Praying in Coptic -- praying without understanding

[imikhail]

What I mean is, it bothers me that we have a Coptic Orthodox Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox, a Syrian Orthodox, an Armenian Orthodox and a British Orthodox Church in the UK.

Why?

Because each Church you mentioned has its own rites and liturgical prayers.

[dthoxsasiPhilanethrope]

What I mean is, it bothers me that we have a Coptic Orthodox Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox, a Syrian Orthodox, an Armenian Orthodox and a British Orthodox Church in the UK.

Why?

Because each Church you mentioned has its own rites and liturgical prayers.

We ought to have One Theology, and One Rite, and what distinguishes each sister church should be the language.

So, If I'm Coptic / Egyptian Orthodox, why should we have a Coptic Church in London for? Why isn't it called the British orthodox Church? or just the Orthodox Church?

When I go to the Catholic Church in France, I don't see on the door "This is a French Catholic, a Spanish Catholic, an Armenian Catholic, a Coptic Catholic Church.. it just says CATHOLIC" .

[ophadece]

What I mean is, it bothers me that we have a Coptic Orthodox Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox, a Syrian Orthodox, an Armenian Orthodox and a British Orthodox Church in the UK.

Why?

Because each Church you mentioned has its own rites and liturgical prayers.

We ought to have One Theology, and One Rite, and what distinguishes each sister church should be the language.

So, If I'm Coptic / Egyptian Orthodox, why should we have a Coptic Church in London for? Why isn't it called the British orthodox Church? or just the Orthodox Church?

When I go to the Catholic Church in France, I don't see on the door "This is a French Catholic, a Spanish Catholic, an Armenian Catholic, a Coptic Catholic Church.. it just says CATHOLIC" .

dear Zoxsasi,
I believe you're wrong.. the following paragraphs are taken from Wikipedia:
There exists the Apostolic Exarchate for Ukrainians which serves the 15,000 Ukrainian Greek Catholics in Great Britain, with a cathedral and various churches across the country.
The Lebanese Maronite Order (LMO) runs in England and Wales. The LMO is an order of the Maronite Catholic Church, serving Maronite Catholics in England and Wales. The Revd Augustine Aoun is the parish priest for Maronites. The LMO runs a few churches, for example Our Lady of Sorrows in Paddington and Our Lady of Lebanon in Swiss Cottage.
There are also Catholic chaplains of the Eritrean, Chaldean, Syriac, Syro-Malabar and Melkite Rites. For information about the Syro-Malabar chaplaincy within the Diocese of Westminster in London, see Syro-Malabar Catholic Church of London.

[ophadece]

And also this;
Other:
Apostolic Exarchate in France, Benelux and Switzerland for the Ukrainians
Oujai

[LoveIsDeep]

What I mean is, it bothers me that we have a Coptic Orthodox Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox, a Syrian Orthodox, an Armenian Orthodox and a British Orthodox Church in the UK.

Why?

Because each Church you mentioned has its own rites and liturgical prayers.

We ought to have One Theology, and One Rite, and what distinguishes each sister church should be the language.

So, If I'm Coptic / Egyptian Orthodox, why should we have a Coptic Church in London for? Why isn't it called the British orthodox Church? or just the Orthodox Church?

When I go to the Catholic Church in France, I don't see on the door "This is a French Catholic, a Spanish Catholic, an Armenian Catholic, a Coptic Catholic Church.. it just says CATHOLIC" .

The greatest conversion to the Orthodox Church in the modern age happened because of a dispute over the use of liturgical languages.  The Catholics refused to recognise this minority so they transitioned to Orthodoxy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Carpatho-Russian_Orthodox_Diocese

The number of converts isn't mentioned but it is over 100,000 people. Fr. Thomas Hopko for example is a Carpatho-Russian and wouldn't be Orthodox today if not for this.

I speak from my own personal bias, I abhor the use of Coptic and Arabic in masses in Australia.  However this is not a simple subject because the language people pray in is a  personal thing.  You can't make up a rule about the language people pray in and force them to follow it. People are brought up to love and cherish their prayer traditions.  It is the quickest way to destroy a church.

What I can say from observation is that older generations like praying in liturgical languages.  For most of our younger people it has the reverse effect and has destroyed some Orthodox jurisdictions.  The Coptic Church is by FAAAAAAR one of the most progressive when it comes to the use of English. I personally think the influence of the extinction of Coptic, has given us great experience.  We understand what it is like not to pray in a mother tongue and the impact it has on spirituality.  Other Orthodox Churches are still catching up with us in this regard.

Some others that focus on things like historical preservation and use of ancient languages are dying quickly.  Look at the Greek Orthodox Church or Armenian Orthodox Church as examples.

I went to an Armenian liturgy once and I could count the number of young people I saw on one hand.  Every deacon there looked to be over the age of 60, it was a sad sight.  However, due to the genocide this is important to them because their tradition and nation was almost stamped out.  They have passionate reasons to keep their traditional liturgy like we do with ours.

This is a very touchy subject and it requires a great deal of balancing so that Churches can flourish, new converts join and tradition is preserved.

Please pray for me,

LiD

[dthoxsasiPhilanethrope]

And also this;
Other:
Apostolic Exarchate in France, Benelux and Switzerland for the Ukrainians
Oujai

What do we have to do with the Ukranians.

Is the Coptic Orthodox faith ONLY exclusive to Egyptians? Can this faith be practiced outside of Egypt, or does someone have to learn Coptic/Arabic to actually understand the liturgy, or make full use of it?

[lankyknight1990]

And also this;
Other:
Apostolic Exarchate in France, Benelux and Switzerland for the Ukrainians
Oujai

What do we have to do with the Ukranians.

Is the Coptic Orthodox faith ONLY exclusive to Egyptians? Can this faith be practiced outside of Egypt, or does someone have to learn Coptic/Arabic to actually understand the liturgy, or make full use of it?

No it is not exclusive to Egyptians, I am not Egyptian and I feel very welcome in the Coptic Orthodox Church. I also understand quite a bit of the Divine Liturgy, although I am still learning.