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“What did I do to deserve this?” is a sentence commonly heard when someone experiences a particularly bad event in their life. These thoughts stem from some concept of “Godly wrath come upon us” or the incorrect idea of some sort of “karmic” retribution. In pondering suffering and why one must suffer, a consensus seems to emerge from many Church fathers which outlines suffering as an excellent example of experiencing, or learning, the higher ways of God. St. Athanasius of Alexandria writes “Let us then be comforted in our afflictions and rejoice in our sufferings, for the Lord did not come to free us from suffering, but to teach us to bear it with faith, hope, and love, and thus attain eternal life.” [1] Sergius of Radonezh, a medieval Russian Orthodox ascetic, is also commonly quoted as saying: “If you want to serve God, prepare your heart not for food, not for drink, not for rest, not for ease, but for suffering, so that you may endure all temptations, trouble and sorrow. Prepare for severities, fasts, spiritual struggles and many afflictions, for ‘by many afflictions is it appointed to us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven’ [2] ; ‘The Heavenly Kingdom is taken by force, and those who use force seize it.’ [3] ”   In the Old Testament, suffering was often viewed as evidence of the wrath of God. Job, being the operative example, endured the scrutiny of his friends who wrongly attributed his loss of all things to his unrighteousness, due to a simplistic understanding of chastisement and prosperity. Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends, therefore says to Job in one instance: “Is not your wickedness great, and your iniquity without end?” [4] The tension of struggle and faithfulness in the character of Job profoundly draws out a beautiful perspective on the love of God, who would in the fullness of time take flesh and suffer unto death out of His love for mankind, freely and without compulsion. Just as Job was led into a deeper relation of love with God through suffering, so also does God invite us to a deeper relation with Himself through His own suffering on our behalf. In this, then, it is evident that the fullness of love — the Trinitarian Love — is that which accepts suffering even when it is unjust, transforming the experience of suffering into an expression of perfect love: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” [5]   Through the trial of Job, suffering is understood as a means by which the elect may draw nearer to God and grow in conformity to Him. Another aspect of suffering likewise emerges in the Scriptures: often, the Israelites are permitted to suffer at the hands of the Gentiles as chastisement for their going astray from God’s commandments, “for whom the Lord loves He chastens.” [6] However, the chastisement of the elect, being for the sake of their repentance, ought not be conflated with the idea that God simply ascribes punishment on the ungodly. This was the misunderstanding of Job’s friends, which the Lord Jesus Christ corrects both by His words and living example — He, the sinless Lord, who endures suffering and tastes death on behalf of mankind.   When the Lord and His disciples encounter the man born blind, the disciples ask Him: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” [7] Christ’s response is, put simply, unexpected: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” [8] This idea, that this man’s suffering — his sickness — did not result from sinful activity, challenged their flawed assumption and ushered in a redeemed apprehension of the mercy and justice of God. In addition to preaching that “the last shall be first” [9] and that the poor shall inherit the Kingdom, [10] this encounter with the born-blind man became one of many instances where Christ confronted the contemporary Jewish misinterpretations of the ways of God and further uncovered the understanding of how the Lord blesses His children with suffering as a means by which they can take up a role in His salvific work, a teaching which He would Himself embody through His journey to the Cross and Resurrection. This conversation with the disciples was therefore a planting of a seed — an assertion that by way of suffering, one may share the Gospel and grow in conformity to the Lord Jesus Christ.   The practicality of this message which the Lord exemplified is perhaps most evident in the experience and mission of the Apostle Paul. St. Paul speaks of suffering often and chooses to suffer in order to be counted a minister in the service of God. He describes his many sufferings: “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” [11]   Despite these unimaginable sufferings, directly resulting from his preaching of the Gospel, we nevertheless hear his assuring words: “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” [12]   St. Paul furthers this understanding of suffering elsewhere, writing: “[W]e are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building,” [13] and so “ the sufferings of this present time are not worthy  to be compared  with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” [14]  Evidently, then, this glory that God should reveal in us is realized through the sufferings which the believers endure, as a catalyst. [15]  St. John Chrysostom muses in his commentary on 1 Corinthians 4 that the uniqueness of the suffering of the Apostles is that “they are suffering without despair or anger. On the contrary they are full of rejoicing, and they prove it by returning good for the evil they receive.” [16]   The Coptic Orthodox Church is no stranger to the concept of suffering as a means of witnessing to the glory of God. She is heralded as being “the Church of the martyrs” and arranges her days according to the calendrical system anno martyrum (“year of the martyrs”). From the martyrdom of the Church’s first Patriarch, St. Mark the Evangelist, until today, martyrdom has become characteristic of the tradition, spirituality, and identity of the Coptic Orthodox Church, being delivered intergenerationally. Moreover, the powerful witness of the suffering Christians is made abundantly clear in the hagiographical account, in the Coptic Synaxarium, of Arianus the governor of Ansina, who was the likely cause of an innumerable number of the martyrdoms recorded in the Synaxarium, and who was led to conversion through seeing the joyful suffering of God’s people. [17] Martyrdom, in the Orthodox understanding, is understood as a high calling and honor, constituting a powerful conformity to Christ: as the Lord died for our sake, the martyr, in turn, offers his life to Christ and, in like manner, dies for His sake. St. Athanasius the Apostolic therefore speaks highly of martyrdom, considering the martyrs as being among the most powerful testimonies to the truth of the Christian message. [18]  The great Abba Antony, likewise, is described as pursuing martyrdom, finding it even sufficient, if he were not called to martyrdom, to “look on the contestants.” [19] It is further described: “. . . he was praying that he, too, might be martyred. Therefore, he also appeared grieved that he did not suffer martyrdom. . . . When the persecution finally ceased and Bishop Peter of blessed memory had suffered martyrdom, [Antony] left and went back to his solitary cell; and there he was a daily martyr to his conscience, even fighting the battles of the Faith.” [20]  The consideration of suffering for the sake of Christ as being an honor remains ever-present in the Church and is palpably felt even in the experiences of modern-day saints. One cannot forget the powerful and unwavering testimony of the 21 martyrs of Libya. It was also narrated regarding the saintly Tamav Irene that she, like Antony the Great, longed to suffer for the sake of God, and having not been called to martyrdom by Him, continued steadfastly in the life of daily martyrdom through asceticism. [21]  Indeed, a definitive mark of properly internalized spirituality is to approach suffering as an honor and glory to God, offering thanks to God in return for any suffering endured for His sake. [22]   A most profound aspect of suffering is its facilitation of an opportunity to become a fellow sharer in the sufferings of the Lord Christ. In suffering, the believer realizes a profound solidarity with the Lord and is able to incorporate that experience of suffering into their Christian experience. Russian Orthodox theologian Theophan the Recluse captures this perspective well, writing: “Remember that each of us has his own cross. The Golgotha of this cross is our heart: it is being lifted or implanted through a zealous determination to live according to the Spirit of God. Just as salvation of the world is by the Cross of God, so our salvation is by our crucifixion on our own cross.” [23]   While Christ challenged the misunderstanding that a person’s suffering is necessarily due to particular sins, it is nevertheless clear that suffering was introduced  into the human condition through the sin and fall of Adam and Eve. [24]  On the holy wood of the Cross, through His suffering and ultimate death, the Lord transformed this condition into one of blessing, recapitulating man and offering to him the remission of sin(s) and renewal of nature through baptism, which is the putting on of Christ. [25] The ultimate goal of life on earth, then, becomes growth and perfection in Christ: “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” [26]  This timeless truth of Christianity is embodied in the ritual theology of the Coptic Orthodox Church. For instance, in the prayers which immediately precede the communion in the Eucharist, the priest proclaims: “the Holies are for the holies!” Truly, it is only through Him who is Holy that the believers can approach the Eucharist worthily. The believers become the people of God through unity with Him and in Him: “And we ask You, O Lord our God . . . that Your Holy Spirit descend upon us and upon these gifts set forth [the Eucharist], and purify them, change them, and manifest them as a sanctification of Your saints.” [27]  In the sense that the Eucharist is understood as the fruits of the sufferings of Christ, it follows that to have a share in Him and in His sufferings is to enjoy unity with Him.   Moreover, it is common for believers, when they are faced with trials and hardships, to feel as though they are undeserving of such misfortunes. In his Letters to Olympias , St. John Chrysostom offers a new outlook: “Nothing, Olympias, redounds so much to the credit of any one as patient endurance in suffering. For this is indeed the queen of virtues, and the perfection of crowns; and as it excels all other forms of righteousness, so this particular species of it is more glorious than the rest.” [28]  Through suffering, we have the opportunity to cultivate many virtues, and the despair that may be engendered in us through hardship can rather become a means for glorification. This paradoxical perspective — of the opportunities and growth which suffering may occasion — may seem, at first glance, to be illogical. Rather, we are assured by the Apostle Paul that “the foolishness of God is wiser than men,” [29]  and that “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” [30]   Such a perspective regarding suffering warrants deep reflection. While humanity is not sinless, spotless, or a perfect Lamb to be offered as a sacrifice, can it nevertheless approximate God through suffering? Despite being marred by sin, can humanity, through suffering unjustly, return to the Image of God — He who was falsely accused for our sake, who prayed for the cup to be taken from Him, [31]  and who did not lose all, but chose  to come down from His throne as King of Kings and had no place to lay His head? [32] Can suffering in this world, no matter how minute, amount to a share in His suffering? Can one’s suffering be likened to Simone of Cyrene carrying the Lord’s Cross with Him [33]   — an unimaginable blessing? Can one not think of each of our hardships as likewise carrying the cross of the Lord one step closer to Golgotha, knowing that ultimately, it is still He who suffers death on our behalf? Can one not know joy in His resurrection? For this reason, let us bear in mind — to be blessed is to suffer. — [1] St. Athanasius of Alexandria, Letter to Marcellinus on the Interpretation of the Psalms  (4th Century). [2] Acts 14:22 NKJV (Hereinafter, all Scriptural references are taken from the New King James Version). [3] Matthew 11:12. [4] Job 22:5. [5] John 15:13. [6] Hebrews 12:6-11; see also  Revelation 3:19. [7] John 9:1-2. [8] John 9:3. [9] Matthew 20:16. [10] Matthew 5:3, Luke 6:20. [11]  2 Corinthians 11:24-28. [12] 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. [13] 1 Corinthians 3:9. [14] Romans 8:18. [15]  See e.g., Romans 8:18-31. [16] St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on 1 Corinthians 4  . [17]  I hope the pun of Arianus and seeing was not lost on you. [18]  See  St. Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation , para. 28. [19] St. Athanasius of Alexandria, The Life of Antony , para. 46. [20]  Ibid ., 46-47. [21]  See Saint Mary & Anba Bishoy Coptic Orthodox Church, Tamav Ireni  (November 17, 2012). [22] “If you bear your sufferings with thankfulness, this is greater than performing miracles” (St. Isaac the Syrian, The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian , Homily 5). [23] Theophan the Recluse, Thoughts for Each Day of the Year According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God . [24]  See Genesis 3. [25]  S ee e.g. , Romans 13:14. [26]  Colossians 1:28. [27]  The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil of Caesarea: The Epiclesis. [28] St. John Chrysostom, Letters to Olympias , Letter II. [29] 1 Corinthians 1:25. [30]  1 Corinthians 1:18. [31] Matthew 26:39. [32] Revelation 17:14; Matthew 8:20 . [33] Luke 23:26 . — Hilana Said is a Coptic Orthodox Christian and a licensed attorney. She graduated from Albany Law School in 2023. Hilana developed a love for academic reading and writing during her time on the Executive Board of the Albany Law Review. Her deep faith and Coptic Orthodox heritage play an integral role in her personal and professional life and serve as constant inspiration for her academic pursuits. DossPress.com  is a place for Christian men and women to collaborate for the sake of our common edification by sharing their written works. As we strive to uphold a standard of doctrinal and spiritual soundness in the articles shared, we note nonetheless that the thoughts expressed in each article remain the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Doss Press.

In engaging with the political process, especially around election season, people are often drawn into and held captive by partisan politics and issue-based voting. Beneath the loud noises of specific policies and candidates’ personalities are worldviews and philosophies that animate not just the candidates, but also political movements and historical trends. This article aims to provide the reader with a conceptual framework by which to engage more thoughtfully with, and look more deeply into, the whys that underpin the political process and their implications, to the end of understanding in a nuanced manner the interplay between the Church, politics, and civic duty. Two Visions: Constrained and Unconstrained One of the curious things about political opinions is how often the same people line up on opposite sides of different issues. [1]  One explanation may be tribalism and that the same people fall in line once a view is declared from the upper echelons of political party leadership. But even tribalism does not explain why political platforms and their leadership also stay consistent on the same issues. It is more plausible that the same people line up on opposite sides of different issues because they have different visions of the world. A vision is the map by which we navigate the world and perceive reality. Facts do not speak for themselves; rather it is facts interpreted through a vision that allows us to understand the world. “Visions set the agenda for both thought and action. Visions fill in the necessarily large gaps in individual knowledge.” [2] Two competing visions of the human condition will necessarily dictate different moral judgments and, consequently, public policies. Thomas Sowell categorizes visions in two broad categories: constrained and unconstrained. [3] The constrained vision is articulated in the writings of Adam Smith, Edmund Burke, and American founding fathers such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, while the unconstrained vision is expressed in the writings of William Godwin, Jean-Jacque Rousseau, and the Marquis de Condorcet. A. Views on the Human Condition In the constrained vision, the moral limitations of humanity are treated as inherent facts of life, and the fundamental moral and social challenge is to make the best of the possibilities that exist within these limitations. [4] People are naturally motivated by self-interest and the interest(s) of their immediate social circles. Instead of regarding man’s nature as something that could or should be changed, proponents of the constrained vision attempt to determine how the desired moral and social benefits might be realized most efficiently within that constraint. [5] For instance, those who subscribe to the constrained vision would harness man’s self-interest and desire for prosperity by establishing a marketplace characterized by competition to induce economic growth in society at large. They would not encourage people to be more charitable or impose taxes for the general benefit of the poor in an attempt to reduce inequality because they view such efforts as improper and futile. [6] The constrained vision is in the business of pragmatic trade-offs as opposed to moral sentiments or spiritual motivations. Instead of teaching people to be virtuous, proponents of the constrained vision, such as Adam Smith, get the job done by persuading individuals to do the right thing because self-image is improved by good deeds. In contrast, proponents of the unconstrained vision believe that man, at his core, is intrinsically good and capable of acting selflessly, but the fundamental problem is that social institutions corrupt human nature. Near the end of his life, Rousseau authored Emile and stated that “[t]his book…is simply a treatise on the natural goodness of man, intended to show how vice and error are foreign to his constitution, invade it from outside, and imperceptibly alter it.” [7] By way of example, Rousseau writes in his Confessions  that his master treated him badly, so he started lying and became lazy; his father punished him rather too harshly, and this made him both manipulative and covetous. [8] Rousseau saw that his intrinsic goodness was corrupted by his circumstances and thus blamed society for his delinquency. [9] The unconstrained vision further holds that despite corrupting institutions, man has the potential of feeling other people’s needs as more important than his own, and therefore of consistently acting impartially, even when his own interests or those of his family are implicated. [10] Thus, institution-made corruption can simply be undone by reformed institutions as envisioned by a narrow segment of the population with cultivated minds who use rationality and reason as the proper and sufficient instrument for regulating the actions of mankind. [11] As such, man can be wildly transformed: Man is, in short, ‘perfectible’ – meaning continually improvable rather than capable of actually reaching absolute perfection. ‘We can come nearer and nearer,’ according to Godwin, though one ‘cannot prescribe limits’ to this process … Efforts must be made to ‘wake the sleeping virtues of mankind.’ [12] B. Knowledge and Reason The two visions also diverge on knowledge and reason: “In the constrained vision, any individual’s own knowledge alone is grossly inadequate for social decision-making, and often even for his own personal decisions.” [13] Knowledge in the constrained vision is predominantly experiential – transmitted socially in largely inarticulate forms. As Adam Smith stated, “man has certainly more often learnt to do the right thing without comprehending why it was the right thing, and he still is better served by custom than understanding.” [14] Burke expressed a similar sentiment, stating: I give you opinions which have been accepted amongst us, from very early times to this moment, with a continued and general approbation, and which indeed are so worked into my mind, that I am unable to distinguish what I have learned from others from the results of my own meditations. [15] The constrained vision thereby places a high premium on experience learned over time across wide populations encompassed in previous generations – in sum, tradition. However, these views do not preclude interference when severe corruption enters the system: “We should attend to the defects of the social order, according to Burke, with the same trepidation with which we would tend the wounds of our father. They are not to be ignored, but neither are they a mandate for experiment or hasty inspiration.” [16]   The unconstrained vision, on the other hand, values reason over experience and individual rationality over collective pragmatism: “According to Godwin, experience was greatly overrated – ‘unreasonably magnified,’ in his words – compared to reason or to ‘the general power of a cultivated mind.’” [17] Condorcet similarly stated that “everything that bears the imprint of time must inspire distrust more than respect” and “only by meditation that we can arrive at any general truths in the science of man.” [18] As such, the unconstrained vision implies a profound inequality between the conclusions of “persons of narrow views” and those of “cultivated minds.” [19] The influence of those with “cultivated minds” ought to be magnified: “What is needed is to infuse ‘just views of society’ into ‘the liberally educated and reflecting members’ of society, who in turn will be ‘to the people guides and instructors,’ according to Godwin.” [20] There is a special leadership role to be played by those of “superior intellects” who can lead society and serve as agents of transformation within institutions in order to discover or invent a solution for the human condition and bring about the process of “perfectibility” described by Condorcet and Godwin. [21] To be clear, no political movement or philosophical view is 100% constrained or unconstrained. But the general disposition of the two categories depends on premises and presuppositions about the human condition and knowledge from which perceptions of reality and decision-making proceed. For instance, a “constrained” politician may propose legislation to incentivize entrepreneurship even though incentivizing action through law is a feature of the unconstrained vision. Similarly, a politician with an unconstrained vision marries and has children without contemplating the essence of marriage or rationalizing his decisions, a clear deviation from the unconstrained school of thought. Is Christianity Constrained or Unconstrained? Christianity does not fall squarely into one of these categories. For instance, the Christian view of knowledge aligns well with the constrained vision. A hallmark of Christianity is respect and reverence for tradition and wisdom learned and transmitted by past generations. As expressed in Proverbs, “Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set.” [22] A core premise underlying large segments of the Bible is precisely the need to transmit lessons across the ages. [23] “My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; For they  will be  a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck.” [24] The Gospel according to St. Luke begins with a similar message: Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,   that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. [25] Burke’s statement “I give you opinions which have been accepted amongst us, from very early times to this moment, with a continued and general approbation…” rings very familiar to finely tuned Christian ears. Ignoring the wisdom of past generations in favor of personal meditations and rationalizing well-established practices is, according to Proverbs, the definition of foolishness: “A fool despises his father’s instruction, but he who receives correction is prudent.” [26] While Christianity aligns with the constrained vision on knowledge, it takes aspects of both visions when dealing with the human condition. On one hand, like the constrained vision, Christianity views the human condition as fundamentally flawed as a result of the sin of Adam. As St. Athanasius states in On the Incarnation , the fall of man was separation from God that resulted in physical, spiritual, and moral death. [27] The moral death is what proponents of the constrained vision view as the flaw in human nature. On the other hand, similar to the unconstrained vision, Christianity views the human condition as “perfectible,” but with a significant caveat. While the unconstrained vision aims to improve the nature of the masses through reformed institutions, public policy, and social pressures, Christianity changes individuals through divine means. Christ’s incarnation and crucifixion – indeed, His entire “salvific work” – reconciled heaven and earth and provided Christians, through Baptism, the forgiveness of sin and renewal of nature by the Holy Spirit, enabling them to walk in accordance with “the calling by which [they] were called.” [28]  Thus the commandment to “be perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect” [29] cannot come about through mere human efforts, reform, or public policy, but through the grace of God, a sound sacramental life, discipleship, prayer, fasting, and the life of virtue and other good works. In short, the quest for perfection without Christ is futile. Therefore, while Christianity has more in common with the constrained model, it does not align perfectly with either vision. Christianity, specifically Orthodoxy, values tradition and is generally apprehensive of unwarranted change. However, the Christian view of the human condition does not entirely align with the constrained vision because there is potential to change human nature through Christ’s salvific work. Neither does Christianity fully align with the unconstrained vision because human nature is fundamentally flawed post-fall and because the quest for perfection cannot be achieved solely through worldly institutions, policies, or compulsion. Caesar v. God According to Sowell, progressive politics are aligned with the unconstrained vision, while conservative/libertarian frameworks are more aligned with the constrained vision. [30] This essay does not specifically identify political parties with either vision. Political parties are vehicles for ideologies that aim to implement public policy and law in line with their members’ and leadership’s worldviews. So, political parties are prone to seismic shifts, which have arguably seen a significant uptick in recent times. Also, similar to individuals, political parties may be constrained on one political issue but unconstrained on another. [31] Christians are generally viewed as conservatives because of their respect for tradition – a feature Christianity shares with the constrained vision.  However, as explained above, neither political philosophy – and no political party – possesses a complete understanding of the human condition and life’s most perplexing questions. They are simply incapable of addressing existential issues such as suffering, purpose, justice, human flourishing, or any of life’s other central questions. These types of issues are unanswerable by mere political philosophies because they belong in the realm of theology, not politics or secular philosophy. The solution to this quandary is to “[r]ender therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” [32] Christians ought to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s by being good, law-abiding citizens and productive members of society. And here it is essential to note that the call to “render unto Caesar” does not mean that Christians are to adopt a morally libertarian stance when making personal (or even electoral) decisions; nor does it mean that secularism and immorality should be acceptable to Christians as long as they are handed down from governing bodies in the form of legal mandates. To the contrary, Christians are supposed, on an individual level, to vote, live, and believe in accordance with their moral compass, in good conscience – the same right to which everyone else in a religiously diverse society is entitled. Additionally, because neither vision (and by extension no political party) fits squarely within a proper Christian framework, the Church cannot, and must not, endorse wholesale political parties or candidates. The Church, however, finds itself in an understandably difficult position in the current political climate because morality has come to be seriously intertwined with politics and Caesar has reached into the domain of God. In recent years, debate stages and newsrooms have become forums for moral issues masquerading as administrative matters and public policy considerations. Mundane tax policies and subsidies inevitably have become discussions on the importance of equality, charity, and fairness. Border policy and immigration reform have turned into debates about the intrinsic worth of human beings and alleviating suffering for the persecuted. Godwin’s vision of man’s perfectibility through continuous improvement so “we can come nearer and nearer…” has become conflated with Gregory of Nyssa’s view that “no limit would interrupt growth in the ascent to God, since no limit to the Good can be found nor is the increasing of desire for the Good brought to an end because it is satisfied.” [33] And so Caesar added a cassock to his royal regalia, and mass confusion reigned. Perhaps the foray of politics into morality came about due to the decreased religiosity of the American public: “Americans’ membership in houses of worship continued to decline [in 2020], dropping below 50% for the first time in Gallup’s eight-decade trend.” [34] Additionally, over the past two decades, “the percentage of Americans who do not identify with any religion has grown from 8% in 1998-2000 to 13% in 2008-2010 and 21% [from 2018 to 2021].” [35] Furthermore, Americans’ confidence in the Church and organized religious institutions declined to 46% among republicans, 25% among independents, and 26% among democrats. [36] This is a significant decline in confidence across the board from previous years. [37] Traditionally, religion provided people with community, a sense of purpose, and an arena to practice and grow in virtue. When religion disappears, people attempt to fill the spiritual void with the crumbs they can find. In 1840, Alexis de Tocqueville foresaw that material wealth, safety, and prosperity – all of which are abundant today – are not enough to satisfy humanity: The soul has needs that must be satisfied. Whatever pains are taken to distract it from itself, it soon grows bored, restless, and anxious amid the pleasures of the senses. If ever the thoughts of the great majority of mankind came to be concentrated solely on the search for material blessings, one can anticipate that there would be a colossal reaction in the souls of men… [38] Of course, before Tocqueville, Christ Himself declared that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” [39] The Coptic Church expresses this beautifully in the Liturgy of St. Gregory saying: “You had no need of my servitude, but rather I had need of Your Lordship.” The void left by the lack of religiosity is currently being filled through politics animated by the unconstrained vision (sometimes on both sides of the aisle) that aims to alleviate suffering and inequality through legislation and political rhetoric, as opposed to inner transformation through spiritual means. [40] Christians should distinguish the proper role of government from the proper domain of the Church and be faithful in their duty to both. The Church is responsible for transforming the believers from within and harnessing moral virtue and charity within its members. It does so through God’s grace and the sacramental life, thereby allowing the believers to have true love, joy, peace, and all the other fruits of the Spirit. [41] The Church must therefore reclaim its role as moral teacher by providing proper theological education to its leaders and members. Most crucially, Christian families must reclaim their role in raising their children, because the Church’s mission to educate each generation is bound to fail without sound education and discipline, beginning in the family. St. Habib Girgis, the founder of the Sunday School movement in Egypt, had especially harsh words for parents who ignore raising their children or attempt to outsource their education to others: “How stupid are the parents who overwork to build wealth but ignore raising their own children. St. John Chrysostom likened them to a stupid gardener who pays attention to accumulating money and hiring laborers and does not care for his trees and gardens.” [42] To be clear, the Church should not involve itself in endorsing political parties or political candidates. Rather, it should pay close attention to fulfilling its duties by praying for the country’s political leaders, [43] providing discipleship, and educating believers on the true meaning of being human, the meaning of life, and connecting them to the awe-inspiring sacramental life. Once a Christian experiences proper discipleship and lives and understands his faith, proper decisions will follow in every aspect of his life. An educational and spiritual renaissance such as the one brought on by St. Habib Girgis, St. Pope Kyrillos VI, and Pope Shenouda III is desperately needed. [44] On the other hand, the government is responsible for maintaining societal order and stewarding the economic system. As such, a government subscribing to the constrained vision may prove ideal because minimal interference with human nature is advisable in a heterogenous and multireligious society due to the complexity of its social landscape. A solution to one emerging issue may well cause two other unintended and more significant problems, which in turn engenders skepticism towards hasty social intervention. Indeed, Adam Smith warned of a man who is “wise in his own conceit” who “seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chess-board.” [45] That being said, social reform is not prohibited under the constrained vision, but it is to be undertaken with the utmost caution as one would tend to a father’s wounds, as articulated by Burke. At the same time, the constrained vision offers valuable insight on practical issues due to its reliance on experience and wisdom derived from past generations. Because of that reliance and other self-imposed limitations, the constrained vision has traditionally outsourced social and spiritual concerns to the family and mediating institutions such as the Church. Irrespective of what political philosophy is employed, however, politicians across the aisle must recognize that their duty is to the Constitution and their constituents within the limitations set forth by the Constitution. Anything outside these boundaries belongs to and falls squarely within the mission of mediating institutions, such as local communities or the Church. In a word, government, and politicians of all affiliations, cannot provide people with the hope, love, joy, and flourishing they so frequently promise, no matter how much they might strive or desire to do so. — [1] Thomas Sowell, A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles , (Basic Books, N.Y. 2007), 1. [2] Sowell, 7. [3] The two visions encompass views on many aspects of life including justice, power, social processes, and equality; however, for the purposes of this article, I only choose the most abstract and consequential aspects: human nature and knowledge/reason. [4] Sowell, 12. [5] Sowell, 12-13. [6] For instance, Alexander Hamilton considered “all men” to be “entitled to a parity of privileges,” though he expected that economic inequality “would exist as long as liberty existed.” See Sowell, 133. [7] Alan Jacobs, Original Sin: A Cultural History , (Harper Collins Publishers N.Y. 2008), 149. [8] Carl Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self , (Crossway 2020), 109. [9] Trueman, 109-110. [10] Sowell, 16. [11] Sowell, 43-44. [12] Sowell, 18. [13] Sowell, 36. [14] Sowell, 38. [15] Sowell, 42. [16] Sowell, 38. Further to that point, Adam Smith urged the freeing of the American colonies prior to the revolutionary war in addition to suggesting a number of domestic reforms and being opposed to slavery. Similarly, authors of the Federalist Papers such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay – certainly proponents of the constrained vision – came first to public notice as leaders in the revolt against the British rule. See Sowell, 39. [17] Sowell, 40. [18] Sowell, 40. [19] Sowell, 40-41. [20] Sowell, 43. [21] Sowell, 44. [22] Proverbs 22:28 NKJV (Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptural quotations are taken from the New King James translation). [23] This, of course, falls under the overarching fact that Scripture is inspired by God for the sake of human salvation. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV). [24] Proverbs 1:8-9. [25] Luke 1:1-4. [26] Proverbs 15:5. [27] St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation , paragraph 4 (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press N.Y. 2011). [28] Ephesians 4:1-6. [29] Matthew 5:48. [30]  Thomas Sowell and a Conflict of Visions , Hoover Institution, November 4, 2008 (accessed October 25, 2024). In interviews discussing his book, Sowell makes clear that he is a proponent of the constrained vision. Yet, he does not adhere to a political party: “When people ask me why am I going to vote for McCain rather than Obama it’s because I prefer disaster to catastrophe.” [31] Federalism can also potentially play an interesting role in this discussion. What should be the role of local, state, and federal government in making regulations and enforcing the law? This can be explored in a later essay. [32] Matthew 22:21. [33] Gregory of Nyssa, The Life of Moses , paragraph 239 (Paulist Press N.J. 1978). To be clear, Godwin did not view virtues such as generosity as political duties to be imposed by the state, but as moral duties to be harvested in the context of social duty, thereby making it unnecessary for the government to get involved. However, Godwin’s ideological progenies appear to think that government has a role to play in inspiring, and sometimes forcing, such virtues by law. Sowell, 213-214. [34] Jeffrey M. Jones, U.S. Church Membership Falls Below Majority for First Time , March 29, 2021. [35]  Ibid . [36] Jeffrey M. Jones, Confidence in U.S. Institutions Down; Average at New Low , July 5, 2022. [37]  Ibid . [38] Alexis de Tocqueville, pt. 2, chap. 12 in Democracy in America , vol. 2, ed. J.P. Mayer (New York: Harper & Row, 1969), 535. [39] Matthew 4:4. [40] This point may be discussed in a future essay. Interestingly, Tom Holland, author of Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade The World , states that prior to today’s increasingly secular post-World War II era, “people, even if they were not Christian, they would accept Christ as the kind of the moral exemplar and say ‘what would Jesus do?’ I think, by and large, people now say ‘what would Hitler do?’ and do the opposite.” There is no Christ-like figure of ultimate good in real world secular morality; only the incarnate devil that is Hitler. I say “real world secular morality” because fictitious redemptive figures such as Superman are plenty in modern secular mythology. See   Does God Exist? A Conversation with Tom Holland, Stephen Meyer, and Douglas Murray , Hoover Institution, November 4, 2008 (accessed October 25, 2024). [41] Galatians 5:22-23. [42] Habib Girgis, الوسائل العمليه للاصلاحات القبطيه امال و احلام يمكن تحقيقها في عشرة اعوام, Sunday School Press (1942) at 68. [43] In the Liturgy of St. Cyril, the Coptic Orthodox Church prays for “[t]he leader (king) of our land, Your servant” and asks God to “[k]eep him in peace, truth, and strength. Subject under him all the barbarians, the nations that desire war against all our fertile lands. Speak to his heart concerning the peace of Your one, only, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Grant to him that he may think peaceably towards us and towards Your holy name.” See also the Paschal Litanies: “Pray and ask that God may grant us mercy and compassion before the sovereign rulers, and incline their hearts with goodness towards us at all times, and forgive us our sins.” [44] I restrict my analysis to the Coptic Orthodox Church because this is the Church to which I belong. Pluralism, the First Amendment, and similar issues are outside the scope of this essay but may be addressed in a later essay. [45] Sowell, 45. — Amir Botros is a practicing attorney in New Jersey and holds an undergraduate degree in jurisprudence and political science. He is also currently a student at Pope Shenouda III Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary, and is an ordained Reader in the Coptic Orthodox Church. DossPress.com  is a place for Christian men and women to collaborate for the sake of our common edification by sharing their written works. As we strive to uphold a standard of doctrinal and spiritual soundness in the articles shared, we note nonetheless that the thoughts expressed in each article remain the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Doss Press.

The blessed month of Ⲧⲱⲃⲉ is known by its focus on and many celebrations of the Divine Manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout this month, the Coptic Church presents for her members a series of readings in her Sunday Lectionary, and also in the readings associated with the Feasts of the Lord that are celebrated this month, that depict the Lord’s Manifestation in a twofold manner: firstly, God is manifested to all of creation in and by virtue of His glorious incarnation and in the events in the life of our Lord that the Church celebrates during this month — His circumcision, baptism, and the first of His signs which He performed at the wedding in Cana of Galilee — and secondly, His manifestation is personally connected to our lives, deeds, and behaviors as Christians. The first of the feasts of the Divine Manifestation after the Nativity is the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is celebrated in the Coptic Church on the sixth of Ⲧⲱⲃⲉ, eight days after the Feast of the Nativity (inclusive). We learn of His circumcision from the Gospel according to St. Luke: “And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.” [1] In closely examining circumcision as it was practiced in the Old Testament, the significance of the circumcision of our Lord, and of this Feast, becomes clear. God Himself commanded Abraham to practice circumcision as both a symbol of His covenant with man and as a distinguishing sign of God’s people. [2] He delineated specific instructions to Abraham in connection with the practice: “And the child of eight days old shall be circumcised by you, every male throughout your generations…And the uncircumcised male, who shall not be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin on the eighth day, that soul shall be utterly destroyed from its family, for he has broken my covenant.” [3] In the circumcision of our Lord, we observe His complete obedience to the Law of the Old Testament, and how He, while being Himself the Lawgiver, did not hold Himself above the Law. Indeed, since circumcision was God’s commandment to His people, it was necessary that Christ, the Son of God, observe it. St. Cyril of Alexandria, in his Third Homily on the Gospel of St. Luke, explains: “Again, when the Son was present among us, though by nature God and the Lord of all, He does not on that account despise our measure, but along with us is subject to the same law, although as God He was Himself the legislator.” [4] What a wonder it is to behold Christ’s willingness to observe the Law and His obedience to it! “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” [5] It was Adam’s disregard and disobedience of God’s Law that caused him to sin and his nature to become corrupt: “Through the advice of Eve our first mother, Adam ate from the fruit of the tree. So came to our race and all the creation the authority of death and corruption.” [6] It is therefore through the obedience of the Second Adam to the Law, and His fulfillment in Himself of all that was required for our salvation, that the sin of the first Adam is abolished and we are renewed. “Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.” [7] “Yes truly He confirmed His incarnation, and fulfilled our humility by His circumcision. Therefore, He taught us the ways of salvation, and He has saved us according to His great mercy.” [8] The practice of circumcision, which was legislated by God to His people in the Old Testament, served three purposes, according to St. Cyril: “…in the first place, it separated the posterity of Abraham by a sort of sign and seal, and distinguished them from all other nations. In the second, it prefigured in itself the grace and efficacy of Divine baptism; for as in old time he that was circumcised was reckoned among the people of God by that seal, so also he that is baptized, having formed in himself Christ the seal, is enrolled into God’s adopted family. And, thirdly, it is the symbol of the faithful when established in grace, who cut away and mortify the tumultuous risings of carnal pleasures and passions by the sharp surgery of faith, and by ascetic labors; not cutting the body, but purifying the heart, and being circumcised in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise, as the divine Paul testifies, needs not the sentence of any human tribunal, but depends upon the decree from above.” [9] Circumcision served as the Old Testament precursor — the “type,” “prefigure,” or “shadow” — to baptism in the New Testament. For as God gave Abraham circumcision as the seal of those who were once His people, so also did He grant to His Church baptism by water and the Spirit — along with the mystery of Chrismation — as the seal of those who are the new Israel [10] — His new people: “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” [11] St. Paul also writes: “ In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. ” [12] Regarding this, Būlus al-Būshī, the thirteenth century Coptic Orthodox bishop, writes: “The Lord has given us baptism in the place of circumcision; his blood and flesh in place of the lambs’ flesh…Circumcision is circumcision of the heart by the spirit…It is not the same, nor even the circumcision [itself]. Rather, it is the cleanliness and the purification of the heart in the Holy Spirit by means of baptism.” [13] While the practice of circumcision, as it was known in the Old Testament, has been put away by the inauguration of the reality it prefigured — Christian baptism — there remains still a personal spiritual significance of circumcision to Christians. St. Cyril explains: “For on the eighth day Christ arose from the dead, and gave us the spiritual circumcision. For He commanded the holy Apostles: ‘Having gone, make ye disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ [14] And we affirm that the spiritual circumcision takes place chiefly in the season of holy baptism, when also Christ makes us partakers of the Holy Spirit. And of this again, that Jesus [15] of old, who was captain after Moses, was a type. For he first of all led the children of Israel across the Jordan; and then having halted them, immediately circumcised them with knives of stone. So when we have crossed the Jordan, Christ circumcises us with the power of the Holy Spirit, not purifying the flesh, but rather cutting off the defilement that is in our souls.” [16] Circumcision for the believer, then, is firstly baptism itself, by which, through dying with Christ and rising with Him, the old nature is renewed, the inherited sin is wiped away, and the baptizee is transferred from darkness to light, grafted as a new branch — a new member — in the Tree of Life, Christ and His Body, the Church, sealed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit as signified by the anointing of the oil of the chrism; [17] secondly, it is the cutting off of all evil inclinations, sinful thoughts, and carnal desires from the heart and mind. It is the cutting off of the old life in order to adopt the new and superior life, [18] which is that of Christ. This is accomplished by the grace and assistance of the Holy Spirit and through our obedience to the commandments of our Lord: “Unless he keeps the commandments of God, a man cannot make progress, not even in a single virtue.” [19] The Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord is a commemoration of a significant event in the Lord’s economy  of salvation. St. Cyril writes: “His death, therefore, was for our sakes, as were also His resurrection and His circumcision.” [20] Moreover, it is a sobering call and a convicting reminder to cut off the hindrances to our growth in virtue and in the knowledge of God, and to renew our journey with Him, so that with Origen of Alexandria, we may confidently proclaim: “When He died, we died with Him, and when He rose, we rose with Him. Likewise, we were also circumcised along with Him.” [21] To God is due all glory. — [1] Luke 2:21 [2] Genesis 17:12-13 ( LXX ) [3] Genesis 17:12-14 ( LXX ) [4] St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke , Homily 3.6 [5] Romans 5:19 [6] Ⲗⲱⲃϣ of the Monday θεοτοκια [7] Romans 15:8-9 [8] Ⲯⲁⲗⲓ Ⲁⲇⲁⲙ for the Feast of the Circumcision and the Entry of the Lord into the Temple , 17-19 [9] St. Cyril of Alexandra, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke , Homily 3.7 [10] See  Galatians 6:16; see also Romans 2:28-29; 9:6; 1 Peter 2:4-10 [11] Ephesians 1:13 [12] Colossians 2:11-12 [13] Būlus al-Būshī, Commentary on the Apocalypse of John ch.1-3  in Stephen J. Davis, Revelation 1-3 in Christian Arabic Commentary, 68-69 [14] Matthew 28:19 [15] Joshua [16] St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke , Homily 3.4 [17] Regarding the chrism, see, e.g. , Origen, Commentary on Romans , V, 8: “We are baptized with visible water and visible chrism according to the tradition of the church;” Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures , XXI, 3: “But beware of supposing this to be plain ointment. For as the Bread of the Eucharist, after the invocation of the Holy Ghost, is mere bread no longer , but the Body of Christ, so also this holy ointment is no more simple ointment, nor (so to say) common, after invocation, but it is Christ's gift of grace, and, by the advent of the Holy Ghost, is made fit to impart His Divine Nature. Which ointment is symbolically applied to your forehead and your other senses; and while your body is anointed with the visible ointment, your soul is sanctified by the Holy and life-giving Spirit.”  [18] See Ⲯⲁⲗⲓ Ⲃⲁⲧⲟⲥ for the Three Saintly Children [19] Benedicta Ward, The Sayings of the Desert Fathers , 20 (Abba Agathon, Saying 3) [20] St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke , Homily 3.5 [21] Origen the Great, Homilies on the Gospel of St. Luke , Homily 14.1 —

< Back Online Resources Apologetics: BioLogos . William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith . Bible Study: BibleProject . BiblIndex, Index of Biblical Quotations in Early Christian Literature . Blue Letter Bible . Scripture 4 All, Greek/Hebrew Interlinear Bible Software . Coptic Manuscripts: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Collections: Coptic . Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), Collections: Copte . Chester Beatty, Egypt . Digital Vatican Library, Manuscripts Library . Hill Museum & Manuscript Library, Egypt . St. Shenouda the Archimandrite Coptic Society, Online Manuscript Depositories . The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Coptic Liturgical Codex . The Morgan Library & Museum, Coptic Manuscripts . Coptic Studies: Coptic Church Review . Coptic Hymns Library (SoundCloud). Coptic Scriptorium, Digital Research in Coptic Language and Literature . Service & Religious Education: Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Department of Christian Education . Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, Sunday School Curriculum . Grain & Vine, Coptic Orthodox Education . St. George & St. Rueiss Coptic Orthodox Church, Coptic Sunday School Curriculum . Theological Study: Institute for the Renewal of Christian Catechesis . New Advent LLC, The Fathers of the Church . Roger Pearse, Early Church Fathers — Additional Texts . The North American Patristics Society, Early Christian Texts .

< Back Previously Featured Books Benedicta Ward, The Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Liturgical Press) Our first featured book was The Sayings of the Desert Fathers , a collection of wisdom and quotations from many monastic figures. This wonderful translation was completed by the late Sister Benedicta Ward, known for her remarkable dedication to bringing the world of early Christian monasticism, especially Egyptian, to life for English readers. https://litpress.org/Products/CS059/The-Sayings-of-the-Desert-Fathers Hans Urs von Balthasar, The Scandal of the Incarnation (Ignatius Press) Our second featured book is The Scandal of the Incarnation , a selection of many passages regarding the incarnation of the Lord from St. Irenaeus of Lyons' Against the Heresies . https://ignatius.com/the-scandal-of-the-incarnation-sip/ Athanasius, The Life of Antony and the Letter To Marcellinus (Paulist Press) Our third featured book is The Life of Antony by St. Athanasius the Apostolic, which introduced and pioneered the literary genre of Christian hagiography. This book has not gone out of print since it was penned by St. Athanasius, and is available in several different translations, including this one published in the Classics of Western Spirituality series by Paulist Press. https://www.paulistpress.com/Products/2295-2/athanasius.aspx Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press) Our fourth featured book is The Life of Repentance and Purity by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, a powerful and practical exposition of the Christian life and a must-read especially during the Lenten Season. https://svspress.com/the-life-of-repentance-and-purity/ Michael E. Molloy, Champion of Truth: The Life of Saint Athanasius (St Pauls USA) Our fifth featured book is Champion of Truth: The Life of Saint Athanasius , in which Michael E. Molloy presents an easy to read and historically accurate account of the life of one of the most important figures in the history of Christianity. https://www.stpaulsusa.com/English/Books/Saints-Biographies/CHAMPION-OF-TRUTH

< Back HH Pope Shenouda III Further Reading: Published During His Lifetime Being with God (Third Edition: Dar El Tebaa El Kawmia (hereinafter DTK ), 1998). Calmness (First Edition: DTK, 1989). Characteristics of the Spiritual Path . Comparative Theology (First Edition: Coptic Orthodox Publishers Association, 1988). Contemplations on Some Psalms of the Matin Prayer (First Edition: DTK, 1997; Second Edition: Egyptian Printing Company, 2004). Contemplations on the Ascension Day (First Edition: DTK, 2000). Contemplations on the Book of Jonah the Prophet (Second Edition: DTK, 1993). Contemplations on the Book of Revelation . Contemplations on the Book of the Song of Songs . Contemplations on the Resurrection (First Edition: DTK, 1990). Contemplations on the Sermon on the Mount (First Edition: DTK, 1991). Contemplations on the Ten Commandments Volume I: The First Four Commandments (First Edition: DTK, 1993). Contemplations on the Ten Commandments Volume II: The Fifth Commandment (Honour Your Father and Your Mother) (Second Edition: DTK, 1993). Contemplations on the Ten Commandments Volume III: The Sixth Commandment (Second Edition: DTK, 1993). Contemplations on the Ten Commandments Volume IV: The Last Four Commandments (Second Edition: DTK, 1993). Contemplations on the Twelfth Hour Prayer (First Edition: DTK, 2001). Diabolic Wars (First Edition: Nubar Printing House - Cairo, 1989). Discipleship (First Edition: DTK, 1990). Experiences in Life (First Edition: DTK, 1990). Fear of God . Feast of Nativity Q&A (Third Edition: Amba Rueiss (Offset), The Cathedral, Abbassia, 1999). God and Man . God and Nothing Else . Have You Seen the One I Love: Contemplations on the Song of Songs (First Edition: BookSurge Publishing, 2008). Heresy of Salvation in a Moment (First Edition: DTK, 1991). Holy Zeal (Second Edition: DTK, 1998). Homosexuality . Homosexuality and Ordination of Women (Coptic Orthodox Publishers Association, 1993). How to Relate to Children (First Edition: Westend Press, 1995). Inspirations from the Nativity (First Edition: DTK, 2001). Job the Righteous: Why Tried? . Judge Not Others . Life of Faith (DTK, 1989). Life of Hope . Lord, How? Contemplations on Psalm III (First Edition: Nubar Printing House, 1989; Second Edition: DTK, 1992). Man's Deification !! Part One (First Edition: Egyptian Printing Co., 2005). Man's Deification Part II! Partakers of the Divine Nature (First Edition: Egyptian Printing Co., 2008). May the Lord Answer You...Contemplations on Psalm 19 (20) (First Psalm in Third Hour Prayer) (Sixth Edition: 1992). Meditations on the Feast of the Ascension (Amba Rueiss (Offset), 1999). O Lord, Do Not Rebuke Me In Your Anger... Contemplations on Psalm 6 (Third Edition: 2003). Quizzes on the Holy Bible (First Edition: DTK, 1995). Return to God (First Edition: DTK, 1989; Second Edition: DTK, 1990). Salvation in the Orthodox Concept (Third Edition: Egyptian Printing Co., 2005). Some Characters from the Holy Bible Part I (First Edition: Egyptian Printing Co., 2005). So Many Years With the Problems of the People: Part I: Biblical Questions (Second Edition: DTK, 1993). So Many Years With the Problems of People: Part II: Theological and Dogmatic Problems (First Edition: DTK, 1995). So Many Years With the Problems of People: Part III: Spiritual and General Problems (Second Edition: DTK, 1991). So Many Years With the Problems of People: Part IV: Dogma and Ritual (First Edition: DTK, 1992). So Many Years with the Problems of People: Spiritual Problems . Spiritual Warfares . Tears in Spiritual Life (First Edition: Coptic Orthodox Publishing and Translating, 1997). Ten Concepts (First Edition: DTK, 1994). The Angels (First Edition: Amba Rueiss (Offset), The Cathedral, Abbassia, 1998). The Beholder of God Mark the Evangelist Saint and Martyr: A Concise English Translation of the Fourth Edition (St. Peter and St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Church, Santa Monica, California). The Creed . The Divinity of Christ (First Edition: Coptic Orthodox Publishers Association, 1989). The Epiphany and St. John the Baptist (Second Edition: Amba Rueiss (Offset), The Cathedral, Abbassia, 1999). The Feast of the Annunciation (First Edition: Amba Rueiss (Offset), The Cathedral, Abbassia, 1997). The Feast of the Cross (Second Edition: Amba Rueiss (Offset), 1999). The Heresy of Jehovah's Witnesses (A Collection of Articles Published in 'El-Keraza' English Magazine) (First Edition: Baramous Monastery Press, 1993). The Holy Spirit and His Work in Us (First Edition: DTK, 1992). The Holy Virgin St. Mary (Amba Rueiss (Offset), 1999). The Life of Repentance and Purity (First Edition: Coptic Orthodox Publication and Translation, 1990). The Life of Thanksgiving (First Edition: Coptic Orthodox Publication and Translation, 1993). The Nature of Christ (First Edition: DTK, 1985; Second Edition: DTK, 1991). The Priesthood (COEPA, 1997). The Release of the Spirit (First Edition: DTK, 1990). The Seven Words of Our Lord on the Cross (Second Edition: DTK, 1991). The Spiritual Man (First Edition: Coptic Orthodox Publication and Translation, 1998). The Spiritual Means (First Edition: Coptic Orthodox Publication and Translation, 1998). The Spiritual Ministry (First Edition: 1997). The Spirituality of Fasting (First Edition: DTK, 1990). The Transfiguration and Some Meditations Upon the Feast of the Transfiguration (Fourth Edition: Amba Rueiss (Offset), 1998). The Two Saints Peter and Paul (Amba Rueiss (Offset), The Cathedral, Abbassia, 1997). Thine is the Power and the Glory (Second Edition: DTK, 1992). Virtues . What is Man? (Ps. 8:4) (Second Edition: Egyptian Printing Co., 2004). Words of Spiritual Benefit Volume I (First Edition: DTK, 1989). Words of Spiritual Benefit Volume II (Second Edition: DTK, 1989). Words of Spiritual Benefit Volume III (Second Edition: DTK, 1991). Words of Spiritual Benefit Volume IV (First Edition: Coptic Orthodox Publishing and Translating, 1989). Published After His Departure A New Heart and a New Spirit: How to Start a New Year (Coptic Orthodox Publishers Association, 2013). A Whisper of Love: Poems, Prayers and Sayings of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III (Coptic Orthodox Publishers Association). Before the Just Judge (Coptic Orthodox Publishers Association). Biblical Questions: Answers for Tough & Challenging 40 Bible Questions (Unknown Publisher (Kindle Format), 2017). Characteristics of the Spiritual Path (Second Revised Edition: ACTS Press, 2021). Diabolic Wars Fully Revised and Edited (St. Shenouda Press). Holy Week Contemplations (St. Shenouda Monastery, 2013). Life of Faith Fully Revised and Edited (St. Shenouda Monastery, 2018). Monastic Treasures for All of Us (St. Mary & St. Moses Abbey, 2019). On the Monastic Life (St. Shenouda Monastery). Praying the Agpia (St. Shenouda Press). Release of the Spirit Fully Revised and Edited . Return to Me (Return to God ). Signposts Along the Spiritual Path: Characteristics of the Spiritual Path (Independent, 2020). The Coptic Church: A Quite Outstanding Church . The Divinity of Christ (2020). The Holy Spirit and His Work in Us (Coptic Orthodox Publishers Association). The Life of Anthony: With Contemplations by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III (St. Shenouda Monastery, 2020). The Life of Repentance and Purity (Second Edition: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2016). Truly, He is Risen! . Disclaimer: This list serves as a collection of various perspectives, titles, and backgrounds, and may not necessarily endorse the teaching, history, and understanding of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Previous Next