Faith
The core beliefs of the Orthodox Church date back to the inception of Christianity by Christ Himself. These beliefs are best summarized by the Nicene Creed.
The Nicene Creed (“Orthodox Creed”) is the statement of faith of the Coptic Orthodox Church, written in the early fourth century by one of the Coptic Church’s most important figures, St. Athanasius the Apostolic, who is the patron saint of our parish.
The Orthodox Creed reads as follows:
“We believe in One God, God the Father, the Pantocrator, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and all things seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light, True God of True God, begotten not created; of One Essence with the Father; by Whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary, and became Man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; suffered and was buried; and on the third day He rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures; ascended to the heavens; He sits at the right hand of His Father; and He is coming again in His glory to judge the living and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end.
Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who, with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified; Who spoke by the prophets. And in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, we confess one baptism for the remission of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the coming age. Amen.
COPTIC ORTHODOXY
THE COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ALEXANDRIA IS:
AN ANCIENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH
It is one of the most ancient Churches in the world, having been founded by Saint Mark the Apostle, the writer of the second gospel, in the first Century. The word ‘Coptic’ comes from the ancient Egyptian word ‘hekaptah’ meaning ‘Egypt’, and thus ‘Coptic’ merely means ‘Egyptian.’ As a conservative Church, the Coptic Church has carefully preserved the Orthodox Christian Faith in its earliest and purest form, handing it down from generation to generation, unaltered and true to the Apostolic doctrines and patterns of worship.
TRINITARIAN
She believes in the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (being one God); and that our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, the true Son of God, became incarnate, was born of the Virgin Saint Mary, died for us on the Cross that He may grant us Salvation, rose on the third day that He may grant us everlasting life with Him, and ascended to heaven after forty days, sending the Holy Spirit to His disciples as He promised them, on the day of Pentecost.
APOSTOLIC
She was founded by Saint Mark the Apostle and Evangelist who preached to the Egyptians around 60-70 A.D.
SCRIPTURAL (BIBLICAL)
Her main point of reference is the Holy Scripture, as depicted in literal translations such as King James (KJV), New King James (NJKV), and the Revised Standard Version (RSV). Although the Coptic Orthodox Church accepts any New Testament translation that is faithful to the Greek Textus Receptus translation, She prefers only the Septuagint (LXX) translation of the Old Testament and not the Masoretic text found in most Bibles today.
TRADITIONAL
One of the pillars of her faith is the teachings of the early Church Fathers as well as the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed as a statement of Her Faith.
SACRAMENTAL
She has seven primary Mysteries: Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, the Eucharist (Communion), Marriage, Priesthood, and the Anointing of the Sick.
CONSERVATIVE
She does not change basic matters of Faith, Dogma or Tradition to suit current trends (this does not mean however that matters such as language and day-to day practices are not changed to suit conditions of ministry and the needs of the congregation). Holding on to such matters of Faith and practice has not been an easy task, as the Coptic Church has always lived persecution of one form or another since its establishment in the first century.