradition when He reproached the scribes and Pharisees, saying: " Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?" (Matt.15: 3), and when He condemned some of the wrong traditions (Matt.15: 4-6).

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III



They also use the pretext of the Apostle's words, "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ" (Col.2: 8).

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III






In our discourse about Tradition, we do not mean the vain traditions laid down by men or do we mean those traditions which are not in accord with the doctrine and spirit of the Holy Bible such as the traditions whose voidness the Lord Jesus revealed,.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III






But we mean the sound Tradition which conforms with
(1) The teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, which was transmitted to us through Tradition.
(2) The Apostolic Tradition, that is, the teachings of the Apostles, transmitted to us through entrustment from one generation to the next.
(3) The Ecclesiastical Tradition, decreed by the holy
Ecumenical councils regarding the Church canons and disciplines

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III






Church Authority in Teaching and Legislation



This authority was given to the Apostolic Fathers by the Lord Himself when He said to them: "... whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matt.18: 18). The Church commenced this duty of hers by holding the first Church Council in Jerusalem in 45 A.D. The Council discussed the acceptance of faith by the Gentiles, and the Apostles decided not to make it difficult for them, saying: "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality" (Acts 15: 28.29).
Therefore, holy councils, local and ecumenical, were held consecutively through the authority of teaching, legislating and canonising which the Lord endowed upon priesthood. These councils have laid down teachings, decisions and disciplines for the Church which have been included in Church Tradition.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Conditions of sound Tradition

(1) It should not be incompatible with the Holy Bible (Gal. 1:8)

(2) It should not contradict other Church traditions

(3) The Churches should accept it

It is known that in every generation, new matters arise which had not existed in the previous generations. The point of view of Religion about such matters is sought so as not to perplex people's thoughts or make them confused between right and wrong, because not all people know the rules of Religion or what is written in the Holy Bible.

Hence the Church, through her teaching and legislative authority, presents the opinion of Religion in such matters, because the Holy Bible says that the Law is sought from the mouth of the priest. Through the succession of generations the Church teachings have become Tradition to be inherited by all generations

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III





It is known that in every generation, new matters arise which had not existed in the previous generations. The point of view of Religion about such matters is sought so as not to perplex people's thoughts or make them confused between right and wrong, because not all people know the rules of Religion or what is written in the Holy Bible.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III





Hence the Church, through her teaching and legislative authority, presents the opinion of Religion in such matters, because the Holy Bible says that the Law is sought from the mouth of the priest. Through the succession of generations the Church teachings have become Tradition to be inherited by all generations.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III





The Apostles commanded that Tradition be preserved



St. Paul the Apostle said: "Therefore, brethren, standfast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle" (2Thess.2: 15). He also said: "But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us" (2Thess.3: 6), He also said to the Corinthians: "Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions as I delivered them to you" (1Cor. 11: 2).
We regret to say that our brethren the Protestants, in their translation of the Holy Bible (Beirut Arabic Translation), substituted “Traditions” with “Teachings”, in matters which confirm the teaching of Tradition. But kept 'tradition' for incidents relating to repugnant traditions, obviously rejected by the holy Church.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III






Protestants have their own Tradition




Anyhow, although our Protestant brethren deny Tradition, they themselves instituted their own traditions. They maintain their own rituals although they deny rituals. They have recited
prayers and fixed readings on ordinations, matrimony, baptism and funerals although they do not acknowledge recited prayers. They keep their own tradition but deny any tradition that does not agree with theirs. It goes without saying that Tradition is a precious heritage and it would be a great loss for any Church to be devoid of it, such becomes a Church without history and without any rules to protect against people interpreting or teaching things according to their own preferences.