Christian Dogma
(a) The Creed of Faith and the Origin of the Canons of the Church
(b) Regarding the Coptic Orthodox Creed
(c) Exposition of the Creed
- What is the extent of the connection between the Creed, preparation for baptism, and preservation of the Orthodox faith?
- What are the articles of the present Creed?
- Why do we begin the Creed by saying, “we believe”?
- Why do we begin by affirming faith in One God?
- What does “we believe in One God” mean?
- How does the Father’s fatherhood to the Son differ from His fatherhood to the faithful?
- Why do we call God called the Almighty (Pantocrator)? What does the word Pantocrator or Almighty mean?
- Why do we cherish God as the Creator of all things?
- Why did the Church employ the term “Creator of heaven and earth”?
- Why do we believe in our Lord Jesus?
- What does the title “the Lord Christ” mean to us?
- Why does the Creed proclaim that He is the Only Begotten Son of God?
- Why do we recite our faith that He is the one “by whom all things were made” (i.e., He is the Creator)?
- How can we say “came down from heaven” when He is present everywhere?
- Did He leave heaven?
- Why do we say, “Who for us men and our salvation, came down from heaven”?
- What does the Holy Bible say about the incarnation of the Son of God, of the Holy Spirit, from the Virgin Mary?
- What does the phrase “was incarnate and became man” mean?
- How is there only one nature in Christ?
- Why does the Creed include the phrase, “was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary”?
- Was the incarnation essential?
- Why did the Lord Christ keep His silence during the religious and civil trials?
- Why does the Creed mention the suffering of Christ?
- What is the significance of including “under Pontius Pilate” as part of the Creed?
- How was the crucifixion transformed from being a humiliation into being honor and glory?
- What is the mystery of dying and being buried with Christ?
- Why did the Lord Christ die?
- Why was He buried in a tomb?
- Why did the Lord Christ descend into Hades?
- Why do the Jews reject the resurrection of the Lord Christ?
- What is the Gnostic understanding of the ascension?
- By ascending, did the Lord Christ depart from the world?
- What does the great day of the Lord mean in the mind of the Church?
- What does the Lord Christ ask of us?
- What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
- Why is the Holy Spirit called “the Giver of Life”?
- What does it mean for the Church to be “catholic (universal)”?
- What is the purpose of baptism?
- What will be our fate when the earth passes away?
- What is the life of the age to come?
- What does the word “Amen” mean?
Faith in God and Our Knowledge of Him
- Is it necessary to believe in God?
- Does faith cancel the gift of reason?
- Why is God called _Theos_ ?
- What are the characteristics of the One God?
- Does the Holy Bible avoid discussion of the characteristics of the essence of God?
- If God is Spirit, why does the Holy Bible describe God as having bodily members such as the heart of God, the eyes of the Lord, His ears, and hands?
- If God is everywhere present, why is it said that He dwells in heaven, or in the Church, or in the believer?
- Is it possible for a person to know the essence of God?
- What does the Holy Bible say about our inability to know God’s essence?
- Does the Holy Bible testify that it is possible for us to know God?
- What does “no one can see Me and live” mean?
- Why did God call Himself “Jehovah” (Ex. 3:14–15) when Moses the prophet asked for His name?
- Why does the Holy Bible emphasize the oneness of God and that there is no other God beside Him (2 Sam. 7:22)?
- What are the characteristics of God?
- How can God possess all these kinds of characteristics, and yet be described as simple?
- Why does the Holy Bible use human expressions to speak about God?
- How are God’s divine characteristics related to His divine being?
- What does it mean that God is all-sufficient?
- What does it mean that God is without beginning or end?
- What does it mean for God's characteristics to be unchanging?
- What does it mean that God is everywhere present?
- What does it mean that God is unseen and incomprehensible?
- What is the foreknowledge of God?
- What does the divine characteristic of being “all-wise” mean?
- What is the characteristic of divine power?
- What is the characteristic of divine holiness?
- What are the characteristics of divine love and compassion?
- What did Moses ask of God regarding service when he first encountered Him?
- Do the angels, as far as they are able, see God?
- What does God’s absolute perfection mean?
- Who is able to express divine love?
The Holy Trinity
- What is the Church’s teaching concerning the Holy Trinity?
- How did the Lord Christ communicate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity to us?
- What are the earliest Trinitarian formulas?
- What are the positions of the Old Testament and the New Testament on the doctrines of the oneness of God and the three Hypostases?
- Does the Holy Bible explicitly teach the doctrine of the Trinity?
- Why does the Old Testament focus on the Hypostasis of the Father?
- What does the New Testament teach about the Holy Trinity being of one essence?
- How can we accept the Trinitarian faith if the God’s divine nature is simple? Does Trinitarian faith contradict divine unitary simplicity?
- Which verses are used by those who deny the divinity of Christ?
- How could the eternal God be Love before He created anything to love?
- How can God have a Son?
- How can we understand the oneness of the Holy Trinity?
- Does the Son have a will that can contradict the will of the Father?
- How does Trinitarian faith affect our daily life?
- What analogies of the Holy Trinity did the Fathers use?
- How do we understand the Hypostatic characteristics?
- How do the Hypostatic characteristics constitute the divine essence?
- What are the essential characteristics shared by the Holy Trinity? And what are the specific characteristics of each Hypostasis?
- Who is the Father?
- Who is the Logos or Son?
- Is it possible to separate the Father from the Son?
- Does the Son see the Father in His perfection?
- Does the Father command us to heed the Son?
- What are the most important names of Christ?
- Why does Isaiah call Jesus a Savior?
- Who is the Holy Spirit?
- Is the Holy Spirit a divine Hypostasis or just a force that supports believers?
- How do we know that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father?
- Why did some Fathers use the expression: “The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son?”
- Does the Holy Spirit work in each person according to their needs?
- Is the Holy Spirit separate from the Father and the Son?
The Wondrous Creator, the Guardian of the World
- When were the heavenly hosts created?
- What is the purpose of contemplating creation?
- Did the Fathers ignore the scientific studies of their time?
- Do we know why God created the world, and how He created it?
- What do we know about the role of God in creation?
- What is the testimony of the Holy Bible and holy tradition about the Creator of all?
- Did God change by being called the Creator?
- What is the role of the Son of God in the work of creation?
- What is the connection between creation and time?
- Was the plan of creation in the mind of God eternally?
- Why did God choose Moses as the one to whom He described the creation and made known His divine mysteries?
- What is the meaning of “and the earth was without form (invisible), and void” (Gen. 1:2)?
- What is the meaning of “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2)?
- Why did God begin by creating light?
- Why does the book of Genesis repeat: “and God saw that it was good” (see Gen. 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31)?
- Why did God command waters to be above the firmament, waters to be below the firmament, and waters to be gathered in seas and rivers?
- What is God's wisdom in saying on the third day, “Let the earth bring forth …” (Gen. 1:11)?
- If we are dazzled by the beauty of the sun, how much more should we be by the beauty of its Creator, the Sun of Righteousness?
- What do we learn from the moon?
- Why did God create reptiles in the rivers, seas, and lakes?
- What do we learn from migratory fish?
- How can we learn even from despised little creatures?
- How do we benefit from the creation of wild animals?
- What do these words of the Holy Bible mean: “God saw that it was good” (Gen. 1:10)?
- Can the world exist without its Creator?
- Can anyone describe the worth of the human soul, except for the Creator?!
- What did God bestow upon Adam when he was created?
- Was the Paradise that God gave to Adam material or spiritual?
- What is the tree of life, whose fruit Adam should have eaten in Paradise?
- Why did God create Eve for Adam?
- Why did God create Eve from Adam’s rib?
- What is the image of the Lord that was bestowed upon Adam?
- What is the role of the soul in human life?
- Why did God grant people free will?
- How do we restore the image God in us?
- How can the gifts of mind and discernment be sanctified?
- What does the Original require of the image?
- Who can describe the value of the soul that bears the image of God?
- Can the image of God increase or decrease?
- What is the royal palace that God prepared for Adam and Eve?
- Were they king and queen, or bride and groom, in the Garden of Eden?
- What was the state of Adam and Eve in Paradise?
- Did Adam and Eve underestimate their bodies?
- What was Adam’s view of his bodily members, senses, and emotions?
- Does the human soul rule over the body?
- Does the body partner with the soul in everything?
- Is the human being a creature that is both mortal and immortal?
- Was man created mortal or immortal?
- Who plants a paradise in my soul?
- Are the heavenly creatures perplexed by humans?
- The human being cannot see his own soul, so how can God call him to behold Him?
- Do humans partake of God’s goodness?
- Who is the happiest being on the face of the earth?
- Does the human being grow continually, both here and in the age to come?
- Which sacrifices do human beings offer?
Divine Providence
- What is divine providence?
- Is divine providence the work of the Holy Trinity?
- What is the relationship between divine providence and divine grace?
- What does the Holy Bible say about divine providence?
- How did the Church Fathers experience God’s protection?
- How does God perserve the creation?
- How does divine providence work in our lives?
- How does the Church of Alexandria understand divine providence?
- What is the the extent of divine providence for the universe?
- Does God have authority over the heavenly and earthly creations?
- Do events happen in the creation through coincidence or destiny?
- Do miracles break the laws of nature?
- What does it mean that God manages the affairs of the world?
- What is the role of divine providence in our creation?
- Why did the beneficent God give a commandment to Adam and Eve in Paradise?
- What is the extent of divine providence in human life?
- Does divine providence include animals?
- Does divine providence ever cease from working?
- What is the purpose of divine providence for every human being?
- What do the Alexandrians seek from divine providence?
- Where do the angels, both good and evil, stand in relation to divine providence?
- Why does God guarantee that we play our role as humans even though we rely on divine providence?
- What do we benefit from divine providence?
- Does God care for all humanity generally, or for each individual particularly?
- Does discipline contradict divine providence?
- Why is it dangerous to think that we can understand the providence of God?
- Is the apostles’ knowledge here the like their knowledge in the afterlife?
- Are the heavenly orders capable of comprehending or apprehending God?
- Who declares to us the provisions (judgments) of God?
- How does God reveal His care for us?
- What is the difference between God’s foreknowledge of matters, and fate or destiny?
Divine Grace
- How do we distinguish between the Almighty God’s divine grace, divine providence, and divine economy?
- What is divine grace?
- What is the first work of divine grace?
- Is the grace of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit one?
- Are there limits to the growth of the work of grace?
- Is grace limited to a specific group?
- Why did Lord not entrust grace to one of His creations?
- Does everyone receive the same portion of Divine grace?
- Do we still need divine grace after repentance and baptism?
- Is grace necessary for those who strive?
- Is labor necessary?
- What is the work of divine grace in a person’s life?
- What is the role of grace after the fall of humanity?
- What are the roles of the law and of grace?
- What do we receive from grace after the fall of humanity?
The Fall of Humanity
- Why did God not reject Satan?
- Is Satan able to harm you?
- How can we avoid fearing Satan?
- Should we, then, hold the devil blameless?
- Why is it not the devil who deceives you?
- Isn’t it deviation from the goal that harms the human being?
- Can injustice harm us?
- Does the harm befall the oppressor or the oppressed?
- Can poverty harm us?
- Can death harm us?
- What was the state of the three youths?
- What did Job endure? (according to St. John Chrysostom).
- How did Adam and Eve’s eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil bring death upon us?
- Why was the tree called the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?
- What is that death that came upon Adam and Eve because of their disobedience to God?
- Why did God not permit Adam and Eve to eat of the Tree of Life?
- Did Adam and Eve lose their hope of salvation after hearing the judgment that resulted from their disobedience?
- Do you know who you are?
- What did sin do to me?
- How should God react to humanity’s disobedience of the divine commandment?
- Why was it not enough for God that humans repent of sin?[ 669]
- What is the divine economy for our salvation?
- How does the Holy Trinity cooperate to work in us?
- What is the role of each Hypostasis in my life?
- Why was humanity sentenced: “you shall surely die”?
- How did sin corrupt humanity’s vision of God?
- What does the story of the tunics of skin signify?
- How did the blood sacrifices prepare us for the sacrifice of the New Testament?
- What is the promise of divine salvation and the prophesy of the coming of the Savior after many generations?
- What does reconciliation with God mean?
Our Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the World
- Why does the Christian Church consider the Old Testament to be an integral part of the Holy Bible?
- How was the Old Testament law inadequate without the Lord Christ?
- Why does St. Paul rebuke his own Jewish race?
- What is the chief concern of the Old Testament prophets?
- What are the most important prophecies concerning the incarnation of the Word from the seed of King David of the Tribe of Judah?
- What are the most important prophecies concerning the birth of the Lord Christ?
- What are the most important prophecies about the Lord Christ’s last week on earth?
- What are the most important prophecies concerning the resurrection of the Lord Christ?
- What are the most important prophecies concerning the Ascension of the Lord Christ to heaven?
- What are the most important prophecies concerning the Lord Christ as a prophet?
- What are the most important prophecies concerning the Lord Christ as a priest?
- What are the most important prophecies about the divinity of the Lord Christ?
- What are the signs that confirm that the one born of St. Mary is the Messiah, the promised Savior?
- Did anyone know that the one born of the Virgin was the Messiah, the Savior?
- What are the principal teachings of Christ?
- What are the signs that Jesus Christ performed?
- How does the Lord Christ save us?
- How does the death of the Lord Christ on the cross save us from sin, the curse, and death?
- Is this salvation available to all people?
- Why did St. Jacob of Sarug call the cross of the Lord Christ “The Divine Chariot”?
- How did the Lord Christ come to be crucified when His life, teachings, and miracles testified to His Holiness?
- Why does the Orthodox Creed mention that He suffered, was crucified, and was buried?
- How could He, being God, suffer, be crucified, and be buried?
- What does it mean that Jesus Christ was crucified for our sake?
- Why did the Lord Christ make known His resurrection only to His own followers?
- Where was His resurrection on the third day mentioned?
- Why did the Lord Himself appear to His disciples during the forty days after His resurrection?
- Does the Holy Bible testify to His ascension?
- How did Jesus Christ sit on the right hand of the Father?
- What does the Holy Bible say about the second coming of Christ?
- What is the meaning of hope?
- What does St. Cyril the Great say about our Advocate and Savior?
Titles and Names of the Savior that Witness to the Works of His Love
- Why is He given the name “Wonderful” (Isa. 9:6)?
- Why is Jesus called “Savior”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Messiah, the crucified King”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Lord, Yahweh”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Word of God”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Power of God and W3isdom of God”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Counsellor”?
- Why is Jesus called “the King of Kings”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Son of God” and “the Son of Man”?
- Why is Jesus called “the New or Second Adam”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Lamb of God”?
- Why is Jesus called a “sin offering”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Heavenly High Priest”?
- Why is Jesus called “the one Mediator”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Head of the body”?
- Why is Jesus called “the beloved Friend”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Good Teacher”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Good Shepherd”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Firstborn”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Gate” and “the Gatekeeper”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Rock”?
- Why is Jesus called “Light and Fire”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:25–37)?
- Why is Jesus called “the image of the invisible God”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Pearl of Great Price”?
- Why is Jesus called “the True Vine” (John 15:1)?
- Why is Jesus called “the Prophet”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Faithful”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Bridegroom”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Truth”?
- Why is Jesus called “Peace and Righteousness”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Alpha and Omega” (Rev. 1:8, 11)?
- Why is Jesus called “the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” (Rev. 1:8, 11)?
- Why is Jesus called “the Lion” (Rev. 5:5)?
- Why is Jesus called “the Stone”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Garment of righteousness”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Suffering Servant”?
- Why is Jesus called “the Judge”?
- What is “the Jesus Prayer”?
The Holy Spirit and Divine Salvation[792 ]
- What role does the Holy Spirit play in our attainment of divine salvation?
- What was Christ’s purpose in speaking the words He did on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles regarding the descent of the Holy Spirit?
- What does John the Evangelist say about this divine promise?
- Why did the Holy Spirit descend upon the Church after the Lord was glorified through His suffering, crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to heaven?
- What can we learn from the early Church Fathers’ experiences in drinking from this spring of which the Lord Christ spoke when He described Himself as the Fountain that quenches the thirsty?
- What is the meaning of the words, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture had said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38)?
- Why does the believer not receive the gift of speaking in the tongues of many nations when he is baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit?
- Did Jesus need the Holy Spirit to descend upon Him at His baptism in the River Jordan?
- What is the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Lord Christ as Savior?
- What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments?
- Is there evidence in the Holy Bible that the Spirit spoke through the prophets?
- If the Spirit spoke through the prophets and descended upon the disciples in the form of tongues of fire, does He also work in the faithful?
- How do we become partakers of the Holy Spirit?
- What are the most important gifts and talents endowed by the Holy Spirit?
- What is faith, considered as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:9)?
- Who defies the violent winds of sin and the darkness of Satan?
- Why did the Lord Christ say, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7)?
- In whom can we find heavenly comfort amidst our struggles and battles with the vicious devil?
- How is the mission of the head of Abraham’s household a type of the mission of the Holy Spirit?
- What role does the Holy Spirit play in the life of the Church after the ascension of the Lord Christ to heaven?
- What is the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer?
- Were the disciples in need of another teacher to comfort them?
- Who sent the Holy Spirit: the Father or the Son?
- Do all enjoy the Holy Spirit to the same extent?
- What does the apostle Paul mean when he says, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:19)?
- What does the Lord Christ mean when He says of the Holy Spirit: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin” (John 16:8)?
- What does the Lord Christ mean when He says of the Holy Spirit: “And when He has come, He will convict the world … of righteousness” (John 16:8)?
- What does the Lord Christ mean when He says of the Holy Spirit: “And when He has come, He will convict the world … of judgment” (John 16:8)?
- What concept of freedom does the Holy Spirit grants us?
- What does the Holy Spirit bestow upon the soul when He accompanies it?
- When will the Spring season of Resurrection begin and proclaim the hidden glory?
- What do the fire of the Holy Spirit and the fire of the world offer you?
- Can our souls abide in the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit abide in us?
- Was the human being deprived of wings with which to fly?
- Before the Fall, were Adam and Eve clothed with the glory of God for a cloak?
- Is the Holy Spirit with the hosts of heaven?
- If the Holy Spirit is described as God’s “power” (Acts 1:8), does this contradict His being a divine Hypostasis?
- What role does the Holy Spirit play in the renewal of the Church?
- What role does the Holy Spirit play in our continuous sanctification and our steadfastness in the Holy God?
- What role does the Holy Spirit play in consecrating the heart to God?