Sacred Tradition, Fathers, and three Ecumenical Councils authoritative with Scripture
The Coptic Orthodox Church holds that divine revelation is transmitted through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition together. Tradition encompasses the definitions of the three Ecumenical Councils (Nicaea I, Constantinople I, Ephesus), the writings of the Church Fathers (especially the Alexandrian Fathers and the Desert Fathers), the ancient liturgical texts, and the canons of the church. These sources together constitute the norm by which doctrine is evaluated.
The Desert Fathers tradition holds a special place in Coptic Christianity: the Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Apophthegmata Patrum) are read, memorized, and lived in Coptic monasteries and parishes. While these sayings are not Scripture, they are authoritative expressions of the apostolic way of life as understood by those who first embraced radical Christian asceticism in Egypt. No private or new revelations add to this deposit.
Key Distinctions
- Current revelation:
- Holy Tradition is living and ongoing through the Church; councils may define doctrine
- Prophetic gifts today:
- charisms active; saints and elders may receive divine illumination
- Tradition authority:
- Scripture and Holy Tradition are inseparable; councils authoritative
Scripture References
Sources
- Council of Ephesus (431)
- Common Declaration of Pope Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III (1973)
- Canons of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate
- Apophthegmata Patrum (Sayings of the Desert Fathers)