One of the biggest differences between the Coptic Orthodox Church and Protestant churches is their understanding of Church authority. This difference is centered on the doctrine of Apostolic Succession in Orthodoxy and the rejection of it by Protestants. Below is a clear short explanation of both views. 1. What is Apostolic Succession? Apostolic Succession is the belief that the authority given by Christ to…
Biblical Evidence for "Brothers" as Non-Siblings The New Testament, written in Greek, uses the term adelphos (brother) to refer to Jesus’ "brothers" (e.g., Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55). However, in the cultural and linguistic context of the time, adelphos (and its Hebrew/Aramaic equivalent ʾāḥ) could denote a range of relationships beyond biological siblings, including cousins, kinsmen, or close associates. The Hebrew and Aramaic languages lacked…
The question of whether the intercession of saints is biblical arises from differing scriptural interpretations. Some Christians maintain that prayer should be directed only to God through Jesus Christ, while others believe that saints, being spiritually alive, can intercede on behalf of the faithful. Pope Shenouda III distinguishes between: Atoning intercession – exclusive to Christ who “gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy…
The answer to this question is simpler than you may think—some Eastern Orthodox churches use a different calendar, called the Julian Calendar, for their religious holidays and feasts, to the Gregorian Calendar. According to Wikipedia, “The Julian calendar was proposed in 46 BC by (and takes its name from) Julius Caesar as a reform of the earlier Roman calendar, which was largely a lunisolar…
