The Center of Preaching and Teaching in the Holy Church
The Center of Preaching and Teaching in the Holy Church [1]
Preaching and teaching are the work of the priest-fathers
The apostle Paul says to his disciple Timothy the bishop:
“Give attention to reading, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Tim. 4:13), also, “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim. 4:16). “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:2). “Do the work of an evangelist. Fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:5). “Teach and exhort these things” (1 Tim. 6:2).
And he sends to his disciple Titus the bishop saying: “Speak these things, exhort” (Titus 2:15). “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine… in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned” (Titus 2:1, 7). For all this the apostle Paul says (1 Tim. 3:2):
A bishop must be… able to teach
And he says in his epistle to Titus (1:7, 9): “For a bishop must… hold fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”
And chapter three of the Didascalia elaborated greatly on this subject, and it stated: “The bishop must be filled with all teaching, cultured, trained in speech. And he must be alive in heart in teaching, teaching at all times. And he must read and study in the books of the Lord and meditate on the passages, so that he may interpret the Scriptures with contemplation… Let the bishop instruct the laypeople firmly and exhort them.” And the command progresses to an order, as the Didascalia says: “Take care of the word, O bishop. Satisfy your people and water them with the light of the law, that they may be enriched by the abundance of your teachings.” And the Didascalia explains the judgment of a bishop who neglects teaching, saying: “If you bishops do not instruct the people nor testify to them by teaching, the sin of those who do not know is upon you” (Ezek. 33:2–9).
How hard and frightening are the canons set by the apostle-fathers upon the bishop who does not care for teaching. My pen trembles to write them. I shall leave them for another time…
Our holy father-bishops were preachers and teachers:
How beautiful is the history of our holy father-bishops in their concern for teaching.
Athanasius the Apostolic went from place to place teaching and strengthening the people in the right faith and combating the danger of Arianism. Likewise Saint Cyril, the Pillar of Faith, in the precision of his teaching and his struggle against Nestorianism. And like them in understanding and defending the faith, our teacher Dioscorus (the 25th Pope), who resisted the Council of Chalcedon, and Saint Severus, Patriarch of Antioch, who journeyed for 28 years through cities and villages establishing the foundations of the faith and answering the questions of inquirers…
Shall I also speak of Saint John, Patriarch of Constantinople, who from the beauty of his sermons they titled “Chrysostom”—the Golden-Mouthed?
Or shall I speak of Saint Gregory, Bishop of Nazianzus, who from the strength of his argument they titled “The Theologian,” meaning the speaker of divine things?
Or shall I speak of the sermons of Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, and his essays and letters?
Or of Saint Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, who from his strength in theology they titled “the Athanasius of the West”? Or shall I speak of Basil the Great? Or Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem? Or Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa?
Or Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, or Ambrose, Bishop of Milan…
Each one of these was—according to the expression of the apostle Paul:
Rightly dividing the word of truth
These bishops and their like were teachers of the oikoumene and champions of the faith. And their sermons, teachings, and letters remain references for us in the faith…
A bishop must be able to teach, because also—as a member of the Holy Synod—he is entrusted with legislation, canon law, combating heresies, and explaining the faith.
Preaching and teaching are the work of the father-bishops
The presbyters are called “teachers” by the introduction of the Didascalia, and from the mouth of the priest the law is sought, as Scripture says. Alongside the priestly service, they also have the service of teaching. And in this Paul the apostle says: “Let the elders (presbyters) who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine” (1 Tim. 5:17).
And in the ordination rite the bishop prays for the new priest, saying to the Lord: “Grant him the spirit of Your wisdom, that he may be filled with works of healing and words of teaching, to teach Your people with meekness.” And in the command that the bishop reads to him he says: “And be enlightened by reading, persevering in reading and teaching the meanings of the books of the Church.”
And we have an example in the famous preaching-priests: Saint John Chrysostom when he was a presbyter of Antioch. And in our modern generation shone Fr. Philotheos and Fr. Mansa Youhanna and others.
Preaching and teaching are among the works of the deacons
If among the service of deacons is the care of the poor and assisting the priest in the altar service, then teaching is also among their most important works. The great Stephen, the Archdeacon, taught. And before him stood three councils: “They were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (Acts 6:10). And Philip the deacon preached in Samaria (Acts 8:5), and also evangelized the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:35).
And the deacon Athanasius—at the Council of Nicaea—gives us a beautiful and powerful example of the role of the deacon in teaching. And in our present generation time would fail us to speak of Habib Girgis and Iskandar Hanna and their work in teaching…
Preaching and teaching are the work of the anagnostis
The anagnostis (the reader) is the reader, and his rite in the Church is to read the holy books, to know their interpretation and to interpret them to the people. As for his understanding of what he reads, it is evident from the statement of the ecclesiastical canon: “He who fills the ears of the people with words—should he not understand the meaning of what he says?!” And also from the reminder in the ordination: “Let the reader understand.”
And the rite of his ordination carries the meaning of his work in preaching and teaching, for the bishop prays about him saying to the Lord: “Show Your face upon Your servant (so-and-so) standing before You, who has been presented to proclaim Your holy sayings, to preach Your commandments to Your people, and to teach them Your pure word which brings about the salvation and deliverance of their souls.”
And he says to him in the command: “You must learn, one by one, the passages of the holy books—the breath of God entrusted to you—that you may exhort the people with them.”
And finally
Let us care for teaching, exhortation, and preaching, for the people: “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom. 10:14).
Let us teach at all times, and encourage the teachers and preachers, and give them space, and provide them with the means…
[1] An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III: The Pastoral Page – The Center of Preaching and Teaching in the Holy Church (2), Al-Keraza Magazine, 23/12/1994.For better translation support, please contact the center.
