Our Faith

Comments

• gmankbadi

  February 2007

         As a contextually broad-scoped response, we are the most philosophically, historically, empirically and, pertinentley, spiritually warranted faith when juxtaposed against all other faiths. Necessity demands that one worldview, whether it is in or out of organized faith, be correct. For if no world view was correct then the very statement that "no world views are correct" would be a self-refuting statement, for it presumes its view to be uniquely correct. By the same token, the Christian worldview is inclusively one of many, yet exclusively unlike all others in its uncanny claims and its uncontestable warrant girding such claims. Christianity is the only religion that can sufficiently lay siege to a faith, not merely based on Fidiestic presumptions, but that is embroiled by reason—the epitome of reasonable faith. Now when one arrives at such a conclusion, the methodology by which one exhumes the tenants of his worldview becomes especially significant. I, therefore, challenge any individual to reroute a more direct pathway to Orthodox Christianity aside from an Orthodox-based denomination; particularly the Coptic Orthodox faith. There is no question that reason not only is presupposed via the very question raised but, albeit, testifies to the faith we so decisively champion.
  
  
  
  
• Lion_Ox_Man_Eagle__

  April 2007

  Hello People,
  
  I hope that all Christians strive to learn the reasoning behind their faith, so that they are not easily influenced by foreign ideologies. Almost always, those ideologies are logically flawed and enveloped with fallacies throughout. I have a question addressed to the person who wrote this last post, gmankbadi.
  
  By what authority do you challenge the community?
  Not only did you challenge the community to authenticate Orthodox Christianity, but you also have the audacity to implore us to distinguish the Coptic Orthodox faith.  Your firm position leads me to the conclusion that you posses composite knowledge on the matter. However, if you are uneducated, then soon your firm stance will be transformed into bashful stuttering when you are questioned. Thus, I question you:
  
  Why is the Christian Orthodox faith valid over the various Protestant faiths?
  
  Thank you for your time,
  I anticipate a compelling response,
  
  Lion_Ox_Man_Eagle__
  
• Anglican

  April 2007

  Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
  
  We must always remember the command to humility and to love one another; let us not seem as though we are puffed up with pride in ourselves.
  
  There is a great mystery at the heart of this discussion: God's love is infinite, yet we teach that salvation is found only in the True Church; how do we reconcile that without seeming to limit the limitless love of God; He, and He alone decides who is 'saved'; so let us not presume to knowledge we cannot have.
  
  And yet, there must be an answer to the very good question posed. The test is Apolosticity - are the practices and beliefs of the Church in accord with those recognised always and everywhere as Orthodox? That is true of the Coptic Church. Can that Church trace its line of bishops and priests in unbroken succession to the Apostles? The Coptic Church can. Has that Church taken away anything from the Faith 'once delivered' to the Apostles? The Coptic Church has not. Has that Church added anything to that Faith? The Coptic Church has not. Has it borne witness to the Faith in suffering and martyrdom? The Coptic Church has not only done this, it still does so every day.
  
  Does this mean that all other Christian Churches have got it all wrong? Heaven forfend! It simply means that the Coptic Church has always borne a humble witness to the Truth; those of us who see the Church as a spiritual hospital would say that the Coptic Church is the hospital with the best facilities; but we wish all those who feel the same about their Church well. That is not false ecumenism, I hope, but rather an expression of Christian love.
  
  God alone knows who will be saved. We believe that being in the Coptic Church gives us access to the best spiritual medicine - but it also places a great responsibility on us to take it - and to show through our lives whose disciples we are - and we know He said that people would see that if we loved one another.
  
  So, let us not seek to sow discord. Those who feel their faith is rooted elsewhere should be respected; but we should not be afraid to say why we are where we are.
  
  I hope no one takes offence at this. As I say, the mystery is that God's love is infinite - our intellects are not.
  
  In Christ,
  
  John