H.H. Pope Shenouda III - The Nature of Christ

THE NATURE OF CHRIST

BY

H.H.POPESHENOUDAIII

H.H.PopeShenoudaIII,117th

Pope of Alexandria and the See of St. Mark

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Th e natur e o f Chris t i s a ver y importan t subjec t tha t cause d a serious dissension within the Church in the fifth century, in 451

AD . Whe n th e theologica l dialogu e starte d a s a n effor t towards th e unit y o f churches , t h e subjec t ha d t o b e discussed. Therefore , ou r Orthodo x Churc h foun d i t necessar y t o issu e a book which presents its concept in this regard in a language fit for theological dialogues.

Thi s subjec t (th e Natur e o f Christ ) wa s taugh t b y m e t o the students of the Seminary "St. Mark Theological College" in 1984 in the form of lectures which I delivered to them in St. Bishoy Monastery, Sheheit Desert, as part of the courses of comparativ e Theology . Th e lecture s wer e printe d merel y for the use of the students.

The same lectures were afterwards translated into English in Ottawa , Canada , i n 0 an d becam e availabl e i n Englis h only for six years...

We had to print them in Arabic for the students of the Seminary an d it s branche s an d fo r th e benefi t o f thos e wh o ar e interested in theological studies whether ministers or ordinary individuals.. an d whoeve r ha s th e desire-fro m othe r churche s t o be acquainte d wit h ou r concep t o f Christology.

The first theological dialogue we attended on this subject was in Vienna, Austria in September 1971 AD convened by the Pro- Orient e Group . I n thi s dialogu e w e reache d a theological formul a tha t wa s accepte d b y ou r Catholi c brother s an d thos e in th e ol d Orienta l orthodo x churches : th e Syrians , Arminians, Ethiopians and Indians. It was an important dialogue indeed, fo r th e dissensio n tha t occurre d i n th e fift h centur y ha d distorted th e fac e o f ever y churc h befor e th e other.. Bu t no w th e wa y is ope n fo r a commo n understanding.

Then, there was an official agreement with the Catholic churches after 17 years of differences (since 1988), based on the previou s understanding . Th e agreemen t wa s recorde d i n a concise "Statement" which you will find at the end of this book.

Ther e wa s anothe r dialogue , i n mor e detail , wit h ou r brother s in th e Byzantin e Orthodo x Churche s i n St . Bisho y Monastery, Shehei t Deser t i n 9 A D I t wa s attende d b y th e theologians o f twent y Orthodo x Churche s an d wa s followe d b y another meetin g o f th e priestl y representative s o f th e Orthodo x churches i n Chambesy, Geneva, in 1990.

Now , seein g i t i s necessar y t o mak e ou r peopl e acquainte d with th e detail s an d evidence s tha t prov e ou r concep t o f th e Nature o f Christ,

An d sinc e th e Pro -Oriente Group is convening a religious conferenc e fo r th e representative s o f al l Churche s a t th e en d of October 1991 to present to them the Agreed Statement on Christology.

An d sinc e w e wer e aske d t o presen t a pape r o n th e subjec t and deliver it as a lecture in the conference.

Therefore , w e proceede d t o prin t th e forme r lecture s delivered i n th e Seminar y i n 4 a s a boo k t o b e presente d t o the conferenc e an d t o b e availabl e i n Arabi c an d i n Englis h fo r all who are interested.

PopeShenoudaIII

[1]

THE ORTHODOX CONCEPT REGARDING THE NATURE OF CHRIST

The Lord Jesus Christ is God Himself, the Incarnate Logos. Wh o too k t o Himsel f a perfec t manhood . Hi s Divin e natur e is on e wit h hi s huma n natur e ye t withou t mingling , confusio n or alteration; a complete Hypostatic Union. Words are inadequate to describe this union. It was said, that without controversy, "Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh,(1 Tim . 3:16).

A s thi s unio n i s permanent , neve r divide d no r separated , w e say i n th e liturg y tha t Hi s Godhead never departed from His manhoo d fo r a singl e momen t no r eve n fo r a twinkl e o f a n eye.

The Divine nature (God the Word) was united with the human nature which He took of the Virgin Mary by the action of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit purified and sanctified the Virgin's womb so that the Child to whom she gave birth would inherit nothing of the original sin; the flesh formed of her blood was united with the Only-Begotten Son. This unity took place from the first moment o f th e Hol y Pregnanc y i n th e Virgin' s womb.

As a result of the unity of both natures-the Divine and the human-insidetheVirgin'swomb,onenaturewasformed out of both: "The One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" a s St . Cyri l calle d it.

Th e Hol y Churc h di d no t fin d a n expressio n mor e reliable , deep an d precis e tha n tha t whic h wa s use d b y St . Cyri l th e Great , and whic h St . Athanasiu s th e Apostoli c use d befor e him . Bot h of the m wer e tru e leader s i n th e theologica l fiel d worldwide.

Whe n I participate d i n th e dialogu e arrange d b y th e ProOriente grou p i n Vienna , Austri a i n Septembe r 1 betwee n the Roma n Catholi c Churc h an d th e ancien t Orienta l Orthodox Churche s concernin g th e Natur e o f Christ , th e poin t of discussio n wa s St . Cyril' s expressio n "On e Natur e o f Go d the Incarnate Logos" ( Mi a Physi s To u Theou Logou Sesarkwmene).

Afte r th e schis m whic h too k plac e i n th e yea r 1 AD , whe n the Copti c Orthodo x Churc h rejecte d th e motion s o f th e Counci l of Chalcedo n an d it s theologica l struggles , w e wer e called "Monophysites " tha t is , thos e wh o believ e i n th e "On e Nature".

Sharin g ou r belie f ar e th e Syrians , th e Armenians , the Ethiopian s an d th e Indians ; wh o wer e als o called " NonChalcedonian " Orthodo x Churches.

On the other hand, the Chalcedonia n Catholi c an d Greek Churche s "Th e Roma n Orthodox " believ e i n th e tw o nature s of Christ ; th e Protestan t Churche s als o hol d thi s belief.

Consequently , thes e churche s ar e know n a s " Diophysites " - believer s i n th e tw o nature s o f Christ.

Th e Roma n - o r Chalcedonia n - Orthodo x Churche s include those of Constantinople , Greece , Cyprus , Russia , Romania, Hungar y an d Serbi a a s wel l a s th e Roma n Orthodo x Churches o f Egypt , Syria , Lebanon , Americ a an d th e St . Catherine Monaster y i n th e Sina i desert.

The term "Monophysites" used for the believers in the One Nature has been intentionally or unintentionally misinterpreted throughou t certai n period s o f history . Consequently , th e Coptic and the Syrian Churches in particular were cruelly persecuted becaus e o f thei r belief , especiall y durin g th e perio d which starte d fro m th e Counci l o f Chalcedo n hel d i n 1 A D and continue d t o th e conques t o f th e Arab s i n Egyp t an d Syria (about 641 AD).