Comparative Theology, book by H. H. Pope Shenouda III

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Reply to the objection: Is communal fasting a Biblical doctrine or not?


There are numerous examples of communal fasts in the Holy Bible, such as:
(a) The people's fast at the time of Esther

All the people fasted together at the same time for one purpose, praying for one request of the Lord, and the Lord accepted their fast and granted them their request (Esth. 4).
(b) The fast of the people of Nineveh

They all fasted together and not in secret, and the Lord accepted their fast and forgave them their sins (Jon.3).

(c) The people's fast at the time of Nehemiah and Ezra

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
says: "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) The fast at the time 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, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes; let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room" (Joel 2: 12-17).

(e) The Apostles' fast in the New Testament

When the Lord Jesus Christ was asked why His disciples did not fast, He replied: "But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast" (Matt.9: 15). The Apostles did fast together and not in secret, and the Lord accepted their fast.
Some examples of the Apostles' fasts: "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, 'Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them... " (Acts 13: 2,3).

(f) St. Paul fasted for a long time together with all the people on the ship (Acts 27:21)

Therefore communal fasting is acceptable and is a Biblical doctrine. It is proof of the oneness of soul in worship and in approaching God, especially if the purpose of the fast is a matter that concerns the whole community, or if the whole community partakes in the fast, as they do in prayer, in one soul.
There is no hypocrisy in communal fasting
In communal fasting there is no distinction between one person and the other. The level and depth of the fast of each individual remains ‘in secret’. In the New Testament there is not one single verse that prevents communal fasting.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III






Reply to the objection of fasting in set times

Fasting in set times is also a Biblical doctrine, as the Lord defines in the Book of the Prophet Zechariah: "The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth" (Zech.8: 19). The reason of defining times for fasting may be to regulate communal worship. Occasions of fasts in Christianity have Christian implications: each fast has its own spiritual aim, effect and reason.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III






Reply to the phrase "...let no one judge you"

The Apostle did not say: "Let no one judge you in fasts", but he said: "...let no one judge you in food or in drink." By this he meant the unclean foods forbidden to the Jews and the types of food which they considered impure.
This reminds us of the vision which St. Peter the Apostle saw in connection with directing Cornelius. The Apostle saw a great sheet in which were all kinds of food and he heard a voice telling him to kill and eat. But Peter said: " ‘Not so, Lord! For
I have never eaten anything common or unclean.’ And a voice spoke to him again the second time, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common' " (Acts 10: 14,15).
It was regarding these foods which were considered impure and unclean, that the Apostle Paul said: "...let no one judge you in food or in drink. " For at the beginning of Christianity, the first people who became Christians were Jews who tried to “Judaize” Christianity, that is, to bring into Christianity all the Jewish customs such as unclean food, purification, keeping the Sabbath, moon festivals, celebrations of the beginning of months and Jewish feasts (such as the Passover, the Unleavened Bread, the Trumpets, the Tents and the Atonement Day), and we have discussed this issue before here on st-takla.org in other pages. St. Paul wanted to resist the Judaization of Christianity. That is why he said: "Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come" (Col.2: 16,17).
Hence this was not an occasion of talking about fasting but it was an occasion of talking about the Jewish customs which the converted Jews wanted to bring into Christianity.
Fasting in set times is also a Biblical doctrine, as the Lord defines in the Book of the Prophet Zechariah: "The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth" (Zech.8: 19). The reason of defining times for fasting may be to regulate communal worship. Occasions of fasts in Christianity have Christian implications: each fast has its own spiritual aim, effect and reason.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Reply to the subject of vegetarian food



(a) Firstly, we would like to say that fasting in our Church is not merely eating vegetarian food but it is abstaining from eating for a certain time followed by eating vegetarian food (food free from animal fat).
(b) Vegetarian food was the food which God presented to Adam and Eve in Paradise (Gen.1: 29) and also after the sin (Gen.3: 18). All animals were fed on vegetarian food, namely grass (Gen. 1: 30).
(c) The Holy Bible did not allow the eating of meat until after Noah's Ark (Gen.9: 3) when the world had degraded to the extent that made God send the Flood.
(d) When God led His people in the Wilderness of Sinai, He offered them vegetarian food, that is, manna (Num.11: 7,8). He did not allow them to eat meat (quails) until after their wailing, groaning and the degradation of their spirits. When God gave them meat He struck them with a severe plague which caused the death of many of them (Num.11: 33),
The place where they were buried was named ‘Kibroth Hattaavah’ (which means ‘Graves of Craving’) because they had craved to eat meat.
(e) We notice that vegetarian food was the food which Daniel and the three youths ate. The Lord blessed their food and their health was better than all the servants of the king (Dan.1: 12,15).
The reasons for using vegetarian food are that it is light food which does not stimulate the bodily desires and it was the original food which God presented to man.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III



Reply to the objection concerning abstaining from certain foods

The verse in the Holy Bible on which our Protestant brethren depend does not speak about Church discipline, 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" (ITim.4: 1-3). Probably the people whom St. Paul is referring to are the Manichaeans and the Mandaeans who forbade marriage, meat and wine. The Church excommunicated them and condemned all their heretic publications.
The Church does not forbid the eating of meat and similar
foods, but abstains from eating them during fasts as an ascetic practice and not because they are unclean food. This is proved by the fact that people eat these foods when they break their fast.
Daniel ate pulse only and abstained from all other foods, yet he was not condemned according to the aforementioned verses. Likewise, John the Baptist abstained from certain foods and so do all ascetics everywhere and in every age.

Asceticism for a certain time is one thing and forbidding food is another. We have to say an important remaining point.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III



Church authority in organizing worship

The Church has regulated the fasts and has laid down for them spiritual rules and set times based on spiritual grounds. Thus the Church maintains the fasts and they have remained essential and indispensable spiritual practices.
The Church has the right, or rather the obligation, to organise for the benefit of her members various spiritual practices so they may worship the Lord together in one spirit,
Here the Church implement’s Lord's commission to her leaders: "...whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matt.18: 18). Thus Church discipline is biblically based.
Our Protestant brethren, in adopting an individualistic and congregational approach, made their congregation lose the benefits of fasting, which is regrettably, almost extinct from the evangelical churches.
Discipline is generally useful for the individual; it does not hinder his freedom but rather regulates its usage.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III




The Spiritual Gifts and the Gift of Tongues


Some of our Protestant brethren cling to the spiritual gifts and strive to attain them as privileges of being God's children and heirs. They put before them the verse: “But earnestly desire the best gifts”, without taking into account the completion of the verse: “And yet I show you a more excellent way,” (1Cor.12: 31).
While they give great importance to the gift of Speaking in tongues, they disregard that immediately after this verse the Apostle Paul says: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1Cor.13: 1). The Apostle is explaining how love is preferred to all the gifts.
The fruit of the Spirit is more important for your salvation than the gifts of the Spirit
St. Paul the Apostle talked about the fruit of the Spirit, saying: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal.5: 22,23). The Apostle Paul said that love, which is the first fruit of the Spirit, is greater than faith that can move mountains (1 Cor.13: 2,13). And the Lord said about love: “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt.22: 40).
When the disciples returned to the Lord Jesus joyful over gifts, He said to them: “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this,
that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (Lk.10: 20). Many people lost their salvation and perished despite their possession of spiritual gifts
The gifts did not help them and did not save them. Thus the Lord says: “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practise lawlessness!’ ” (Matt.7: 22,23)

Gifts are not your own merit, therefore there is no reward for them
Spiritual gifts do not give you salvation. Why then do you struggle to attain them? They tempt those who seek vainglory and vanity for themselves, but the great saints, who loved humility, always escaped from gifts.
One of the fathers said: “If God gives you a gift, ask Him to give you humility with it to protect it, or ask Him to take this gift from you.”
When the Apostle Paul received many gifts from the Lord, he said: “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure” (2Cor.12: 7). This great Apostle, the man of grace who was caught up to the third heaven (2Cor.12: 2), was in jeopardy from the gifts! If there was fear on the Apostle Paul from spiritual gifts, how much more should the poor youth of today fear when they pray for gifts, saying that gifts are their privilege, and their spiritual counsellors pray for them, laying their hands on them to receive gifts!
Jacob the Patriarch received spiritual gifts,


He received the blessing of birthright, saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven on which the angels of the Lord were ascending and descending, and saw God Himself and spoke with Him. He struggled with God and with men, and prevailed (Gen.32: 28). To protect Jacob from gifts, God touched the socket of his hip so that his hip was wrenched. God gave Jacob a kind of weakness in the body to protect him from conceit due to having gifts.
What is more dangerous than gifts these days is when one person says to another: "Come, I will commend to you a gift", or "I will commend to you the experience", lays his hand on him, and prays to grant him the Holy Spirit or to grant him the fullness. Strangely enough, even women lay their hands on people to grant them the Holy Spirit because God sometimes grants a woman the gift of healing!
But to grant the Holy Spirit is the task of the clergymen, first practised by the Apostles by the lying on of hands, then by the clergymen in the Sacrament of Chrismation.
We receive the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Chrismation (Confirmation) after the Sacrament of Baptism. The Holy Bible mentions this Anointing in (1 John.2: 20,27) and mentions the laying on of hands by the Apostles in (Acts 8: 14-17).
The authority to grant the Holy Spirit, which was the Apostles' and then their successors', is claimed today by youth and laity who commend the Holy Spirit to others to let them be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak with tongues!
In our Orthodox theology, whoever receives a gift tries to hide it, as did Bishop St. Serapion who had the gift of healing, and many other saints.
Are gifts granted or are they requested?
God endows whatever gift He wishes to whomever He wishes in the time His Divine Wisdom defines, according to His words: “The kingdom of God does not come with observation” (Lk.17: 20). Gifts are like the wind that blows wherever it wishes, “as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Rom.12: 3). Why are gifts prayed for, then? And why the gift of Speaking in tongues in particular?
Gifts are not entrusted from one person to another but they are given by the Will of God and they are the work of His Holy Spirit.
When the gift of tongues is prayed for, it may be satisfying the pride of those who seek vainglory. It is an appealing gift for the old self. It is not appealing to the spiritual person. What is worse than this is when those who have the gift of tongues despise and look down upon those who do not have this gift and declare them to be of a low level, although the Holy Bible says that the gift of tongues is not for all (1Cor.14). Does this conceit not lead us to doubt in those who claim to have this gift?
If a person comes to you and says: "Come, I will commend to you this experience", tell him: "I do not deserve these gifts. I have not the meekness of heart that can bear them. If God wills to give me a gift, He will give me without me asking for it. Then I will ask Him to give me humility to protect me from pride. If God gives me a gift I will not speak about it and I will not declare it to people so as not to expose myself to spiritual combats above my measure."
The phrase “earnestly desire the best gifts” does not mean that we ask for gifts, but that we prepare the heart with purity and meekness to receive the gifts which are not only miraculous powers, but also include wisdom, knowledge and faith, according to the Apostle's teaching (1 Cor.12: 8,9).
If you want to ask God for a good gift, the Lord teaches us what to ask! He says in the Sermon on the Mount: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt.6: 33).
We notice that in the Lord's prayer, which He taught us and which is an exemplary prayer, we do not ask for gifts.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III




The Pentecostal Movement and the Gift of Speaking in Tongues


The most outstanding characteristic of the Pentecostal movement is that the Pentecostals believe in the baptism in the Holy Spirit (other than the baptism of water and the Spirit). This is what the Pentecostals and their followers the Charismatic group in Egypt call for, as it is clear from their books without them declaring it. They call this matter 'Spirit Baptism' or 'Filling of the Holy Spirit'.
Pentecostalism The Pentecostals and the Charismatic group think that the most distinguished characteristic of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, of this descent and fullness of the Holy Spirit is to speak with tongues. Speaking in tongues, in their opinion, is the first sign that a person is filled with the Holy Spirit. That is why, in joining a new member to their group, the Pentecostals and the Charismatic group strive to make him or her speak with tongues so as to resemble the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost.
Following the teachings of their advisors, the Pentecostals and the Charismatic group place great emphasis to the gift of Speaking in tongues as if it were everything, whether the tongues are intelligible or not. In most cases, if not in all, the tongues are just meaningless voices.
What is the teaching of the Holy Bible about the gift of
Speaking in tongues?

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III



Speaking in tongues


From studying the Holy Bible and in particular chapter fourteen of St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians, which we may call the chapter of the gift of tongues, we notice the following points:

(1) Speaking in tongues is last in the order of gifts

When the Apostle Paul mentions the spiritual gifts in his First Epistle to the Corinthlans, he puts the gift of Speaking in tongues and their interpretation last in the order of gifts. He says: “Now, there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of hearings b the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (1Cor.12: 4-11). Thus the Apostle puts the gift of Speaking in tongues and their interpretation last in the order of gifts. The gift of Speaking in tongues is preceded by wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, and the ability to distinguish between spirits.
The Apostle also says: “And God has appointed these in the
Church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues” (1Cor.12: 28). Thus the Apostle puts the gift of Speaking in tongues last in the order of gifts.When the Apostle says: “But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way” (1Cor.12: 31), he explains that this more excellent way is love. He explains how love is greater and more important than every prophecy, all knowledge, all faith which can move mountains, charity and asceticism (1Cor. 13). He explains that love is more important than Speaking in tongues of men and of angels - not of men only. He says: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1Cor.13: 1).

(2) Speaking in tongues is not a gift for all

We have seen from the aforementioned that God “distributes to each one individually as He wills” (1Cor.12: 11); “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us” (Rom.12: 6) and “as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Rom.12: 3).
With regard to the gift of Speaking in tongues, the Apostle plainly says: “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of hearings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” (1Cor.12: 29,30) It is clear from this passage that the gift is not for all,

. Therefore even at the time of the Apostles it was not necessary for every believer to receive the gift of Speaking in tongues which was not an essential sign to prove the descent of the Holy Spirit upon a person. A man can be a saint even though he does not speak with tongues.
God knows when to give gifts and the reason of giving them. He gave the gift of Speaking in tongues abundantly at the time of the Apostles, the beginning of preaching for the sake of edifying, because it was essential at the time.
Speaking in tongues is not necessary in every age. The Holy Bible says concerning this: “Whether there are tongues, they will cease” (1Cor.13: 8). Even in the era of the Apostles there were conditions for Speaking in tongues. We read some of these conditions in chapter fourteen of the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians:

(3) Speaking in tongues should be for edifying the church

The most important word which characterises the chapter about the gift of Speaking in tongues (1Cor.14), is the word edifying. The Apostle mentions it many times and emphasises it. He says explicitly: “Let all things be done for edification” (1Cor.14: 26) and “Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel” (1Cor.14: 12).
For the sake of edifying the church, the Apostle says that "he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues” (v.5) because “he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church” (v.4). The word prophesy at that time also meant teaching. The Apostle prefers prophesying because “he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men” (v.3).

(4) Speaking in tongues should be interpreted

The Apostle says: “Therefore Jet him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret” (v.13), and adds “But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church” (v.28). The Apostle's reason is obvious: the edification of the church. He says: “...unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification” (v.5). If this edification is not achieved, he should keep silent, and the phrase ‘keep silent’ is an Apostolic command. Therefore he who speaks in a tongue must either speak for the edification of the church or keep silent.
The presence of an interpreter is a testimony that the Speaking in tongues is sound. Thus the gift of tongues is given to two persons simultaneously. One is the speaker and the other the interpreter. Consequently, the Biblical verse: “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established” (2Cor.13: 1), is applied. If speaking in a tongue is without interpretation, what is its use? What is its use if all present do not understand the language?

(5) What is the meaning of 'edifies himself’?

To ‘edify himself’ is to be in a certain spiritual state of the descent of the Ho y Spirit, which is beneficial for the individual's edification. There are two remarks mentioned by St. Paul about this state. They are:
(a) The person should keep silent just as in any private spiritual state between oneself and God. The Apostle says: “...let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God” (v.28). It is a matter between him and God, more suitable for him to stay in his closet and not in church in front of people. Thus speaking in a tongue will be a kind of prayer. Even so:
(b) The mind will be unfruitful; it is just a work of the spirit. The Apostle says: “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful” (v.14). The Apostle could see that this state should be completed by understanding. The person should pray in spirit and also with understanding; sing in spirit and also with understanding. Although the Apostle mentions the phrase ‘edifies himself’ very cautiously and with remarks, and points out that it is not a complete edification, yet for the sake of edification he says: “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue” (vv.18, 19).
Therefore there is no need for people to strive with all their might to speak with tongues, believing that this is a great achievement.
If this is the case of Speaking in tongues as a gift of the Holy Spirit, what then shall we say when some people claim to speak with tongues and we are not certain of the genuineness of their claim?

(6) The Apostle's fight against the errors of Speaking in tongues

The Apostle fought strongly against the tongues which were not edifying the church and whose owners did not keep silent. He says that:
(a) The tongues are not beneficial "But now, brethren, if I come to you Speaking in tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?" (v.6) He describes these tongues as musical instruments which make indistinctive, unknown and incomprehensible sounds (vv.7, 8).
(b) The tongues will be spoken into the air. The Apostle says: "So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will bespeaking into the air” (v.9).
(c) Speakers with tongues will be like foreigners. The Apostle says: “Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me” (v.11).
(d) Speakers with tongues have no fellowship with the church and do not edify others.
No one can understand the one who speaks with a tongue when he stands to pray, to give thanks or to bless the Lord. So how can he enter into a life of sharing with the believers if they do not understand him? Therefore the Apostle says: “Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say 'Amen' at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified” (vv.16, 17).
(e) Speakers with tongues will resemble the mad. “Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?” (v.23).
(f) The tongues should be appropriate, in order and without confusion. The gift of Speaking in tongues filled everyone at the time of the Apostles, but the Apostle insists that the gift should be disciplined. He says: “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace” (v.33) and “If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret” (v.27).

(7) Speaking in tongues is a sign for unbelievers

In the Apostle's opinion, believers will benefit from forthtelling, whereas unbelievers will profit from the tongues provided that they are interpreted. He says: “Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe” (v.22).
Therefore if those who are present in church are believers, what is the benefit of Speaking in tongues, according to the Apostle's teaching?

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III



Repentance is a sacrament


(1) Repentance is a sacrament
In the Orthodox concept, repentance is one of the Church's Seven Sacraments. It is called the Sacrament of Repentance. However, the Protestant groups, in not believing in the Church Sacraments, do not consider repentance a holy Mystery. Therefore, there is a difference between repentance and the Sacrament of Repentance. This difference has its consequences.