His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explained that the Holy Bible is the first and most important source of church laws, containing clear rules such as the law of divorce permitted only for adultery, and St. Paul’s teaching on separation between believers and unbelievers.

🔹 Apostolic and Conciliar Laws:
After the Bible come the Apostolic Canons, written and compiled from the first century, followed by the laws of the Ecumenical Councils—Nicaea, Constantinople, and Ephesus—which dealt with matters of faith and church discipline. Local councils such as Ancyra, Caesarea, and Carthage also established systems for repentance and the conduct of clergy and deacons.

🔹 The Laws of the Holy Fathers:
Many Church Fathers—such as St. Basil the Great, St. Athanasius the Apostolic, and St. Cyril the Great—set laws concerning priesthood, marriage, confession, and monasticism, shaping the spiritual order of the Church.

🔹 Temporary vs. Permanent Laws:
Some laws were temporary, addressing heresies or local issues; they were never meant to be eternal. True understanding of law requires wisdom, not rigid literalism.

🔹 Discipline and Pastoral Mercy:
The ancient Church enforced strict discipline, but today the spirit of love and pastoral care must guide correction. Still, the human conscience remains the strongest judge before God.

🔹 Order and Reverence in Worship:
The Didascalia organized prayers, fasting, and church conduct, emphasizing reverence during worship, modesty in dress, and silence in God’s house.

🔹 Spiritual and Practical Meaning:
Church laws are not merely regulations; they are instruments preserving holiness and order, aiming for salvation and unity within the body of Christ.

🌿 Main Message:
Church law flows from the Holy Scripture—it serves the salvation of souls and the sanctity of the Church through discipline, wisdom, and divine order.

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