erinipassi said:Thank you Mina for taking the time to post this thread. Its incredibly hurtful to know that some Eastern Orthodox are mis-representing our beliefs in a public forum and we are not even allowed to clarify this mis-representation. I was very hurt by the actions that was taken when they deleted my post when I tried to clarify the Coptic Orthodox beliefs. When we dont get the chance to clarify our position in a public forum, what this means is that not only are they allowing this incorrect information to spread, but for prejudices to grow unchecked against the Coptic Orthodox.
I want to stress what a great love I have for my Easter Orthodox brothers and Sisters, but that I am still trying to recover from the really hurtful comments that was posted in the Eastern Orthodox Forum calling the Oriental Orthodox as "Heretical" and have "pagan practices".
I would like to take this chance to clarify our position and hope to get the chance to do it.
Some Eastern Orthodox believe that the Coptic Orthodox Church are Monophysites and this is incorrect. The doctrine of Monophysites believe that Jesus was not human, but exclusively divine, and God himself, therefore he could not have died. And this doctrine is incorrect.
The book called the nature of Christ by His Holiness Pope Shenouda the third, he makes it clear what we believe and I would like to post an extract:
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 Virgins 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 of the Holy Pregnancy in the Virgins womb. As a result of the unity of both natures-the Divine and the human-inside the Virgins womb, one nature was formed out of both: "The One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" as St. Cyril called it.
the point of discussion was St. Cyrils expression "One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" (Mia Physis Tou Theou Logou Sesarkwmene).
The expression "One Nature" does not indicate the Divine nature alone nor the human nature alone, but it indicates the unity of both natures into One Nature which is "The Nature of the Incarnate Logos". The same applies when we speak about our human nature which comprises two united natures: the soul and the body. Thus, mans nature is not the soul alone nor the body alone, but their union in one nature called human nature. We will discuss this point in detail later on. St. Cyril the Great taught us not to talk about two natures after their unity.
So we can say that the Divine nature united hypostatically with the human nature within the Virgins womb, but after this unity we do not ever speak again about two natures of Christ. In fact, the expression "two natures" implies in itself division or separation, and although those who believe in "the two natures" admit unity, the tone of separation was obvious in the Council of Chalcedon - a matter which prompted us to reject the Council and caused the exile of St. Dioscorus of Alexandria.
That is why we call ourselves Miaphysite from the words of St Cyril that says "One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" (Mia Physis Tou Theou Logou Sesarkwmene).
This One nature refers to the Devine and the Human nature that coexists together.
Now in regards to tattoing, the Coptic Orthodox Church discourages anyone from getting a tattoo that is not a cross. So if you went to get a tattoo of a rose, that is considered placing unneccesary mark on the temple of God, our body. But if you are placing a cross on your hand, its not only proclaiming your faith, but the sign of the cross is holy and can only bring blessing to your body. Its the same as wearing a cross, why do people wear the necklace of the Cross??? Even more, why look down on the Coptics who tattoo a cross, yet many people wear earing in their ears and its ok?
I believe its an unfair remark to say that the Coptic Orthodox is "Heretical" when the Coptic Orthodox Church has contributed so much to the Orthodox faith. For example, the Creed, the Easter date calculations, iconography, Monastacism and many more.
It is also unfair, to label Coptic Orthodox Church with pagan practices in regards of tattoing of the cross without first asking a coptic person why it is done.
Ive posted this for the sake of clarification of the doctrines in Coptic Orthodox Church. And again I want to stress, how much the Eastern Orthodox are our much loved brothers and sisters in Christ. May God have mercy on us all and have mercy on me a sinner.
Blessings and love
erini
This is great - I am very interested in Miaphysitism - but HOW are the Divine and Human natures of the Lord Jesus Christ united? In what way are they united? A spiritual unity? A cognitive unity? A volitional unity? A bodily unity? A soteriological unity? A kenotic-submissive unity?
The Aramaic word in the Gospel of John for Logos means Manifestation - the Manifestation of God.
If we are made in His Image and He is incarnated into our likeness - what are the implications for the nature of the Incarnate Logos?
If the Living Word becomes Flesh - the Living Manifestation of God becomes Human - how do the two natures become unified in a way that simultaneously expresses the unified attributions of the both in each other in an inter-fused way?
Suzannah, what would you say?
Mark
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