On March 7th, the Coptic Orthodox Church announced the decisions and recommendations from the recent three day Holy-Synod which was held at the Logos Center in the Papal Residence in the Monastery of Saint Anba Bishoy (in Wadi Natroun.) The Synod was headed by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II.
Coptic Orthodox Synod 2024 : 110 of its 133 members were in attendance.
The recommendations have been reported in Roman Catholic news outlets but are available directly on the Orthodoxy Cognate Page (United Orthodox Christian Witnesses.) It reported:
“The Church announced its opinion on the issue of “homosexuality” through a statement issued by the Holy Synod (to be published later). In its statement, the church emphasized its rejection of same-sex relations. Supporting her opinion with many biblical verses that clearly declare the rejection of such relationships that are contrary to the human nature that God created.”
There were 9 “Decisions” and 13 “Most Important Recommendations.” The two relevant to the breaking of ecumenical dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church are:
Sixth Decision:
“After consultation with the sister churches of the Eastern Orthodox family, it was decided to suspend the theological dialogue with the Catholic Church, re-evaluate the results that the dialogue has achieved since its beginning twenty years ago, and establish new standards and mechanisms for the dialogue to proceed.”
Third Recommendation:
“The Coptic Orthodox Church affirms its firm position of rejecting all forms of homosexual relationships, because they violate the Holy Bible and the law by which God created man male and female, and it considers that any blessing, whatever its type, for such relationships is a blessing for sin, and this is unacceptable.”
This split has cause refreshed anger on Social Media towards Pope Francis and his Fiducia Supplicans:
The Coptic Orthodox Church
The Coptic Orthodox Church is easily confused with the Coptic Catholic Church. (The CCC being an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Catholic Church. It belongs to the Alexandrian liturgical tradition.)
The Coptic Orthodox Church, (also known as the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria) is an Oriental Orthodox Christian Church based in Egypt. The Coptic Orthodox Church was established by Mark, an apostle and evangelist, during the middle of the 1st century.
Many Coptic observances put us Roman Catholics to shame! For example:
About the OCP [ https://ocpsociety.org/societys/about-us/ ]
“The Orthodoxy Cognate Page provides equal importance to Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches and believes in a philosophy that both the Byzantine (Eastern) Orthodox Churches and the Oriental Orthodox Churches are the true heirs to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ, which was the Church of the apostles and the Holy Fathers.”
Kevin Hay
You can follow Kevin on 𝕏 @kevinhay77