His Holiness Pope Shenouda III speaks about the mind: its nature, types, and how it works and is affected. He shows that people differ in the quality of minds (smart, genius, average, or low intelligence) and in the strength of memory and understanding of matters, and that the mind may be comprehensive or limited in its view of events.

Spiritual and educational dimension:
Using the mind is connected to the believer’s life; a sound mind helps to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and it should work with faith not against it. He warns against doubt that attacks faith and leads to loss of spiritual peace, and points to the danger of intellectual deviation or atheistic philosophies that sometimes arise from social symptoms.

Factors that affect the mind:
His Holiness clarifies that the mind is influenced by books, media, friends, society, family, and guides, and that societal influences and group impressions may lead a person to non-independent thinking. He also mentions that emotions, nerves, fear, and doubt may dominate the mind and paralyze it.

Practical issues about thinking:
He warns that some people live imprisoned in a problem and their mind cannot get out of it, some are led by doubt to distrust others, and some live blind obedience to a guide and lose the independence of their thought. He recommends deliberation and not rushing to judgment.

Dealing with fear and doubt:
He explains that fear can take over a person and prevent him from acting rightly, and that doubt gnaws at the mind gradually, especially if it extends to matters of faith. Therefore one must examine fears and their sources and restore the mind to its balance.

Freedom of mind and responsibility:
He calls for the mind to have freedom in thinking not to be imprisoned within an acquired principle or blind obedience. The free mind is corrected by sound principles but does not lose the ability to critique and investigate.

Educational spiritual summary:
What is required is a balanced mind: strong in memory, wide in understanding, independent in decision, and prepared by reflection and prayer so that it cooperates with faith. The mind that works according to principles and virtue serves the Church and society, and care for culture and books and scrutiny prevents slipping toward doubt or blind adherence.

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